Michigan Football on Thursdays -- A history

Submitted by Wolverine Devotee on

Since Michigan opens their season on a rare (and I mean rare) Thursday night game at Utah on September 3rd, I thought I'd list the history of Michigan Football on Thursdays.

It is a very rare occasion to be playing on Thursday in the regular season. When Michigan takes the field at Rice-Eccles Stadium, it will be the program's first regular season Thursday game in exactly 110 years.

Date Opponent Result Event/Neutral Site
11/22/1883 at Harvard L 0-3  
11/26/1885 Peninsulars W 42-0  
11/24/1887 at Harvard Club (Chicago) W 26-0  
11/29/1888 at U. Club (Chicago) L 4-26  
11/28/1889 at Chicago Athletic Association L 0-20  
11/26/1891 at Cleveland Athletic Association L 4-8  
11/30/1893 at Chicago W 28-10  
11/29/1894 at Chicago W 6-4  
11/28/1895 at Chicago W 12-0  
10/15/1896 vs Physicians & Surgeons W 28-0  
11/26/1896 at Chicago L 6-7  
11/25/1897 at Chicago L 12-21  
11/24/1898 at Chicago W 12-11  
11/30/1899 Wisconsin L 5-17 Played in Chicago, IL
11/29/1900 at Chicago L 6-15  
11/28/1901 Iowa W 50-0 Played in Chicago, IL
11/27/1902 vs Minnesota W 23-6  
10/8/1903 vs Albion W 76-0  
11/26/1903 at Chicago W 28-0  
11/30/1905 at Chicago L 0-2  
1/1/1948 #8 USC W 49-0 Rose Bowl
1/1/1970 #5 USC L 3-10 Rose Bowl
1/1/1976 #3 Okahoma L 6-14 Orange Bowl
1/1/1987 #7 Arizona State L 15-22 Rose Bowl
12/28/1995 #19 Texas A&M L 20-22 Alamo Bowl
1/1/1998 #8 Washington State W 21-16 Rose Bowl
1/1/2004 #1 USC L 14-28 Rose Bowl

 

Thanksgiving Day football was an early Michigan tradition. In fact, Michigan and Chicago are credited as being the originators of Thanksgiving Day football.

Michigan is 9-8 in Thanksgiving Day games, 15-14 on Thursday overall and 13-9 in Thursday regular season games.

This will be Michigan's first road game season opener that is a night game since Gary Moeller debuted as Michigan's head coach in 1990 at #1 Notre Dame. 

Comments

Wolverine Devotee

April 17th, 2015 at 8:31 PM ^

That game ended Michigan's 56-game, 5 year unbeaten streak that was started by Fielding Yost.

Tragic story. It was a muddy field that day, which blurred the gridiron lines. William Dennison Clark took a punt out from his endzone but was tackled for a safety that resulted in the two points and eventually the Chicago win.

He was suicidal after that game and sadly he did eventually commit suicide in 1932 at age 47 and mentioned that that play should not be forgiven in his suicide note.

Hill Street Blue

April 19th, 2015 at 2:52 AM ^

Were the Maroons.  That game hurt even more as it was both the first loss for Michigan in 5 seasons AND those 2 points were the first given up in 1905, spoiling a perfect season.  To top it off, after the win, Chicago claimed THEY were the Champions of the West, mocking Elbel's new tune, The Victors.

amalfatima850@…

April 21st, 2015 at 6:32 AM ^

To go along with the 'more informative headlines' theme, this thread will hopefully get set as a sticky. I have made a spreadsheet listing all people selling and looking for tickets..