He played at the quarterback position for the University of Michigan from 1986 to 1989, the final four years of Bo Schembechler's tenure as the school's head football coach.
He was Michigan's starting quarterback in 1988 and 1989 and led the Wolverines to Big Ten Conference championships both years.
Taylor credited them for instilling his desire to win: "They gave me my sense of values and drive to excel.
"[1] Taylor attended Princeton High School in Sharonville, Ohio where he led them to a Div I state championship in 1983.
As a redshirt freshman in 1986, Taylor appeared briefly in 4 games, rushing for 33 yards on 5 carries and scoring a touchdown against Illinois.
He got his first start after junior quarterback Demetrius Brown broke the thumb on his throwing hand in the Indiana game.
[4] Prior to Brown's thumb injury, Taylor had completed only 9 of 21 pass attempts for 133 yards, 2 interceptions and 1 touchdown.
Taylor also got the starting assignment in Michigan's 28–24 victory over Alabama in the 1988 Hall of Fame Bowl, completing 2 of 4 pass attempts and rushing for 11 yards.
Demetrius Brown had been declared academically ineligible earlier in the year, but regained his eligibility before the season started.
[7] Taylor had missed spring practice due to a hamstring pull, leaving Coach Schembechler worried about the quarterback position.
[8] Shortly before the season opener against Notre Dame, Schembechler announced that Taylor would be his starting quarterback.
In the season opener against Notre Dame, Schembechler kept the ball on the ground, with 52 running plays and only 11 pass attempts.
The Washington Post praised Michigan's passing game:"Employing a combination of its usual righteous conservatism with a startlingly effective passing game, the Wolverines incited an overflow crowd of 105,834 in the broad, intimidating sweep of Michigan Stadium by outright dominating the Hurricanes, the defending national champions, for most of four quarters.
A mulish, persistent quarterback named Michael Taylor threw scoring passes of five, 18 and 16 yards, the latter to take a 30–14 lead with 10:32 left.
"[19] Assistant coach Gary Moeller explained that Taylor's injury problem had been caused by the fact that "he didn't know how to throw properly until he came to Michigan.
[23] As Michigan continued to win under Taylor, Schembechler noted, "We've been more productive on offense since Michael came back, because he's so dangerous on the option play.
As the starting quarterback in the Rose Bowl, Taylor was the subject of extensive pre-game publicity.
[26][28] In a pre-game profile of Taylor published by USA Today, Michigan offensive coordinator Gary Moeller said, "He's kind of a Joe Kapp, throw-it-end-over-end guy.
"[26] At the same time, Moeller praises Taylor's instincts and intelligence: "He's good because he goes back there and finds the right receiver to throw to and gets it there.
"[26] On hearing about Moeller's comments, Taylor said, "I never saw Joe Kapp, but what I know is that I just go out and play, and I don't listen to the critics.
[2] In post-game coverage, reporters credited USC's coaches for letting loose the "full complement of defensive linemen and pass-rushing linebackers at Michigan quarterback Michael Taylor during the final series," with the result that "Taylor ended the Rose Bowl on his back, the victim of a sack.