The Wolverines lost their season opener to Notre Dame but won ten consecutive games to finish the regular season. Highlights of the winning streak included the defeat of Minnesota by 34 points for the Little Brown Jug and a victory over Ohio State in their home finale.
The team leaders included running back Tony Boles, who rushed for 839 yards, and Michael Taylor, who threw for 1,081 yards. Greg McMurtry was the Wolverine's leading receiver with 41 catches for 711 yards. Schembechler retired after the Rose Bowl, which the Wolverines lost to USC by a touchdown.
Todd Plate's second interception of the day with 2:48 left in the game sealed the game and the Big Ten title for the Wolverines.
The 1990 Rose Bowl was a remach of the previous Rose Bowl in which Michigan won 22 to 14. USC scored the first points in the second quarter with a one-yard run by Todd Marinovich. Michigan got a field goal to make it 7 to 3 but the Trojans added another field goal before the half to take a 10 to 3 lead at halftime. Although Michigan tied the score, Ricky Ervins had a fourteen-yard touchdown run which clinched the Rose Bowl for the Trojans.
Derrick Alexander, wide receiver, freshman, Detroit, MichiganTony Boles, running back, senior, Westland, Michigan - started 9 games at tailbackJarrod Bunch, running back, senior, Ashtabula, Ohio - started 5 games at fullback ;Bill Prichard fullbackAlfie Burch, wide receiver, freshman, Warren, OhioChris Calloway, wide receiver, senior, Chicago, Illinois - started all 12 games at flankerJoe Cocozzo, offensive tackle, sophomore, Mechanicville, New York - started 2 games at right offensive guardDave Diebolt, tight end, junior, Mayfield, OhioDean Dingman, offensive guard, junior, East Troy, Wisconsin - started 10 games at left offensive guardRobert Doherty, offensive line, sophomore, Sterling Heights, MichiganTom Dohring, offensive tackle, senior, Dearborn, Michigan - started all 12 games at left offensive tackleMatt Elliott, center, junior, Carmel, Indiana - started 9 games at right offensive guard, 2 at left offensive guardSteve Everitt, offensive guard - center, sophomore, Miami, FloridaElvis Grbac, quarterback, sophomore, Willoughby Hills, Ohio - started 4 games at quarterbackLeroy Hoard, fullback, senior, New Orleans, Louisiana - started 5 games at fullback, 3 games at tailbackDesmond Howard, flanker, sophomore, Cleveland, OhioAllen Jefferson, tailback, senior, Detroit, MichiganDan Jokish, split end, junior, Clarkston, MichiganDave Knight, wide receiver, senior, Riverview, MichiganBurnie Legette, running back, freshman, Colorado Springs, Colorado - started 2 games at fullbackTony McGee, tight end, freshman, Terre Haute, IndianaGreg McMurtry, split end, senior, Brockton, Massachusetts - started all 12 games at split endMarc Ramirez, center/guard, senior, Prairie View, Illinois - started 1 game at right offensive guardDoug Skene, offensive tackle, sophomore, Fairview, TexasGreg Skrepenak, offensive tackle, junior, Wilkes Barre, Pennsylvania - started all 12 games at right offensive tackleKen Sollom, quarterback, junior, Canyon Country, CaliforniaMichael Taylor, quarterback, senior, Lincoln Heights, Ohio - started 8 games at quarterbackYale Van Dyne, wide receiver, junior, Kearney, MissouriJon Vaughn, tailback, sophomore, Florissant, MissouriDerrick Walker, tight end, senior, Glenwood, Illinois - started all 12 games at tight endSteve Zacharias, tight end, senior, Sterling Heights, MichiganBobby Abrams, defensive back, senior, Detroit, Michigan - started all 12 games at outside linebackerErick Anderson, outside linebacker, junior, Glenview, Illinois - started all 12 games at inside linebackerChris Bohn, inside linebacker, junior, Traverse City, MichiganCorwin Brown, free safety, sophomore, Chicago, IllinoisDave Caputo, middle guard, junior, Chelsea, MichiganDoug Daugherty, offensive guard, senior, Romeo, MichiganMartin Davis, outside linebacker, sophomore, Chesapeake, VirginiaLance Dottin, defensive back, junior, Cambridge, Massachusetts - started 6 games at cornerbackMike Evans, defensive tackle, junior, Roxbury, Massachusetts - started 7 games at defensive tackleChris Feaster, linebacker, senior, Flint, MichiganRusty Fichtner, linebacker, junior, Meadville, PennsylvaniaJ. J. Grant, inside linebacker, senior, Liverpool, New York - started 9 games at inside linebackerChris Hutchinson, defensive tackle, sophomore, Houston, Texas - started all 12 games at defensive tackleDavid Key, defensive back, senior, Columbus, Ohio - started all 12 games at cornerbackCurt Mallory, inside linebacker, sophomore, Bloomington, IllinoisAlex Marshall, outside linebacker, junior, Detroit, Michigan - started 11 games at outside linebacker - started 11 games at outside linebackerMatt McCoy, defensive tackle, senior, Ypsilanti, MichiganJohn Milligan, linebacker, senior, Trenton, Michigan - started 3 games at inside linebackerVada Murray, free safety, senior, Cincinnati, Ohio - started all 12 games at free safetyT. J. Osman, defensive tackle, senior, Pittsburgh, PennsylvaniaTodd Plate, cornerback, senior, Brooklyn, Michigan - started 6 games at cornerbackDavid Ritter, strong safety, junior, Hickory Hills, IllinoisCornelius Simpson, outside linebacker, junior, Highland Park, MichiganScott Smykowski, inside linebacker, senior, Sterling Heights, MichiganMarc Spencer, linebacker, senior, Troy, MichiganSylvester "Buster" Stanley, defensive tackle, freshman, Youngstown, OhioMike Teeter, middle guard, senior, Fruitport, Michigan - started all 12 games at middle guardBrian Townsend, linebacker, junior, Cincinnati, Ohio - started 1 game at outside linebackerEric Traupe, inside linebacker, Ashland, MassachusettsColeman Wallace, SC, sophomore, Willingboro, New JerseyDwayne Ware, cornerback, sophomore, Willingboro, New JerseyTripp Welborne, strong safety, junior, Greensboro, North Carolina - started all 12 games at strong safetyBrent White, defensive tackle, senior, Dayton, Ohio - started 5 games at defensive tackleTimothy Williams, outside linebacker, senior, Milwaukee, WisconsinJ. D. Carlson, place-kicker, junior, Tallahassee, FloridaGulam Kahn, place-kicker, senior, Shaker Heights, OhioChris Stapleton, punter / place-kicker, freshman, Springfield, IllinoisAwards and honors
All-Americans: Tripp WelborneAll-Conference: Tony Boles, J.D. Carlson, Dean Dingman, Derrick Walker, Tripp WelborneMost Valuable Player: Tony BolesMeyer Morton Award: Chris CallowayJohn Maulbetsch Award: Steve EverittFrederick Matthei Award: Dean DingmanArthur Robinson Scholarship Award: Tim WilliamsDick Katcher Award: Mike TeeterHugh Rader Jr. Award: Derrick WalkerRobert P. Ufer Award: Chris CallowayThe following players were claimed in the 1990 NFL Draft.
A total of 25 players from the 1989 team went on to play professional football. They are Bobby Abrams (New York Giants 1990-91, Cleveland Browns 1992, New York Giants 1992, Dallas Cowboys 1992-93, Minnesota Vikings 1993-94, New England Patriots 1995), Derrick Alexander (Cleveland Browns 1994–95, Baltimore Ravens 1996–97, Kansas City Chiefs 1998–01, Minnesota Vikings 2002), Erick Anderson (Kansas City Chiefs 1992-93, Washington Redskins 1994-95), Tony Boles (Dallas Cowboys 1991; San Antonio Riders 1992), Jarrod Bunch (New York Giants 1991–93, Los Angeles Raiders 1994), Corwin Brown (New England Patriots 1993–96, New York Jets 1997–98, Detroit Lions 1999–00), Chris Calloway (Pittsburgh Steelers 1990-91, New York Giants 1992-98, Atlanta Falcons 1999, New England Patriots 2000), Joe Cocozzo (San Diego Chargers 1993-97), Tom Dohring (Kansas City Chiefs 1992), Matt Elliott (Washington Redskins 1992, Carolina Panthers 1995-97), Steve Everitt (Cleveland Browns 1993-95, Baltimore Ravens 1996, Philadelphia Eagles 1997-99), Elvis Grbac (San Francisco 49ers 1993-96, Kansas City Chiefs 1997-00, Baltimore Ravens 2001), Leroy Hoard (Cleveland Browns 1990-95, Baltimore Ravens 1996, Carolina Panthers 1996, Minnesota Vikings 1996-99), Desmond Howard (Washington Redskins 1992-94, Jacksonville Jaguars 1995, Green Bay Packers 1996, Oakland Raiders 1997-98, Green Bay Packers 1999, Detroit Lions 2000-02), Burnie Legette (New England Patriots 1993-94), Tony McGee (Cincinnati Bengals 1993-01, Dallas Cowboys 2002-03, New York Giants 2003), Greg McMurtry (New England Patriots 1990-93, Chicago Bears 1994), Doug Skene (New England Patriots 1994), Greg Skrepenak (Los Angeles/Oakland Raiders 1992-95, Carolina Panthers 1996-97), Buster Stanley (New England Patriots 1994, Rhein Fire 1996-97, Grand Rapids Rampage 1999-00), Mike Teeter (Indianapolis Colts 1990, Frankfurt Galaxy 1991, Minnesota Vikings 1991, Houston Oilers 1993–94, Carolina Panthers 1995), Brian Townsend (Cincinnati Bengals 1992), Jon Vaughn (New England Patriots 1991-92, Seattle Seahawks 1993-94, Kansas City Chiefs 1994), Derrick Walker (San Diego Chargers 1990-93, Kansas City Chiefs 1994-97, Oakland Raiders 1999), and Tripp Welborne (Minnesota Vikings 1992).
Head coach: Bo SchembechlerAssistant coaches: Tirrel Burton, Cam Cameron, Lloyd Carr, Jerry Hanlon, Bill Harris, Jim Herrmann, Les Miles, Gary Moeller, Bobby Morrison, Tom ReedTrainer: Russ MillerManagers: Jeff Tack (senior manager), Chris Carr, Scott Hanel, Mark Jacobson, Tom Lewand, John Myers, Dave Schueler, Chris Smith, Jim Sullivan
