Michigan's left tackle Milan Lazetich was selected by both the Associated Press (AP) and United Press (UP) as a first-team player on the All-Big Ten Conference team and was also selected by multiple selectors as a second-team player on the 1944 College Football All-America Team.

[3] On the line, Michigan lost All-American tackle Merv Pregulman to military service as well as All-Big Ten center Fred Negus.

Michigan's line coach Biggie Munn's other candidates for the line in 1944 included: Milan Lazetich, a tackle from Montana; Quentin Sickels, a 17-year-old freshman guard from Benton Harbor, Michigan; George Burg, a guard from Illinois; Bruce Hilkene, an end from Indiana; George Lintol, a center from Detroit; and Dick Rifenburg, a freshman end from Saginaw, Michigan.

In the backfield, Michigan lost starters Elroy Hirsch, Bill Daley, and Paul White.

[4][5] After a problem-filled practice drill on September 13, 1944, three days before the opening game, head coach Fritz Crisler noted that he did not harbor any illusions about his 1944 squad and added: "I'm hoping for the best, fearing the worst and expecting almost anything.

[1] The Iowa Pre-Flight team won all of its remaining games and ended the season ranked #6 in the final AP Poll.

The United Press described Rifenburg as a "gangling freshman end" who "twice outreached and outran desperate Iowa Pre-Flight Seahawk defenders.

Fullback Bob Wiese was Michigan's leading rusher in the game with 24 carries for 86 yards.

[9] Michigan scored two touchdowns, one on a six-yard run by halfback Gene Derricotte and the other on a pass from Bill Culligan to end Dick Rifenburg covering 30 yards.

Michigan's seven touchdowns were scored by halfback Ralph Chubb (2), Gene Derricotte, Art Renner, Bruce Hilkene, and Jack Weisenburger.

Michigan's touchdowns were scored by Don Lund (four-yard run in the first quarter) and Jack Weisenburger (two-yard run in the fourth quarter after Harold Watts recovered a fumbled punt at the Illinois 31-yard line), and Joe Ponsetto kicked both points after touchdown.

Michigan held Illinois' back Claude "Buddy" Young, the NCAA sprint champion, to 81 yards.

Michigan's touchdowns were scored by Bill Culligan (84-yard run on a lateral pass from Joe Ponsetto on the first play from scrimmage) and Don Lund (56-yard run on a "spinner play" in the fourth quarter), and points after touchdown were kicked by Ponsetto and Ralph Chubb.

Ohio State quarterback and 1944 Heisman Trophy winner Les Horvath scored two touchdowns for the Buckeyes.

Michigan led 14-12 in the fourth quarter, but a short 12-yard kickoff by Ralph Chubb gave the ball to the Buckeyes at their 48-yard line.

Ohio State drove 52 yards with Horvath running for the winning touchdown with three minutes and 16 seconds remaining.

Michigan's performance in the second half was handicapped by the loss of halfback Gene Derricotte to injury and by "a stomach disorder" that struck several Wolverines the night before the game.

The undefeated 1944 Ohio State Buckeyes football team, which narrowly defeated Michigan, was ranked #2 with 941 points.

[33] Lazetich was also selected by both the AP and United Press (UP) as a first-team tackle on the 1944 All-Big Nine Conference football team.

Don Lund, who began the season as a defensive substitute and replaced Wiese at fullback in the final four games, was selected by his teammates as the team's Most Valuable Player.