Northwestern fullback Art Murakowski won the Chicago Tribune Silver Football trophy as the conference's most valuable player.
Minnesota was led by Bernie Bierman in his 14th year as head coach and by tackle Leo Nomellini who was a consensus first-team All-American.
Early in the opening quarter, fullback Don Peterson threw a 40-yard touchdown pass to Dick Rifenburg.
Peterson scored the winning touchdown for Michigan on a five-yard run in the fourth quarter, but failed to convert the extra point attempt.
The Illinois offense was led by quarterback Tom Stewart who completed nine of 13 passes for 160 yards and helped secure a touchdown with a lateral to Paul Patterson.
Michigan's defensive fullback, Dick Kempthorn, was credited with playing a major role in stopping Van Brocklin's passing game.
[18] Northwestern coach Bob Voigts said he would pick Kempthorn if he had his choice of all the players in college football.
[18] An Oregon drive into Michigan territory was stopped in the third quarter when Ortmann intercepted a Van Brocklin pass.
On the next drive, Charlie Lentz threw a 42-yard pass to Pete Elliott who was downed inside the Oregon ten-yard line.
Indiana took a 6–0 lead in the third quarter on a touchdown pass from George Taliaferro to Joe Bartkiewicz, but the Hoosiers missed the extra point kick.
With less three minutes left, Lindy Berry led TCU on a touchdown drive, and Homer Ludiker kicked the extra point.
Illinois responded with 21 unanswered points, including two touchdowns in the fourth quarter, but the comeback fell short.
The Wolverines outgained the Wildcats 166 to 47 in rushing yards, as halfback Leo Koceski scored three touchdowns.
Dan Dworsky, center and fullback Dick Kempthorn would seem to be the best pair of backers-up in the inter-collegiate ranks.
The game remained scoreless until late in the fourth quarter when Minnesota drove 75 yards for a touchdown.
All-American Leo Nomellini recovered the ball and carried it into the end zone to give Minnesota a 7–0 lead.
Two drives later, Michigan finally converted on a seven-yard touchdown pass from Wally Teninga to Tom Peterson.
Less than 90 seconds after Peterson's tying touchdown, Michigan took the lead when Ed McNeill blocked a Minnesota punt, and Quentin Sickels recovered the ball at the one-yard line.
In the fourth quarter, Wally Teninga intercepted a Bill Elliott pass on Michigan's 11-yard line and returned the ball 26 yards.
Syracuse's star, Bernie Custis, was injured in the first quarter and was unable to play for the remainder of the game.
Halfback Louis "Bimbo" Cecconi threw a 63-yard touchdown pass to Jimmy Joe Robinson with less than two minutes left in the game to deliver the win to Pittsburgh.
Michigan held on a goal-line stand in the first quarter (first-and-goal from the five-yard line), and Illinois failed to convert a field goal on fourth down.
After a scoreless first quarter, Michigan went 98 yards on a drive that included a Statue of Liberty play by Leo Koceski and ended with a 15-yard bullet pass from Pete Elliott to Ed McNeill.
Early in the fourth quarter, Bernie Krueger scored on a quarterback sneak to cut Michigan's lead to 21–20.
The New York Times called the game, witnessed by a homecoming crowd of 85,938, "one of the wildest fights in Big Nine history" and added, "What a battle this was!
Northeastern led, 7–6, six minutes into the fourth quarter, but Notre Dame rallied to extend its winning streak to 20 games.
Michigan took the lead in the second quarter on a 92-yard drive culminating with a 44-yard touchdown pass from Ortmann to Harry Allis.
In the fourth quarter, Michigan drove 62 yards for a second touchdown led by the passing of Wally Teninga and Pete Elliott.
In the 1949 Rose Bowl, Northwestern faced an undefeated 1948 California Golden Bears football team that was ranked No.
In the fourth quarter, Northwestern halfback Ed Tunnicliff took a direct snap from center and ran 42 yards for the winning touchdown.