On offense, quarterback Rick Leach totaled 1,109 passing yards and 370 rushing yards.[2] Russell Davis led the team with 1,013 rushing yards and seven rushing touchdowns and was selected as the team's most valuable player. Harlan Huckleby added 743 rushing yards and six rushing touchdowns.
Clayton 30-yard pass from Leach (Gregg Willner kick)
MICH 7-3
1
MICH
Huckleby 15-yard run (kick failed)
MICH 13-3
2
MICH
Huckleby 3-yard run (Gregg Willner kick)
MICH 20-3
3
MICH
Willner 23-yard field goal
MICH 23-3
3
MICH
G. Johnson 11-yard pass from Leach (Gregg Willner kick)
MICH 30-3
4
MICH
Davis 4-yard run (Gregg Willner kick)
MICH 37-3
4
ILL
Baker 1-yard run (kick failed)
MICH 37-9
On September 10, 1977, Michigan defeated Illinois, 37-9, at Memorial Stadium in Champaign, Illinois, in a game matching Michigan coach Bo Schembechler against his former defensive coordinator, who took over as Illinois' head coach in 1977.[3] The game attracted a crowd of 60,477, the largest opening day crowd in Illinois school history. Michigan quarterback Rick Leach rushed for 78 yards and completed six of 11 passes for 76 yards, including touchdown passes of 30 yards to Ralph Clayton and 11 yards to Gene Johnson. Running back Harlan Huckleby rushed for 128 yards and two touchdowns on 24 carries. Russell Davis also rushed for 99 yards and a touchdown on 18 carries.[4]
On September 17, 1977, Michigan (ranked #1 in the AP Poll) defeated Duke, 21-9, in front of a crowd of 104,072 at Michigan Stadium. On the opening kickoff, Harlan Huckleby stepped across the goal line to the one-yard line, then stepped back, with the ball being marked down at the one-yard line. From there, Michigan was penalized for being offside and then for delay of game. Michigan did not score in the first quarter, but then scored two touchdowns in the second quarter. Rick Leach rushed for 99 yards and two touchdowns and complete six of 11 passes for 76 yards. Russell Davis also rushed for 95 yards and a touchdown.[5]
Sandy Jones 34-yard pass from Bob Leszczynski (Tala kick)
MICH 14-7
On September 24, 1977, Michigan defeated Navy, 14-7, at Michigan Stadium. Michigan's points were all scored in the second quarter on runs of 13 and 34 yards by running back Harlan Huckleby. Huckleby rushed for 147 yards, and Russell Davis added 93 more, but Navy outgained Michigan by 301 total yards to 277 total yards. Michigan had defeated Navy by 56 points in 1976, and the seven-point victory in 1977 was considered a disappointment.[6] After the game, Michigan dropped from #1 to #3 in the AP and Coaches' Polls.
Jim Pickens recovered blocked punt in end zone (Gregg Willner kick)
MICH 34-3
4
MICH
Mike Jolly 50-yard interception return (Gregg Willner kick)
MICH 41-3
On October 1, 1977, #3 Michigan defeated #5 Texas A&M, 41-3, in front of 104,802 spectators at Michigan Stadium. Russell Davis rushed for 110 yards and two touchdowns, and Harlan Huckleby added 73 yards and a touchdown. Rick Leach also threw a 35-yard touchdown pass to Curt Stephenson. On defense, Ron Simpkins had 14 tackles, recovered a fumble, and blocked a punt that Jim Pickens recovered in the end zone for a touchdown. Mike Jolly also returned an interception 50 yards for a touchdown. After "skimpy victories" over Duke and Navy, the trouncing of the highly rated Aggies was considered "one of [Michigan's] most stunning performances in recent years.[7] Columnist Joe Falls wrote: "It may have been Bo Schembechler's finest coaching job in his nine years at Michigan."[8] Texas A&M coach Emory Bellard said, "Michigan came out in the second half and beat us every way you can beat a football team. . . . Michigan is an outstanding team."[7]
On October 8, 1997, Michigan defeated Michigan State, 24-14, at Spartan Stadium. Michigan State took a 7-0 lead on a 19-yard touchdown pass from Ed Smith to Kirk Gibson. Michigan responded with a 12-yard touchdown pass from Rick Leach to White and a 50-yard field goal to take a 10-7 lead at halftime. Michigan extended its lead to 24-7 in the third quarter on touchdown runs by Russell Davis and Ed Leach. Harlan Huckleby rushed for 146 yards, and Russell Davis added 96 yards. Ralph Clayton caught three passes for 99 yards. Michigan completed four of 10 passes in the game and threw only one pass in the second half.[9]
On October 15, 1977, #1 Michigan defeated undefeated and #14 Wisconsin, 56-0, in front of 104,892 spectators at Michigan Stadium. Rick Leach rushed for 32 yards and a touchdown and completed 10 of 16 passes for 127 yards and touchdown passes to Doug Marsh and Gene Johnson. Roosevelt Smith rushed for 157 yards and two touchdowns, and Russell Davis rushed for 105 yards and a touchdown. Stanley Edwards and B. J. Dickey also scored rushing touchdowns. After the game, Michigan coach Bo Schembechler said, "We played this one as a big game and it turned out that way."[10]
On October 22, 1977, #1 Michigan lost to unranked Minnesota, 16-0, at Memorial Stadium, Minneapolis. All 16 of Minnesota points were scored by Paul Rogind (three field goals and an extra point) and Marion Barber, Jr. (three-yard touchdown run). Both Rogind and Barber were from the State of Michigan—Rogind from Farmington, Michigan and Barber from Detroit. Michigan's offense was shut out for the first time in 112 games dating back to 1967. After the game, Minnesota's players swarmed across the field to reclaim the Little Brown Jug trophy that had been in Michigan's custody for a decade. After the game the Detroit Free Press wrote: "In one fell swoop, Minnesota took away Michigan's No. 1 rating, its undefeated season, and, oh yes, that little chunk of pottery known as the Little Brown Jug."[11]
Week 8: Iowa
1
2
3
4
Total
Iowa
0
0
0
6
6
• Michigan
7
7
7
2
23
Date: October 29
Location: Michigan Stadium • Ann Arbor, Michigan
Game attendance: 104,617
Scoring summary
1
MICH
R. Davis 63-yard pass from Leach (Willner kick)
Michigan 7-0
2
MICH
G. Johnson 6-yard pass from Leach (Willner kick)
Michigan 14-0
3
MICH
White 32-yard pass from Leach (Willner kick)
Michigan 21-0
4
IOWA
McLaughlin 1-yard run (run failed)
Michigan 21-6
4
MICH
Safety, McLaughlin tackled in end zone
Michigan 23-6
On October 29, 1977, Michigan, ranked #6 after losing to Minnesota, defeated Iowa, 23–6, before a crowd of 104,617 at the annual homecoming game at Michigan Stadium. Rick Leach completed nine of 12 passes for 202 yards, including touchdown passes covering 63 yards to Russell Davis, six yards to Gene Johnson, and 32 yards to Rick White. Leach's three touchdown passes gave him 25 for his career, breaking the record of 23 set by Bob Chappuis in the 1940s. Michigan also scored on a safety in the fourth quarter when linebacker Dom Tedesco tackled Iowa's quarterback in the end zone. After the game, Bo Schembechler said, "That was a devastating defeat a week ago. No one will ever know how hard it was to come back from that game."[12]
G. Johnson recovered fumble in end zone (Willner kick)
Michigan 14–7
3
MICH
Leach 21 yard run (Willner kick)
Michigan 21–7
3
MICH
Leach 4 yard run (Willner kick)
Michigan 28–7
3
MICH
Edwards 26 yard pass from Leach (Willner kick)
Michigan 35–7
3
MICH
Clayton 41 yard pass from Leach (Willner kick)
Michigan 42–7
4
MICH
Reid 19 yard run (Willner kick)
Michigan 49–7
4
NW
Sheets 28 yard pass from Stranski (Poulos kick)
Michigan 49–14
4
MICH
M. Smith 15 yard run (Willner kick)
Michigan 56–14
4
MICH
Mitchell 34 yard pass from Wangler (Willner kick)
Michigan 63–14
4
NW
Bailey 7 yard pass from Stranski (pass failed)
Michigan 63–20
On November 5, 1977, Michigan defeated Northwestern, 63-20, at Michigan Stadium. In the lopsided victory, 77 Michigan players had an opportunity to play in the game. Rick Leach ran for two touchdowns, passed for two more (one to Stanley Edwards, the other to Ralph Clayton), and set a new Michigan's record with 2,664 career passing yards. Late in the game, John Wangler threw a touchdown pass to Alan Mitchell. Michigan totaled 511 yards of total offense.[13]
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