Farrand was born in 1867 in Detroit, Michigan, the son of David Osburn Farrand, a surgeon, and Elizabeth Twombley. He graduated from high school in Detroit in 1886 and enrolled at the University of Michigan. He was the starting quarterback for the undefeated 1887 Michigan Wolverines football team that outscored its opponents by a combined score of 102 to 10. In November 1887, Farrand led Michigan to an 8-0 win over Notre Dame in the first meeting between the two schools. However, when the teams agreed to play two additional games in the spring of 1888, Farrand was left home in Ann Arbor with his knee in a cast and was replaced by Ball.