In May 1963, Tom Keating received the Meyer W. Morton Trophy as the team's most improved player in spring drills.

Michigan took the lead in the first quarter on a 15-yard pass from quarterback Bob Chandler to split end John Henderson.

The Spartans tied it up late in the third quarter on a seven-yard touchdown pass from Steve Juday to Sherman Lewis.

[13][14] Bob Chandler started the game at quarterback, but was replaced after he fumbled on a fourth-down play at Michigan's 26-yard line.

[13][14] Tom Cecchini suffered a knee injury in the game that caused him to lose the remainder of the season.

[13][14] On October 26, Michigan lost the annual Little Brown Jug game to Minnesota by a 6–0 score before a homecoming crowd of 62,107 at Memorial Stadium in Minneapolis.

The only points of the game were scored by Minnesota's 152-pound halfback Jerry Pelletier on a six-yard run in the second quarter.

The Elliott brothers played together in the backfield of Michigan's undefeated 1947 "Mad Magicians" team.

[19] Later in the second half, an Illinois drive was halted when freshman defensive back John Rowser (who later played 10 seasons in the NFL) interrupted a pass at the Michigan 10-yard line and returned it to the 20.

On the last play of the first half, Rowser also broke up a pass from Mike Taliaferro to Ron Fearn at the Michigan five-yard line.

[20] In the third quarter, a 65-yard line-drive punt by Michigan captain Joe O'Donnell rolled dead at the Illinois eight-yard line.

The Illini scored their only touchdown on a one-yard run by backup fullback Al Wheatland.

With six minutes remaining in the game, Illinois back Jim Warren fumbled on a pitch from quarterback Mike Taliaferro.

Michigan scored the winning touchdown five plays later on a one-yard plunge by fullback Mel Anthony.

[20] The game was largely a defensive battle, as Illinois out-gained Michigan in total yards by a margin of 295 to 154.

[21][22] On its second drive, Iowa advanced the ball to Michigan's two-yard line on a 49-yard reception by Paul Krause.

Shortly before halftime, Michigan back Dick Rindfuss fumbled at Iowa's four-yard line.

[22] At the end of the third quarter, Anthony fumbled with Michigan ahead, 21–14, and the Hawkeyes scored the game-tying touchdown on the possession that followed.

Timberlake's 137 yards was the highest single-game rushing total to that point in Bump Elliott's five-year tenure as head coach.

President John F. Kennedy was assassinated on November 22, and the Michigan athletic department announced that night that the game would not be postponed.

Michigan took a 10–0 lead in the second quarter on a 28-yard field goal by Bob Timberlake and a one-yard touchdown run by Dick Rindfuss.