Comparing The 1997 And 2023 Michigan Defenses: Who Was Better?

Do you know what’s fun? Comparing championship teams. Everybody wins at the end because everybody won a championship. The 1997 and 2003 versions of Michigan football that went undefeated had one thing in common: they featured dominant defenses. Both teams led the country in points allowed per game. Both squads forced many turnovers and showed up in big games, but which squad was better? I’m here to compare and contrast. I’ll acknowledge that I will have a little bit of bias here. I was alive in 1997, but I don’t remember that championship. I remember the 2023 team vividly, which may affect my opinion, but I’ll do my best to be objective. 

The 1997 squad has one big thing going for them. That is Charles Woodson. It is hard to say that any defense was better than the one featuring the only primary defensive player to win the Heisman Trophy. The way that Woodson impacted games on the defensive end is something we’ve rarely ever seen in college football. Yes, he returned punts and played a bit of wide receiver, but he was also a lockdown corner who got interceptions in big moments. He was aided by a defensive front that forced throws and put pressure on the quarterback, but he was always the best player on the field. I couldn’t say that about anyone on the 2023 squad. 

The other thing the 1997 squad has going for them is that they played an extremely tough schedule. They only pitched one shutout, which was their fourth game against Indiana, but they had seven games in which they held their opponents under 10 points, and they beat seven ranked opponents throughout the season. Keep in mind that back in 1997, Michigan only played 12 games. The Ohio State game matters more than anything at Michigan, and the defense also came to play in that one, only giving up 14 points. The 1997 defense was more important to their squad. Michigan’s offense in 1997 was fine, but it wasn’t exactly high-powered or explosive. They didn’t have the caliber of athletes that the 2023 offense did. Until several days ago, it was widely accepted that the 1997 defense was the best school history, but the 2023 squad is one you can make a serious argument for.

We have more access to the numbers regarding the 2023 defense. We’re in the age of advanced stats and analytics, something we didn’t have access to back in 97. Some of the numbers about the 2023 team are downright hilarious. They didn’t give up a point in the third quarter until game 11. They pitched two shutouts, including one in the Big Ten championship game against Iowa. Their schedule was not as difficult as in 1997, though they did play five ranked opponents throughout the season, with four of them ranked in the top 10. Perhaps their greatest achievement was the final game against Washington, in which they made Michael Penix and Washington's offensive line look human. The 2023 team took the TCU game in the Fiesta Bowl personally and didn't get over it until the clock hit all zeros in the National Championship game. This was a defense that wasn't just content not letting you score; they were going to take the ball from you, and in some instances, they were going to score your offense. 

I can't look into the future and guarantee anything, but I feel like the 2023 defense will age well. This was a unit that had 13 defensive players who were selected to be first, second, or third-team all-Big Ten. That is absurd. So many guys from the squad will make it to the league and play in the NFL for a long time. While this team did give up two more points per game than the 1997 squad, they played in a different era. A quarterback like Michael Penix and a wide receiver like Marvin Harrison Jr. didn't exist in 1997; if they did exist, they weren't utilized to the extent they are today. In an age in which high-powered offenses are consistently throwing the ball 40 games and putting up 45 points, the fact that this team allowed just over 10 points a game is absolutely astonishing. 

Also, while the 1997 team did play a harder schedule, it is more difficult in 2023 to win a championship than it was back then. Not only did you have to play more games, but the championship was decided on the field. Michigan had to share the 1997 championship with Nebraska. Ultimately, both of these teams were among the best of their era. And that makes it difficult to pick one or the other because they played simultaneously. But nobody pays me to sit on the fence, so ultimately, as biased as I may be, I think the 2023 defense is better. Nowadays, football caters more to the offense than it ever has. Defenses give up more points and get called for more penalties, yet this team never got penalized. This was one of the most disciplined teams I've ever seen. They were two squads that I'd go to war with any day, but I take the 2023 team a heartbeat.