Michigan and Minnesota were conference co-champions, both compiling undefeated seasons with the exception of a 6-6 tie when the two teams played each other.
The tie between Michigan and Minnesota gave rise to the tradition of the two teams' playing for the Little Brown Jug.
In the chaos that ensued when the Minnesota crowd rushed onto the field at the end of the game, the Wolverines left their water jug behind.
The Boilermakers were on their way to the annual Indiana–Purdue football rivalry game to be played at Washington Park.
Thirteen players were chosen as first-team players on at least four of the 1903 All-Western college football teams named by the following eight selectors: Billy Mac aggregate (BMA), a team selected by aggregating the choices made by ten critics in St. Paul, Minneapolis, Milwaukee, Chicago and Detroit,[4] Billy Mac (BM) in The St. Paul Globe[5] Chicago Inter-Ocean (CIO),[6] Chicago Record-Herald (CRH),[6] Chicago Tribune (CT),[6] Fred Lowenthal (FL), former star football player at University of Illinois,[7] The Minneapolis Journal (MJ),[8] and Walter Camp (WC).