After losing the season opener to California, the Wolverines won their next eight games by a combined score of 256 to 84.

4 in the AP poll before losing to Ohio State by a 50–14 score in the final game of the season.

[1] On November 16, 1968, Michigan running back Ron Johnson set an NCAA record with 347 rushing yards against Wisconsin.

At the end of the year, Johnson was selected as Michigan's most valuable player and a first-team All-American.

He also won the Chicago Tribune Silver Football trophy as the most valuable player in the Big Ten.

Michigan's other first-team All-Big Ten players included Johnson, quarterback Dennis Brown, and ends Jim Mandich and Phil Seymour.

[5] After compiling a 14–16 record since 1964, Elliott became the subject of a "Dump Bump" campaign among Michigan alumni.

Halfback Ron Johnson rushed for over 1,000 yards in 1967 and was selected as a second-team All-American, and quarterback Dennis Brown in 1967 broke the Big Ten Conference record for total offense.

[6][7] In late 1967, Fritz Crisler, who had been Michigan's athletic director since 1941, announced that he would retire effective June 30, 1968.

Michigan scored in the second quarter on an eight-yard pass from Dennis Brown to Jim Mandich.

[13] On September 28, 1968, Michigan defeated Duke by a 31 to 10 score in front of a crowd of 25,000 spectators at Wallace Wade Stadium in Durham, North Carolina.

Tim Killian kicked a 25-yard field goal in the third quarter and converted four points after touchdown.

[20] Michigan's dominating performance against Navy led David Condon to write in the Chicago Tribune: "Today the Wolverines were like the old champions of the west.

Navy did not score its lone touchdown until 30 seconds remained in the game, while Michigan's reserves were on the field.

Fullback Garvie Craw also ran 25 yards for a touchdown and caught a pass from Brown for a two-point conversion.

John Gabler and Bill Harris were on the receiving end of Brown's touchdown throws in the third and fourth quarters, respectively.

[30] On November 2, 1968, Michigan defeated Northwestern by a 35 to 0 score at Dyche Stadium in Evanston, Illinois.

Tim Killian kicked three points after touchdown, and Brown passed to Johnson for a two-point conversion in the second quarter.

[39] Ron Johnson set a modern Big Ten Conference record with 347 rushing yards on 31 carries.

Tom Curtis also set a Big Ten record with his tenth interception of the game.

[40] On November 23, 1968, Michigan suffered its second loss of the season, falling to an undefeated Ohio State team.

Led by Jim Otis, Ohio State gained 421 rushing yards in the game.

[43] In early January 1969, the Associated Press released its final post-season college football poll for the 1968 season.

[45] After setting Michigan's career, season and single-game rushing records, Ron Johnson received numerous honors at the end of the 1968 season, including the following: While Johnson was the only Michigan player to receive first-team All-American honors, ten Michigan players received All-Big Ten Conference honors from either the Associated Press (AP) or United Press International (UPI).

The Michigan honorees were: quarterback Dennis Brown (AP-1, UPI-1); running back Ron Johnson (AP-1, UPI-1); end Jim Mandich (AP-1, UPI-1); end Phil Seymour (AP-1, UPI-1); defensive back Tom Curtis (AP-1, UPI-1); defensive tackle Tom Goss (AP-1); linebacker Tom Stincic (UPI-1); defensive tackle Henry Hill (AP-2); offensive tackle Dan Dierdorf (AP-2); and offensive guard Stan Broadnax (AP-2).

[52][53] On December 24, 1968, the University of Michigan announced that head coach Bump Elliott had been offered a newly created position as associate athletic director.

[54] Two days later, on December 26, 1968, Bo Schembechler was hired to replace Elliott as Michigan's head coach.