Under second-year head coach Fritz Crisler, Michigan compiled a 6–2 record and outscored opponents 219 to 94.

Junior quarterback Forest Evashevski was the team second leading scorer with 25 points and was selected as a first-team All-Big Ten player.

[2] The 1939 team returned the core of its 1938 backfield, including quarterback Forest Evashevski and halfbacks Tom Harmon and Paul Kromer, who had become known in 1938 as the "Touchdown Twins".

On the line, the Wolverines returned their starting center Archie Kodros, who had been selected as the 1939 team captain at the close of the 1938 season.

Before the season began, the Associated Press opined that Michigan, "apparently with plenty of backfield speed and power, will be hard to stop if Coach Fritz Crisler can mold a good line.

The Wolverines' first points came on three-yard run around the right end by Paul Kromer, with blocking by Tom Harmon and Forest Evashevski, capping a 65-yard touchdown drive.

On the opening play of the second quarter, Harmon scored on a two-yard run, capping a drive that started at Michigan State's 33-yard line.

In the third quarter, Bill Batchelor of Michigan State intercepted a pass and returned it 25 yards for a touchdown.

[10] Iowa scored first on a touchdown pass from Nile Kinnick (1939 Heisman Trophy winner) to Floyd Dean that covered 70 yards.

[13] The Chicago Tribune found no fault with Michigan for running up the score, noting that the first string played only 20 minutes, and adding: "You can't expect a young man with a clear field before him to pause and tie his shoelaces or pass the time of day with a Maroon.

[13][14] On October 28, 1939, Michigan defeated Yale by a 27 to 7 score in the fourth and final played game, dating back to 1881, between the two programs.

[19] Michigan came into the game ranked #2 in the AP Poll, but lost to Illinois, which was 0-4 to that point in the season, by a 16 to 7 score.

The Chicago Tribune wrote of Illinois that "a football season that began dismally reached a hysterical climax.

In the fourth quarter, Michigan finally scored on touchdown pass from Tom Harmon to Paul Kromer.

After Schmidt's teams had won four straight games from 1934 to 1937, the Wolverines had defeated the Buckeyes in 1938 in Michigan's first year under Fritz Crisler.

The second touchdown was set up when Ralph Fritz recovered a Don Scott fumble at the Ohio State 35-yard line.

The game-winning touchdown was scored with 50 seconds left in the game and followed an Ohio State fumble recovered by Bob Westfall at the Buckeyes' 38-yard line.

[35] Harmon also placed second behind Kinnick in the voting for the Chicago Tribune Silver Football trophy as the most valuable player in the Big Ten Conference.

Known as one of the country's best blocking backs, Evashevski was voted by his teammates at the end of the season to serve as captain of the 1940 Michigan team.

[37] In December 1939, Michigan's longtime rival, the University of Chicago, announced that it was dropping its football program.

[38] Chicago's decision opened the way for a new university to join the Big Ten Conference, with the leading candidates being Pitt, Michigan State, Notre Dame and Nebraska.

On November 28, 1939, head coach Fritz Crisler presented varsity "M" letters to 25 players for their participation on the 1939 Michigan football team.