In April 1892, representatives of several Western colleges met at the Grand Pacific Hotel in Chicago where they formed the Western College Athletic League to compete in football, baseball and track.
 The members of the new league were the University of Wisconsin, University of Michigan, Northwestern University, and the University of Minnesota.
 The Western College Athletic League laid the foundation for what later became the Big Ten Conference.
 With the new alliance in place, Michigan played several teams that would become its long-time rivals.
 The 1892 season included Michigan's first-ever games against Wisconsin, Minnesota, Northwestern, and Chicago.

Before the season began, Michigan hired Frank Barbour of Yale as its new head football coach.
 Twenty men showed up for practice in mid-September.
 Barbour spent weeks teaching his players the fundamentals of the game.
 George Jewett, the first African-American to play football at Michigan, was described as the "phenomenon" of the pre-season practice.
 After the 1892 season, it took 40 years before another African American (Willis Ward) played for the Michigan football team.
In April 1892, representatives of several Western colleges met at the Grand Pacific Hotel in Chicago where they formed the Western College Athletic League to compete in football, baseball and track.  The members of the new league were the University of Wisconsin, University of Michigan, Northwestern University, and the University of Minnesota.  The Western College Athletic League laid the foundation for what later became the Big Ten Conference.  With the new alliance in place, Michigan played several teams that would become its long-time rivals.  The 1892 season included Michigan's first-ever games against Wisconsin, Minnesota, Northwestern, and Chicago.
Before the season began, Michigan hired Frank Barbour of Yale as its new head football coach.  Twenty men showed up for practice in mid-September.  Barbour spent weeks teaching his players the fundamentals of the game.  George Jewett, the first African-American to play football at Michigan, was described as the "phenomenon" of the pre-season practice.  After the 1892 season, it took 40 years before another African American (Willis Ward) played for the Michigan football team.
1892 Michigan Wolverines football team