Under third-year head coach Fritz Crisler, Michigan compiled a 7–1 record and finished the season ranked No.

Left halfback Tom Harmon was a consensus All-American and the winner of the Heisman Trophy as the best overall player in college football.

Harmon became the focus of nationwide media coverage, even appearing on the cover of Life magazine in November 1940.

Left tackle Al Wistert had his jersey retired at Michigan, was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame, and was an eight-time All-Pro selection for the Philadelphia Eagles.

Left guard Ralph Fritz was a first-team All-Big Ten player in 1940 and later played for the Philadelphia Eagles.

Center Robert Ingalls played for the Green Bay Packers and later served for 12 years as the head football coach at Connecticut.

End Ed Frutig, who was Harmon's principal receiver, was selected as a first-team member of the 1940 College Football All-America Team and later played for the Green Bay Packers and Detroit Lions.

A fifth starter on the 1940 line, Milo Sukup, was the running guard and one of the principal blockers for Harmon and Westfall.

"[2] Sukup was reportedly on track for selection as an All-American until he suffered a career-ending injury late in the season.

[7][8] Sukup missed the last three games of the season due to the concussion and did not compete further as a football player.

Cliff Wise also scored a touchdown for Michigan, after coming into the game as a substitute for Harmon in the second half, and William Melzow kicked the PAT.

During the third touchdown run, a spectator jumped from the stands and ran onto the field trying, without success, to tackle Harmon.

[11] The Associated Press wrote that Harmon found California's defense "about as strong as a wet paper bag," noted that Harmon was "as hard to snare as a greased pig," and opined that the only reason Michigan's point total was not higher was that "Michigan's first-string players ran themselves into a complete state of exhaustion.

[21] Michigan's scoring came on touchdowns by David M. Nelson, Tom Harmon, Ed Frutig and Bob Westfall.

[22][23] The game was attended by Michigan's Governor-elect Murray Van Wagoner and Franklin Delano Roosevelt, Jr., the President's son.

The game drew noted broadcasters Ted Husing and Bill Stern in an event that was reportedly relayed by short wave "clear into war-torn Europe.

He scored early in the game on a 19-yard run around the right end after a Penn fumble gave Michigan good field position.

Joe Mernik kicked the extra point which was the difference in the game, Minnesota winning by a 7–6 score.

but it was to no avail, as Harmon, trying to dive forward with his famous cutback, was continually pulled down by old man mud.

[35] Michigan's first touchdown was set up when end Ed Frutig blocked a punt out of bounds inside the Northwestern one-yard line.

[36] On November 23, 1940, in the final game of the 1940 season, Michigan defeated Ohio State 40 to 0 in Columbus.

[38][39] Harmon concluded his three years at Michigan with 33 touchdowns, surpassing the conference record set by Red Grange.

[39] Michigan gained 447 yards of total offense against Ohio State, 299 rushing and 148 passing.

Despite having led the Buckeyes to a conference championship in 1939, the humiliating defeat to Michigan marked the end of Francis Schmidt's reign as Ohio State's head coach.

They are: Forest Evashevski (AP-1; UP-2), Ed Frutig (AP-1; UP-1), Ralph Fritz (AP-1; UP-1), Tom Harmon (AP-1; UP-1), Al Wistert (AP-2), and Bob Westfall (UP-2)[59][63] Several Michigan players were also selected to play in post-season all-star game.

Tom Harmon, Ed Frutig and Forest Evashevski were selected to play in the East–West Shrine Game on New Year's Day in San Francisco, while Ralph Fritz was a starter at guard for the north team in the Blue–Gray Football Classic in Montgomery, Alabama.