Pre-season and Wieman-Yost feud In 1927, Michigan compiled a 6–2 record with
Bennie Oosterbaan winning All-American honors for the third consecutive year. The 1927 team also included All-Big Ten Conference honorees
Louis Gilbert at halfback and
Ray Baer at guard. Oosterbaan, Gilbert, and Baer graduated in 1928, leaving coach
Tad Wieman to rebuild the core of his team with new personnel. The 1928 season saw conflict between Wieman and athletic director
Fielding H. Yost. Before the season began, Yost became restless and announced that he would return to his head coaching responsibilities. After taking control from Wieman, Yost then announced to newspapers the night before the season opener that Wieman was once again the head football coach. Wieman told friends that Yost had failed to notify him in advance, and "he was the most surprised man in the country" when Yost made the announcement. Wieman reportedly contended that he had never really been allowed to take control of the team and felt that he was being used as a scapegoat for the team's poor showing. In late October 1928, the athletic department issued a joint statement from Wieman and Yost denying any estrangement and noting that their relationship was too long and intimate to be jeopardized by "any minor misunderstandings." persons, the largest crowd to watch an opening game in Michigan history. Michigan's lone touchdown was set up when Danny Holmes intercepted a pass and returned the ball to the Ohio Wesleyan two-yard line. George Rich then ran for the touchdown, and
Joe Gembis kicked the extra point. Ohio Wesleyan scored touchdowns in the second and third quarters and kicked a field goal from the 27-yard line in the fourth quarter. The Ohio Wesleyan band played "that old familiar
air, '
We Don't Give a D--m for the Whole State of Michigan'" as it marched onto the field. The song was credited with inspiring Ohio Wesleyan to upset the Wolverines. Ohio Wesleyan's victory was branded "the greatest upset" in Michigan football history. It was also the first for a team from Ohio over the Wolverines since 1921.
Week 2: Indiana On October 13, 1928, Michigan lost to
Indiana by a 6–0 score before a crowd of 40,000 at Michigan Stadium. There were nearly 55,000 empty seats in the stadium. Harry Bullion of the
Detroit Free Press criticized Michigan's tackling and blocking and described the match as "a listless game". The Hoosiers out-gained the Wolverines by 206 rushing yards to 40.
The Indianapolis Star described the game as "the greatest football day in Indiana's history within recent years."
Week 4: Wisconsin On October 27, 1928, Michigan lost to
Wisconsin by a 7–0 score before a crowd of 55,000 on a partially rain-soaked field at Michigan Stadium. The game remained scoreless until the final two minutes of the fourth quarter when the Badgers' Sammy Behr threw a pass to Bo Cuisinier who grabbed the ball from the arms of a Michigan defender and ran the remaining 25 yards for a touchdown. It was Wisconsin's first victory over a Michigan football team since 1899. The loss was Michigan's fourth in a row to open the 1928 season, the first time in school history that Michigan had opened a season so poorly.
Week 5: Illinois On November 3, 1928, Michigan defeated
Illinois by a 3–0 before a crowd estimated at 90,000 persons at Michigan Stadium. In a match dominated by defense, Michigan gained 95 yards from scrimmage on 43 attempts, while Illinois gained 122 yards on 50 attempts.
Joe Gembis scored the game's only points in the first quarter on a field goal from placement from the 35-yard line. Gembis' field goal was set up when Alvin Dahlem intercepted a pass and returned it to the Illini 20-yard line.
Frosty Peters missed on two field goal attempts for the Illini. Michigan wore "bright yellow jerseys" for the game. Coach Wieman ordered the yellow jerseys after Navy refused to depart from its traditional blue jerseys. Michigan State's head coach for the 1928 season was
Harry Kipke, the former Wolverine All-American who became Michigan's head coach starting in 1929.
Week 8: Iowa On November 24, 1928, Michigan defeated
Iowa by a 10–7 score before a crowd of nearly 70,000 at Michigan Stadium. Michigan again wore its "screaming yellow jerseys" rather than the traditional blue jerseys. Iowa halfback
Willis Glassgow ran 55 yards for a touchdown in the first quarter. Michigan fullback
Joe Gembis kicked a field goal from the 27-yard line in the second period. Michigan halfback Alvin Dahlem ran 15 yards for a touchdown in the third quarter to put Michigan in the lead. Gembis kicked the extra point.
Post-season After the season, tackle
Otto Pommerening was named the most valuable player on the 1928 Michigan team. receiving first-team honors from the
Associated Press,
United Press, ''
Collier's Weekly'' (
Grantland Rice), and the
International News Service. Pommerening was also the only Michigan player to be honored on the
1928 All-Big Ten Conference football teams. Wieman was removed as the team's head coach in late May 1929. ==Personnel==