In their eighth year under head coach was Fritz Crisler, the Wolverines compiled a 7–3 record (5–1 Big Ten) and finished the season ranked #6 in the final Associated Press Poll.

[1] The 1944 Michigan Wolverines football team compiled an 8–2 record and finished its season ranked #8 in the final AP Poll.

[13] The Associated Press (AP) praised the play of halfback Wally Teninga and fullback Dan Dworsky in a public scrimmage held on August 11, 1945, but expressed concern about mistakes made by the defense.

"[12] On August 15, 1945, the United States celebrated Victory over Japan Day, marking the end of hostilities in World War II.

Less than two weeks later, on August 27, 1945, after a two-week break following summer practice, Michigan began fall drills in Ann Arbor.

[14][15][16] During a scrimmage in early September, end Ed Bahlow, a Navy training veteran who had played for Wisconsin in 1943 and was considered Michigan's best end prospect since Ed Frutig,[13] sustained a broken leg, just above his right ankle, in a collision with Dan Dworsky and was lost to the team for the season.

[18] On September 15, 1945, Michigan played a Great Lakes Navy Bluejackets football team coached by Paul Brown and featuring an all-star backfield consisting of quarterback George Terlep, halfbacks Frank Aschenbrenner and Bob Sullivan, and fullback Marion Motley.

Michigan's four touchdowns were scored by Edward McNeill (two touchdown receptions in the first quarter, covering nine yards from Wally Teninga and covering 57 yards from Joe Ponsetto), Wally Teninga (short run), and Howard Yerges (short run).

Great Lakes' only points came on a safety in the first quarter after Dan Dworsky fumbled and Ponsetto recovered the ball in the end zone.

[19] On September 22, 1945, Michigan played an Indiana team that went through the entire season without a loss and ended up being ranked #4 in the final AP Poll.

The Indiana team featured All-Big Ten quarterback Ben Raimondi, halfbacks George Taliaferro (later inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame) and Mel Groomes (the first African-American signed by the Detroit Lions), and end Ted Kluszewski (later an All-Star in Major League Baseball).

[22] On October 13, 1945, Michigan lost to the eventual national champion Army by a 28 to 7 score at Yankee Stadium.

[23] Outmanned by Army, Crisler unveiled a platoon system in which separate groups played offense and defense.

After a scoreless first half, Ohio State took a 3–0 lead in the third quarter on a field goal by Max Schnittker.

The 1945 Army Cadets football team, which defeated Michigan at Yankee Stadium earlier in the season, was selected as the national champion with 1,160 points and first-place votes by 115 of 116 voters.

Two other Michigan opponents, Navy (#3) and Indiana (#4) finished among the top four teams in the final AP Poll with 941 and 720 points respectively.

[1][36] Quarterback and team captain Joe Ponsetto received second-team All-Big Ten honors from the UP.