Fritz Crisler, in his sixth year as head coach, led the team to an 8–1 record and a tie with Purdue for the Western Conference championship.

After opening the season with three consecutive victories, the Wolverines lost to Notre Dame by a 35–12 score in game matching teams ranked #1 and #2 in the AP Poll.

Despite missing the last three games of the season due to military service, fullback Bill Daley finished seventh in the voting for the Heisman Trophy and was selected as consensus All-American.

Several key players from the 1942 team, including tackles Albert Wistert and Bill Pritula, quarterback George Ceithaml, and end Elmer Madar, were lost to graduation.

The two most highly touted transfers joining the Michigan program in 1943 were fullback Bill Daley from Minnesota and Elroy "Crazy Legs" Hirsch from Wisconsin.

[10][11] With World War II being fought in Europe and the Pacific, some universities, including Michigan State, canceled their football programs for the 1943 season.

[18] Hirsch capped the opening drive with a three-yard touchdown run, and Bill Daley, another V-12 transfer student, missed the extra point kick.

In the second quarter, Jack Wink, another Wisconsin transfer student, took over at quarterback and completed a 30-yard pass to Art Renner at Camp Grant's three-yard line.

Players appearing in the game as substitutes for Michigan were Hank Olshanski, Fenwick Crane, Rex Wells, Farnham Johnson, Bob Rennebohm, and Clifton Myll (ends); John Greene, Robert Kennedy, Clem Bauman and Fred Bryan (tackles), Amstutz, Robert Fischer, William Sigler and Jack Trump (guards); Harold Watts (center); Bob Nussbaumer, Wally Dreyer, Jack Petoskey, Jim Holgate, Jack Wink, Joe Ponsetto, Hugh Mack, Jim Aliber, Don Lund, Earl Maves and Bob Stenberg (backs).

[27] The Chicago Daily Tribune reported that head coach Fritz Crisler "tried vainly to stem the tide by resorting to fourth and fifth string players after the regulars had piled up a convincing early lead.

Players appearing in the game as substitutes for Michigan were Bob Rennebohn, Farnham Johnson, Jack Petoskey, Hank Olshanski, Alan Schwartz, Vincent Mroz, Bruce Hilkene, and Clifton Myll (ends); John Greene, Clem Bauman, Fred Bryan and Robert Kennedy (tackles); Rex Wells, Ralph Amstutz, Jack Trump, Robert Fischer, William Rohrback (guards); John Crandell (center); Jack Wink, Joe Ponsetto, Hugh Mack and Jim Aliber (quarterbacks); Bob Nussbaumer, Wally Dreyer, Lynch, Jim Holgate, William Culligan, James Brown and Jerome Powers (halfbacks); and Don Lund, Bob Stenberg, and Earl Maves (fullbacks).

Notre Dame, coached by Frank Leahy and led by 1943 Heisman Trophy winner Angelo Bertelli, came into the game ranked #1 in the AP Poll with 53 first place votes.

According to the United Press game account, Bertelli's passing "caught the Wolverine secondary flatfooted and out of position repeatedly to make the rout complete.

Michigan scored in the second quarter on four-yard touchdown run by Art Renner, but Pregulman's extra point attempt failed after Elroy Hirsch initially bobbled the snap.

Notre Dame scored again late in the second quarter on a 34-yard pass from Bertelli to John Zilly followed by a two-yard touchdown run by Jim Mello.

In the Chicago Daily Tribune, Wilfrid Smith analogized to the 1927 Long Count Fight and wrote that the period "will be remembered as the 'long third quarter' of collegiate sport.

[33] After a bye week following the loss to Notre Dame, the Wolverines faced the Minnesota Golden Gophers in the annual Little Brown Jug game on October 23, 1943.

Michigan's team captain and second leading rusher Paul White had received orders transferring him to the Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island, effective immediately after the Minnesota game.

Adding to the roster problems, the Navy announced one day before the Minnesota game that it was transferring fullback Bill Daley, right tackle Merv Pregulman, and end Jack Petoskey to new posts effective November 1.

Players appearing in the game as substitutes for Michigan were Jack Petoskey, Farnham Johnson, Bob Rennebohm, Vincent Mroz, Fenwick Crane, Clifton Myll, and Art Renner (ends); Robert Derleth, John Greene, Robert Kennedy, Fred Bryan and Leonard Naab (tackles); Rex Wells and Robert Fischer (guards); John Crandell (center); and Jack Wink, Hugh Mack, Joe Ponsetto, Jim Aliber, Wally Dreyer, Bob Nussbaumer, Earl Maves, Howard Wikel, James Brown and Bob Stenberg (backs).

[45] Multiple players from Midwestern teams were ordered to report for duty on November 1, 1943 (including Notre Dame's Heisman Trophy winner Angelo Bertelli and Tony Butkovich and Alex Agase of Purdue), leading Wilfrid Smith in the Chicago Daily Tribune to refer to the date as "Blue Monday.

Rex Wells, a V-12 Marine transfer who had been captain of the 1942 Idaho Southern team, took over Pregulman's place-kicking duties and converted three extra point kicks for Michigan.

Players appearing in the game as substitutes for Michigan were Hank Olshanski, Farnham Johnson, and Vincent Mroz (ends); Clem Bauman (tackle); Rex Wells (guard); Don Lund (quarterback); Bob Nussbaumer, Howard Wikel, and Earl Maves (halfback).

[51] Lacking a Navy or Marine training program on its campus, Wisconsin had lost most of its best football players after the 1942 season, with the majority being transferred to Michigan.

Players appearing in the game as substitutes for Michigan were Hank Olshanski, Farnham Johnson, Bob Rennebohm, Vincent Mroz, Fenwick Crane, Bruce Hilkene, and Thomas Cook (ends); John Greene, Fred Bryan, Clem Bauman, Robert Oren, and Arthur Leroux (tackle); Clifton Myll, William Sigler, Ray Sturges, and Jack Trump (guards); Frank Kern and Harold Watts (centers); Don Lund, Joe Ponsetto, Jim Aliber, Earl Maves, Howard Wikel, Elroy Hirsch, Jerome Powers and George Welch (backs).

Michigan threatened early after Rudy Smeja recovered an Ohio State fumble on the Buckeyes' 14-yard line, but the Wolverines were unable to score.

Ohio State's freshman halfback Ernie Parks gained 36 yards on a reverse around the left end and scored to cut Michigan's lead to 13-7.

Players appearing in the game as substitutes for Michigan were Hank Olshanski, Farnham Johnson, Vincent Mroz, Bob Rennebohm, Fenwick Crane, Thomas Cooke, Bruce Hilkene (ends); John Greene, Fred Bryan, and Robert Kennedy (tackles); George Kraeger, Clifton Myll, William Sigler, Ray Sturges, and Jack Trump (guards); Frank Kern (center); and Earl Maves, Elroy Hirsch, Howard Wikel, Jerome Powers, Jack Wink, Joe Ponsetto, and Jim Aliber (backs).

[59] Wiese also finished in a tie for second place (behind Otto Graham) in the voting for the Chicago Tribune Silver Football trophy, awarded each year to the most valuable player in the Western Conference.

After crashing in the jungle in Brazil in April, Harmon was credited in August 1943 (erroneously according to later accounts) with shooting down a Japanese Zero in an air battle after a bombing raid on a dock area and shipping in Hong Kong.