In his 16th year as head coach, Fielding H. Yost led Michigan to a 7–2 record, as the Wolverines outscored their opponents by a combined score of 253 to 56.

New York sports writer Monty selected Sparks as the first-team quarterback on his 1916 College Football All-America Team.

Early in the game, Marietta completed a pass, Whiting to Hayes, for a gain of 55 yards before being tackled by Sparks.

[4][5] On Saturday, October 7, 1916, Michigan played its annual game against the team from Case Institute of Technology in Cleveland.

In the third quarter, Sparks returned a punt 60 yards, but fullback Philip Raymond fumbled after the ball had been advanced to the five-yard line.

After an interception in the fourth quarter, Maulbetsch scored Michigan's final touchdown and kicked the PAT.

He ran for 115 yards in the game and set up a touchdown with a pass to left end Maurice Dunne for a 40-yard gain.

The Detroit Free Press wrote: "The individual work of Sparks in his open field running and all-around generalship easily stood out as the brightest feature to the somewhat disappointing tussle.

He was the hardest man on the team to stop, and his dodging runs from punt formation gained many yards for Michigan.

[7][8] On Wednesday, October 11, 1916, Michigan played its second mid-week game against the football team from Carroll College in Waukesha, Wisconsin.

Additional touchdowns were scored by John Maulbetsch, N. J. Brazell, Joseph Hanish, Harold Zeiger, and Philip Raymond.

Maulbetsch also successfully converted six of eight kicks for points after touchdown, and Zeiger returned a punt 47 yards in the second half.

Fred Rehor was held out of the game due to a minor injury sustained during a practice scrimmage.

[11][12] On Saturday, October 14, 1916, Michigan played the football team Mount Union College of Alliance, Ohio.

According to one account of the game, Michigan quarterback Cliff Sparks "crumpled the Aggie line almost every time he crashed into it and circled ends with ease, and was eel-like in running back punts.

[18] The play called for Sparks to take the snap from center and hold the ball for a field goal attempt.

One press account described Sparks' actions as follows:"And then seemingly with a single movement, Sparks jumped to his feet, grabbed the ball as it was about to clear his head, whirled to face the goal posts and drop-kicked the ball over the Aggie bar for a count of three points, which then and there cinched the game for the Wolverines.

The first touchdown, with four minutes remaining in the game, resulted in a holding penalty moved the ball to the Syracuse six-yard line.

[22][23] With the game riding on the attempt at extra point, "Maulbetsch took his time, finally kicking the ball squarely between the uprights.

Washington's left end Kling picked up the loose ball and returned it 40 yards for the score.

Substitutes appearing in the game for Michigan were R. Glenn Dunn, John Orton Goodsell, Albert Martens, Hanish, James Whalen, Clarence Skinner, Harry McCallum, Alvin Loucks, Sidney Eggert, Brazell, and Frank Willard.

Cornell quarterback Fritz Shiverick, who was later inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame, dropkicked two field goals in the first quarter to give the Big Red a 6 to 0 lead.

Also in the second quarter, fullback Cedric "Pat" Smith ran for a touchdown with Maulbetsch again converting the extra point to put Michigan ahead, 14-6 at halftime.

Later in the third quarter, Cornell fullback Mueller ran for a touchdown, and Shiverick kicked the extra point to reduce the lead to 20–13.

Early in the fourth quarter, Cornell tied the score at 20–20 on a second touchdown run by Mueller and another extra point by Shiverick.

[27] On November 18, 1916, Michigan played its annual rivalry game against the Penn Quakers football team.

After leaving the Big Ten Conference, Penn became Michigan's regular season-ending rivalry game.

Substitutes appearing in the game for Michigan were Albert Martens (right end) and Harold Zeiger (quarterback).