Today's Article - 1901 Michigan Wolverines football team

This article is for quizzes on Thursday November 19th...

The 1901 Michigan Wolverines football team was an American football team that represented the University of Michigan in the Western Conference during the 1901 college football season. In their first year under head coach Fielding H. Yost, the team compiled a perfect 11–0 record, outscored its opponents by a combined total of 550 to 0, tied with Wisconsin for the Western Conference championship, and defeated Stanford by a 49 to 0 score in the inaugural Rose Bowl game, the first college bowl game ever played. The 1901 team was the first of Yost's famed "Point-a-Minute" teams, so named for their high scoring offense. From 1901 to 1905, Yost's Michigan teams compiled a record of 55–1–1 and outscored their opponents by a combined score of 2,821 to 42.
Although no system was in place during this era to determine a national champion, the NCAA recognizes as official certain selectors who have sought to establish historic national championships. Three of the five official selectors, the Helms Athletic Foundation, the Houlgate System, and the National Championship Foundation, recognize the 1901 Michigan team as the national champion. The 1901 team holds the distinction of having won the first national championship claimed by the Michigan Wolverines football program.

Several players from the team received individual honors. Fullback/end Neil Snow was selected as a first-team player on Caspar Whitney's 1901 All-America Team. Halfback Willie Heston was selected as a third-team player on Walter Camp's 1901 and 1902 All-America Teams and as a first-team player on Camp's 1903 and 1904 All-America Teams. In addition, five Michigan players received first-team honors on the 1901 All-Western college football team. They are Snow, Heston, quarterback Boss Weeks, tackle Bruce Shorts, and fullback/halfback Everett Sweeley. The team captain was tackle, Hugh White.

Four individuals associated with the team have been inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame. They are Yost, Snow, Heston, and assistant coach Bennie Owen who later went on to fame as the head coach at Oklahoma.

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