Tag: Michigan Wolverines

In a physical, ground-heavy bout, No. 25 Michigan (6-2 overall, 4-1 Big Ten) took care of its in-state rival Michigan State (3-5, 0-5) by a score of 31-20.

The Wolverines’ running backs lead the way, with junior Justice Haynes rushing for 152 yards and two touchdowns, and sophomore Jordan Marshall tacking on 110 yards and a touchdown of his own. Freshman quarterback Bryce Underwood wasn’t asked to throw much, but either way, it wasn’t his best game. He threw 8-for-17 for just 86 yards, but rushed for a touchdown.

The Michigan defense immediately made its presence felt, forcing and recovering a fumble on the third scrimmage play of the game. The Wolverines offense turned the free possession into points, but not as many as they wanted. Michigan earned a first-and-goal at the three yard line, but was forced to settle for a field goal and the early 3-0 lead.

After forcing the Spartans into two more three-and-outs, Michigan struck again. It utilized the run game for most of the drive, and Underwood finished it off with a 13-yard touchdown scamper to make the score 10-0 in the first quarter.

As the first quarter came to a close, Michigan was in total control. Michigan State had still not gained a first down, and the Wolverines gained 113 yards of offense to the Spartans’ 14. Michigan’s offense wasn’t clicking like it was against Washington, but it did enough to earn a two-score lead after 15 minutes of play.

The Spartans found a rhythm to start the second quarter, however. Helped immensely by a 49-yard run from Michigan State running back Makhi Frazier, quarterback Aidan Chiles punched it in for the one-yard touchdown. Just like that, the Spartans had life, with the score at 10-7.

Things continued to go downhill for Michigan, as an errant snap snuffed out a third-and-1 opportunity. While the Spartans didn’t get points on the next possession, the rhythm and momentum Michigan had in the first quarter had completely evaporated. Both teams traded punts from there, and the Wolverines entered halftime still up 10-7.

Michigan came out of the half looking like the first quarter version of itself. It put together a seven-play, 71-yard touchdown drive, in which Haynes gained 64 yards by himself. Fittingly, he also scored the touchdown to extend Michigan’s lead to 17-7.

The Spartans offense also reverted to its first-quarter state, punting on its first two drives of the second half, and Michigan’s offense continued to convert.

Once again, the Wolverines were ground-heavy. On just five plays, they gained 52 yards, capped off by a 14-yard touchdown rush from Haynes. Any semblance of momentum that Michigan State gained in the second quarter was quickly leaving the building, as its deficit reached three scores at 24-7.

But it’s a rivalry game, and the Spartans weren’t simply going to go quietly. A big 24-yard pitch-and-catch from Chiles to his star receiver Nick Marsh set Michigan State up at the half-yard line, then running back Brandon Tullis punched it in to bring the score back to 24-13 to start the fourth quarter.

With just under six minutes to play, Haynes fumbled the ball, and the Spartans recovered it near midfield. Still down two scores, Michigan State needed to get points, and quickly. But for the second drive in a row, the Wolverines forced a turnover on downs, giving Michigan a chance to drain the clock and put the game away for good.

But the Wolverines did more than just run the clock out. With under three minutes to play, Marshall broke off a 56-yard touchdown run make the score 31-13.

The Spartans snuck in one final touchdown to make the score look a little more friendly at 31-20, but it didn’t matter at the end of the day, as the Wolverines walked out of East Lansing unscathed.

There was one silver lining in Michigan’s bummer 31-13 loss at USC. It kept last weekend’s Wolverines from looking ahead to Michigan State. Michigan played with focus in a 24-7 victory over the Washington Huskies to come into this weekend’s rivalry game at 5-2, still alive in the Big Ten race. 

Michigan will try for its sixth win against the Wolverines’ archrival Michigan State Spartans inside Spartan Stadium this Saturday at 7:30 p.m. EST. Michigan State is a two-touchdown underdog on the spread. 

Why such lopsided Las Vegas odds for a clash of bitter rivals? MSU has suffered a four-game losing skid after winning its first three games of the season. Michigan State ranks second-from-last in the Big Ten in team defense, without any ball-control aid from a stale running game that averages 3.7 yards per carry. 

Note: The above data was collected on Oct. 24, 2025, and may have changed since writing. 

Michigan has won the Paul Bunyan Trophy three straight times since 2021. While the Wolverines scored blowout wins over the Spartans in the 2022 and 2023 seasons, last year’s clash in Ann Arbor produced more drama. UM survived to win 2024’s game 24-17 despite being outgained by more than 100 yards. 

Robert Bondy of Spartans Wire implies that Michigan’s biggest task will be pass protection, mentioning that UM offensive lineman Evan Link is “expected to miss multiple games,” a factor that could give MSU’s defense an edge in the trenches. But in the same article, Bondy admits that the Michigan State pass rush is “struggling.” Michigan QB Bryce Underwood outclasses his counterpart Aidan Chiles, and Michigan’s own rushers have a better shot to harass Chiles than MSU has of reaching Underwood’s pocket. 

Don’t forget that Michigan tailback Justice Haynes is having a breakout year. It’s hard for an underdog to deal with a heavy favorite that runs successfully and sticks to it. Look for Michigan to cover the spread.

On Saturday night in East Lansing, a battle for the Paul Bunyan trophy will commence between No. 25 Michigan and Michigan State.

The Wolverines are in a much better position in the Big Ten at this point in the season, sitting at 3-1 while their Spartan counterparts are 0-4. But that all goes out the window when it comes to this game. No matter what their records are, this matchup will always be one of the most important games they play each and every season.

Here are five things to watch for when Michigan and Michigan State take to the gridiron…

In its four Big Ten bouts, Michigan State has allowed an average of 181.5 rushing yards per game. That’s not a good omen for the Spartans, as it pits Michigan’s strength against Michigan State’s weakness.

Regardless of whether junior running back Justice Haynes is ready to go — head coach Sherrone Moore has indicated that he should be — sophomore running back Jordan Marshall proved that he is more than serviceable with his great performance last Saturday against Washington.

Expect the Wolverines to stick to their guns and emphasize the run game early and often.

Michigan State’s pass rush isn’t very reliable. It has accrued seven sacks on the season, but five of them came against Nebraska, which has allowed a ridiculous 5.5 sacks per game in Big Ten play. Outside of that game, the Spartans haven’t been able to generate consistent pressure on opposing quarterbacks.

This bodes well for Michigan, as freshman quarterback Bryce Underwood has been quite good when he has time to operate in the pocket. Coming off of his best game of the season against Washington, Underwood will have an opportunity to do it again against Michigan State.

Michigan State wide receiver Nick Marsh is elite. He’s a big, strong, and fast pass catcher that has the ability to pick apart defenses, and the Wolverines will have a lot on their plates when it comes to slowing him down.

It will have to be a team effort in the secondary to make sure he is always marked and doesn’t break free. The Michigan pass rush will also play a big role as well, as the more uncomfortable Spartans quarterback Aidan Chiles is in the backfield, the fewer chances Marsh has to rip off a big play.

Through four Big Ten games, Michigan State is allowing 39.8 points per game, the second-worst mark in the conference. Thus, the Wolverines should have a chance to put up some big offensive performances. 

Especially in a heated rivalry like this one, getting an early multiple-score lead can be a massive advantage. If Michigan’s defense can perform like it did against Washington, the Wolverines offense should have ample opportunity to put enough points to bury the Spartans.

This will be the third road game Michigan has played at night this year, and its record in those games is 0-2. Both losses to Oklahoma and USC were played at an opposing stadium under the lights, and those are the only two losses to the Wolverines’ name.

Michigan will have a chance to right the ship this time around. It’s all about the small things: take care of the ball, play well on special teams, don’t let the moment get too big. As long as the Wolverines stay within themselves, they shouldn’t have too much of a problem with their rival.

Just one week after Michigan fell out of the AP Poll Top 25 rankings for the first time in 2025, the voters slotted the Wolverines right back into the list, sneaking them in at the No. 25 spot.

Michigan played polished football on both sides of the ball Saturday against Washington. A top 20 team in the nation when it comes to total yards of offense, the Huskies scored just seven points against a staunch Wolverines defense. 

Washington’s only points came in the final minute of the first half, and was held to zero points and just 62 yards in the second half. Huskies quarterback Demond Williams Jr.’s three interceptions certainly didn’t hurt Michigan, either, as Washington could never truly get into a rhythm.

Even with junior running back Justice Haynes not playing, sophomore running back Jordan Marshall had an outstanding game, rushing for 133 yards and a touchdown. Freshman quarterback Bryce Underwood also had a great day, throwing 21-for-27 for 230 yards and two touchdowns.

Ohio State continues its reign over the top spot after a convincing 34-0 victory over Wisconsin. Louisville pulled off a big upset over then-No. 2 Miami, bumping the Cardinals into the poll at No. 19 and forcing the Hurricanes to drop to No. 9.

The Big Ten once again holds the top 2 positions, as Indiana rises to No. 2 in the country after Miami’s loss. Alabama rounds out the top 3 after beating then-No. 22, now-No. 17 Tennessee.

Here are the complete AP Poll Top 25 rankings for Week 9:

Other teams receiving votes: Southern Cal, Utah, Tulane, Houston, Navy, San Diego St., James Madison, Boise St., TCU, Minnesota

Michigan’s next opponent is bitter in-state rival Michigan State. While this matchup may be immensely important when it comes to pride, the Spartans don’t offer a ton of opportunity for the Wolverines to prove their worth.

After starting 3-0, Michigan State has come apart at the seams. The Spartans are now 0-4 in Big Ten play and are allowing the third-most yards per game in the conference at 416.5. They are in a bad spot as a program, and Michigan should have no problem handling business in East Lansing.

Still, a lopsided victory is the expectation for Michigan, so even if the Wolverines run the Spartans out of their own stadium, they won’t see too big of a jump in the rankings. If Michigan loses, however, its playoff hopes are out of the window.

Ignoring the large cultural importance of the rivalry and focusing simply on season implications, the Wolverines don’t have much to gain, and a whole lot to lose next Saturday night. In order to keep the season alive, Michigan will need to handle business. 

The Wolverines are a 13.5-point favorites as of this writing, according to DraftKings. Rivalry games are always prone to surprises, especially when played at night in a hostile environment, but Michigan should have little problems against the Spartans.

You can hear the call of the game when Michigan takes on Michigan State on Oct. 25, on 94.7 WCSX. Here’s the full Michigan football schedule.

After a successful first year under head coach Dusty May in which the Michigan men’s basketball team reached the Sweet 16, the Wolverines have reloaded their roster with fresh faces and new talent.

The duo of 7-footers that held down Michigan’s front court last season — forward Danny Wolf and center Vlad Goldin — both left for the NBA, point guard Tre Donaldson transferred to Miami, guard Rubin Jones graduated. With four starters leaving the program, May and his staff had a busy offseason of retooling the roster.

Here are the four freshmen and four transfers that May brought in for the 2025-26 season…

The crown jewel of this recruiting class, freshman guard Trey McKenney is in the best position of all the freshmen to earn playing time right out of the gates. Ranked 18th in the nation, the five-star guard brings the whole package.

McKenney likes to work downhill, utilizing his 6-foot-4 frame to create looks in the midrange. He’s not a sharpshooter by trade, but has proven effective from 3-point range in the preps circuit.

Even with a full backcourt, McKenney will most likely get ample chances to carve out a role for himself this season.

Listed as both a guard and a forward, freshman Winters Grady’s frame suggests he’s likely to slot him into a wing role in college. At 6-foot-6 and 210 pounds, Grady should have a big enough build to battle in the Big Ten, and his ability to do that will largely determine his role on the team.

The four-star, top 100 prospect’s stroke from deep is pure, and shooting is something that this roster lacks on the whole. Depending on his readiness to adapt to the physicality of college basketball, he could find a role for himself at the back end of the rotation.

An unranked prospect out of Germany, freshman center Malick Kordel stands at an imposing 7-foot-2 and weighs 275 pounds. He’s quite athletic for his size and actually grew up playing handball, not basketball.

Kordel only began playing organized basketball four years ago and is understandably quite raw. He has nice touch and physicality around the rim and is a great rebounder, but his offensive game is currently limited to the paint. This season will most likely be a development year for Kordel.

Ranked as just a three-star prospect, Ricky Liburd will most likely be another project for Michigan. With the Wolverines as deep as they are at guard, it’s hard to see Liburd being a regular in the rotation, but his ability to shoot from three is plenty valuable at any rate.

Ranked as the No. 1 player in the 2025 transfer portal, Michigan won a big battle by landing graduate forward Yaxel Lendeborg. Last season at UAB, he averaged 15.8 points, 11 rebounds, and 3.2 assists per game, all while being a major paint deterrent on defense averaging 1.9 blocks per game.

Lendeborg could slot into the role Danny Wolf played last season, where Lendeborg plays as a pseudo guard. He has the ability to handle the ball and facilitate like a guard, all while occupying the 6-foot-9, 240-pound body of a forward. Wherever he fits in, he will likely be the focal point of the Wolverines’ offensive attack.

Junior guard Elliot Cadeau will be taking over the starting point guard duties for the Wolverines. Out of high school, Cadeau was the 12th-ranked prospect in his class and committed to North Carolina. Last season with the Tar Heels, he averaged 9.4 points and 6.2 points per game as their lead guard.

Cadeau is a pass-first point guard that elevates his teammates’ play. He can be turnover prone at times, but that’s the price that sometimes has to be paid with elite passers. He has also had inconsistencies shooting the ball, but showed marked improvement from his freshman to his sophomore season.

Sophomore forward Morez Johnson Jr. is a quintessential Big Ten big man. While perhaps a tad undersized, he is still an elite rebounder and defender at 6-foot-9. He averaged seven points, 6.7 rebounds, and 1.1 blocks in 17.7 minutes per game last season with Illinois.

Michigan is deep at the forward position as well, but Johnson should still play a large role for the Wolverines, especially considering Lendeborg’s positional versatility.

Joining Johnson as another intra-conference transfer, junior center Aday Mara transferred to Michigan from UCLA. Mara stands at a towering 7-foot-3 and is quite lanky, and even at his size, he exhibits nice footwork and touch on the post. Last season with the Bruins, the Spain native averaged 6.4 points, 4.0 rebounds, and 1.6 blocks in 13 minutes per game.

Only time will tell how May will configure his rotation of big men, regardless, Mara will certainly be a big part of that cast.

Bouncing back from last week’s loss to USC, Michigan (5-2 overall, 3-1 Big Ten) convincingly handled Washington (5-2, 2-2) by a score of 24-7.

After a rough showing last week at USC, the Wolverines offense looked the best it had all season. Freshman quarterback Bryce Underwood threw 21 of 27 for 230 yards and two touchdowns. Sophomore running back Jordan Marshall took over lead running back duties with Justice Haynes sidelined with injury and had a great day, running for 133 yards and a touchdown on 25 attempts.

Michigan’s defense was quite staunch as well. Washington’s offense is one of the most prolific in the Big Ten, and the Wolverines held the Huskies to just seven points.

The scoring was naught for the first 14 minutes of the first quarter. Michigan turned in a three-and-out and a turnover on downs on its first two possessions, and the Huskies punted and missed a field goal on theirs. Washington looked more comfortable on offense, but it still had zero points to show for it.

The Wolverines finally broke the seal on the final full drive of the first quarter. Working with pace, Underwood and Marshall led Michigan on a seven-play, 80-yard drive, capped off by a 22-yard touchdown reception from freshman wide receiver Andrew Marsh, giving Michigan a 7-0 lead.

Michigan’s defense continued to bend, but not break. For the third time in three drives, the Huskies worked into plus territory, but came away empty-handed. Especially considering the high-powered nature of Washington’s offense, the zero on the scoreboard in the second quarter was a luxury. But the Wolverines could not take advantage, as senior kicker Dominic Zvada hooked a 48-yarder wide left. With just over five minutes left in the half, the score remained 7-0 in favor of Michigan.

The Huskies finally broke their scoring drought on the final series of the first half. The 13-play, 70-yard touchdown drive knotted up that score at seven apiece heading into the break.

Michigan’s defense didn’t falter out of halftime, however, immediately forcing Washington’s first three-and-out of the game. But once again, the offense just couldn’t take advantage. The Wolverines put together a good drive, but they went for a fourth down conversion on the 6-yard line, and for the second time this game, they were denied and came away with no points.

As the third quarter wound down, it seemed as though the fourth quarter would start with a 7-7 tie. Michigan punted with 1:30 left in the quarter and put the Huskies at their own 18-yard line. But on the first play of the drive, sophomore linebacker Cole Sullivan came away with his second interception of the year.

And the Wolverines immediately cashed in. On the first play of the drive, Marshall broke off a 14-yard touchdown run to put Michigan up 14-7.

Michigan’s flurry of big plays wasn’t over yet. Washington picked up back-to-back 17-yard receptions to push the ball into plus territory. But once again, the Wolverines defense came up big.

Whether it was a miscommunication or a bad throw, Huskies quarterback Demond Williams Jr. missed his target, and the ball flew right into senior linebacker Jimmy Rolder‘s hands for Williams’ second interception in four plays.

The Wolverines offense capitalized once again. The biggest play of the drive came on a third-and-11 on their own 47-yard line. Underwood was under pressure and was on his back foot, but he remained calm and threw a dot to junior tight end Deakon Tonielli for a 28-yard conversion.

Another junior tight end, this time Zack Marshall, capped off the drive with a 10-yard touchdown reception to make the score 21-7 in Michigan’s favor with 10 minutes to play.

On the ensuing drive, the Huskies needed points, and fast. But Michigan’s defense did what it had all day and held strong against the Washington attack. The Wolverines didn’t allow a first down and forced a fumble on a fourth-and-3, which the Huskies recovered on their own 17-yard line.

Michigan cashed in with a field goal, making it a three-possession game and all but sealing the Wolverine victory. But for good measure, sophomore defensive back Jacob Oden came down with Michigan’s third interception of the second half, icing the game for good.

Michigan ran out the clock and completed the bounce back win to improve to 5-2 on the season, and 3-1 in the Big Ten.

Michigan and Washington converged at the pinnacle of college football. 

In Houston, Texas, the Wolverines and Huskies duked it out in the 2023 College Football Playoff National Championship, with Michigan ultimately taking home the hardware by a 34-13 final. But for two teams at the summit of it all, the next year saw the two teams relegated to the throes of relative mediocrity.

Both teams lost their head coaches before the 2024 season. The Huskies’ former head coach Kalen DeBoer took over at Alabama, and former Wolverines head coach Jim Harbaugh fled college football in favor of a position as the head coach of the Los Angeles Chargers in the NFL.

Both teams lost their starting quarterbacks — both of whom were taken in the Top 10 of the 2024 NFL draft — alongside a plethora of other key players either to the transfer portal, graduation, or the NFL Draft. The result of all this movement was two relatively disappointing seasons from the top two teams of 2024.

Washington fared the worst of the two squads. It brought in Jedd Fisch from Arizona to assume head coaching duties, and he brought several players and coaches with him. Even coming off of a national championship appearance, the Huskies weren’t expected to be elite and were picked 10th in the conference in the preseason Big Ten poll.

At the end of the year, Washington slotted in at 11th in the Big Ten. It was the Huskies first year in the conference and it didn’t go quite as they wanted. They finished 4-5 in conference play and 6-7 overall, losing their bowl game to Louisville. With its head coach gone and the bulk of its top-tier talent gone, Washington was a middle-of-the-road Big Ten team in 2024.

Michigan suffered a similar fate, albeit with a much more satisfying end. After Harbaugh’s departure, the Wolverines searched internally for his successor, eventually landing on former offensive coach Sherrone Moore. 

On the back of the conference’s worst passing offense, Michigan finished 2024 seventh in the Big Ten with a 5-4 conference record. The Wolverines salvaged what could have been a very poor season with three straight wins to finish the season: a blowout over Northwestern, followed by two shocking victories over Ohio State and Alabama.

Interestingly, though, less than a year after the two teams met in the National Championship game, the 2024 bout between the Wolverines and the Huskies was the beginning of the end for Michigan’s 2024 playoff hopes.

Entering the game at 4-1, Michigan was ranked No. 10 in the country. To that point, its only loss was to then-No. 3 Texas, and it had a victory over then-No. 11 USC. But when the Wolverines took on Washington in Seattle, they fell apart, kicking off a 1-4 stretch with a 27-17 loss at the hands of the Huskies before the strong finish to the season.

For both programs, 2025 has been a much-improved year. Both teams received votes in the most recent AP Poll, and both believe they can be legitimate players in the Big Ten. In the season-and-a-half that has elapsed since Michigan and Washington met in the national championship game, they’ve mirrored each other in a lot of ways: both endured a relatively disappointing season in 2024, and both have experienced a resurgence of sorts thus far in 2025.

A win for either team on Saturday will set the winner up very well moving forward in conference play, and leave the loser in a tricky spot in the Big Ten standings. Not only is it a championship rematch with pride attached to it, it’s a measuring stick game that will be telling of the state of each program.

After picking up its second loss of the season at the hands of Southern California Saturday night, the voters of the AP Poll Top 25 rankings saw enough to drop Michigan out of the top 25.

It wasn’t simply the fact that the Wolverines lost to the Trojans that made Michigan drop so far, it was how it lost. USC is a very good team, and especially facing them on the road, the committee would probably have afforded the Wolverines some grace had they lost a close game. Unfortunately for Michigan, not much went well, and USC dominated the game.

In the 31-13 loss, both the offense and the defense for the Wolverines had games to forget. The defense allowed the most points it had all season, and the offense tied its season-low in points. Those two paired together will almost never end in a favorable result.

Michigan’s strengths became its weaknesses, losing the battle in the trenches on both sides of the ball. The Wolverines offensive line struggled with both pass protection and run blocking, and the defensive line couldn’t generate enough pressure to slow down Trojans quarterback Jayden Maiava.

In the end, it all culminated in a big loss on the road at USC, and it cost Michigan its place in the AP Poll for the first time all season.

It was mostly small changes throughout the poll, and the biggest dropper other than the Wolverines was Oklahoma. The Sooners fell from No. 5 to No. 14 after a convincing loss to Texas, who reentered the poll itself at No. 21.

Indiana broke its program record for its highest position in the poll ever, jumping up to No. 3 after a massive win over then-No. 3 Oregon.

Here are the complete AP Poll Top 25 rankings for Week 8:

Other teams receiving votes: Illinois, Michigan, Washington, UNLV, Navy, Mississippi St., Tulane, San Diego St.

The biggest thing any team can do to move up the ranks is win. Michigan wasn’t completely shunned by the voters, as it still received votes to be included, effectively sitting at No. 27 in the country.

The Wolverines are back at home next Saturday, but the opponent doesn’t get any easier. The Washington Huskies will come into Ann Arbor, sitting at 5-1 with its only loss coming at the hands of No. 1 Ohio State.

The Huskies, like Michigan, are another team that received votes in this week’s poll, sitting right behind the Wolverines at what would be No. 28. Regardless of the score, if Michigan can take down Washington, it will have gained a quality win and would most likely reenter the top 25.

The Wolverines and the Huskies have played three times since 2021, with Michigan winning two of those three. Most notably, the two programs met in the 2023 National Championship Game, in which the Wolverines came away victorious. Although Washington won the most recent matchup in 2024.

Michigan is currently a 5.5-point favorite against Washington as of the time of this writing, according to FanDuel. It should be a fairly even matchup, and the Wolverines will be eyeing a bounce back win.

You can hear the call of the game when Michigan takes on Washington on Oct. 18, on 94.7 WCSX. Here’s the full Michigan football schedule.

Michigan never got its feet under itself Saturday against Southern California, and it resulted in the worst game that the Wolverines have played thus far in 2025.

From the opening drive, the Trojans asserted themselves as the physically dominant team. Michigan, a team which generally prides itself on its physicality, gave up a total of 224 rushing yards while gaining just 109 itself. 

The Wolverines didn’t play to their standards, but that doesn’t mean everything went poorly.

Here are three ‘Ups’ and three ‘Downs’ from Michigan’s loss to USC…

Continuing his upward trajectory from last week, the freshman Marsh had a true breakout performance Saturday against USC. He caught eight passes on nine targets for 138 yards and a touchdown. For a position group that has struggled to find an identity, Marsh is a true standout in the Wolverines receiver room.

The biggest highlight of his night was a 69-yard touchdown catch in which he made his defender miss around midfield before taking it the rest of the way for six. Marsh has been extremely reliable in his two games as a starter, hauling in 12 of his 13 targets between the two games. His development and connection with freshman quarterback Bryce Underwood continues to be encouraging.

The freshman signal caller made his fair share of good plays Saturday, but ultimately, it wasn’t a great night for Underwood. Most notably, in a pivotal point in the third quarter, he forced a ball into double coverage down the right sideline, resulting in an unforced interception given he had another receiver open underneath.

His flashes of brilliance — like his perfectly-placed touchdown pass to graduate wide receiver Donaven McCulley and several nice throws on the move — were, in the end, overshadowed by his overall lack of consistency. 

Marshall didn’t have a crazy night stats wise, but in the wake of the injury to junior running back Justice Haynes, Marshall put together a satisfactory outing. On 14 carries, Marshall gained 68 yards and tacked on 16 more through the air.

When Haynes went down, he was averaging 5.1 yards per carry on his 10 attempts, and Marshall finished the night at 4.9 yards per carry. Haynes certainly has more big-play potential, but Marshall overall performed well given the circumstances. 

All night, Michigan’s defenders missed open field tackles. There isn’t one specific player or instance to point to, but simply a lack of execution as a team. One missed tackle even led to a 49-yard run on a third-and-26.

While this has been a bit of a recurring issue throughout the year, it was especially visible against the Trojans. On the whole, the Wolverines defense has been solid this season, but missing tackles doesn’t bode well, especially not as they get deeper into conference play. There’s no doubt tackling will be an emphasis at this week’s practices, and perhaps this game will serve as a wake-up call.

McCulley didn’t exactly replicate the excellent performance he put up against Wisconsin, but he did play better than his stat line shows. Overall, he caught three passes on seven targets for 39 yards and a touchdown. Despite not catching four of his targets, none of them were drops.

McCulley has shown off his ability as a pass-catcher this season, but he also picked up a couple big blocks for his teammates Saturday. Notably, during the first play of the second quarter, McCulley blocked two defenders at once to open up a hole for Haynes to gain nine yards on what otherwise could have just been a small gain, if anything.

He’s been one of Underwood’s favorite targets all season, and paired alongside Marsh, the wide receiver room is slowly forming an identity.

Both in pass protection and in run-block, Michigan’s offensive line struggled. Underwood didn’t have a lot of time in the pocket, and the running backs rarely got a clean hole to squeeze through. When the Wolverines are playing at their best, they win in the trenches, and Saturday, they got beat.

The offensive line is definitely young and slightly banged up, but even with graduate captain Giovanni El-Hadi back from injury, the line didn’t play to its standard. Especially with the physical nature of the Big Ten, Michigan will need its offensive line to regroup moving forward.

Junior defensive back Jyaire Hill laid a massive hit and forced a key fumble in the red zone…Senior defensive back Zeke Berry also secured a red zone turnover, this time with an interception, his first of the year. Senior edge rusher Jaishawn Barham had a solid day, collecting a tackle for loss and, technically, a forced fumble on a backwards pass that he tipped…Senior punter Hudson Hollenbeck’s struggles continued, as three of his four punts went for 36 yards or fewer.

The Michigan football team (4-2 overall, 2-1 Big Ten) struggled against Southern California (5-1, 3-1), ultimately losing its first Big Ten game of the season by a final score of 31-13.

The Wolverines offense struggled to get much of anything going. Freshman quarterback Bryce Underwood threw 15-for-24 for 207 yards and two touchdowns, but he also threw an interception. Sophomore running back Jordan Marshall took over lead back duties in the second quarter after junior Justice Haynes left the game with an injury.

Freshman wide receiver Andrew Marsh had another strong game, hauling in eight receptions for 138 yards and a touchdown.

For the second week in a row, Michigan’s defense came out flat. USC quarterback Jayden Maiava calmly led his offense down the field for an opening drive touchdown, capped off by wide receiver Ja’Kobi Lane‘s 2-yard catch in the end zone. Before the Wolverines could touch the football, they were down 7-0.

Michigan didn’t exactly bounce right back like it did against Wisconsin, going three-and-out on its first possession and giving the ball right back to Maiava and the Trojans. But just as it seemed like USC was going to coast in for another touchdown — or at least a field goal — junior defensive back Jyaire Hill laid a massive hit on a Trojan receiver, forcing a fumble that the Wolverines recovered.

While Michigan’s offense had more success the second time around, a penalty and a sack moved the Wolverines out of field goal range, forcing a punt and keeping the score at 7-0 with just under 12 minutes left in the half.

Regardless, the fumble knocked some of USC’s momentum loose as well, and Michigan’s defense was able to force a punt. This time, the Wolverines capitalized on the stop. The 14-play, 86-yard drive ended in an eight yard touchdown pass to graduate wide receiver Donaven McCulley, knotting the score at 7-7 with just over three minutes remaining in the half.

Not lost in the touchdown celebration, however, Haynes went to the locker room with an apparent injury during the drive, leaving Marshall to take over as the lead back.

But the Trojans weren’t done with the first half yet. On the back of third-string running back King Miller, USC busted off a quick 75-yard touchdown drive, finished off by an impressive catch by Makai Lemon. With very little time left on the clock, the Trojans took a 14-7 lead into halftime.

For the Michigan offense, the second half started just as the first began: a three-and-out. USC mirrored the start to the game as well, making quick work of the Wolverines defense and collecting a touchdown to make the score 21-7. The Trojans were threatening to run Michigan out of the game.

The Wolverines had no answer for King Miller. After Michigan’s offense once again came away empty-handed, Miller broke off a 47-yard rush to get his team to Michigan’s 24-yard line, with a chance to go up by three scores.

Once again, however, the Wolverines picked up a big turnover in the red zone, this time in the form of an interception by senior defensive back Zeke Berry.

It briefly looked like the interception was the break Michigan needed. The Wolverines gained four first downs, pushing the ball to USC’s 29-yard line. But then Underwood made his biggest mistake of the game. Trying to get the ball to McCulley, Underwood forced a pass into double coverage and gave the Trojans an interception of their own.

USC got one play off before the last seconds of the quarter ticked away, and it took the ball and a 21-7 lead into the final 15 minutes of play.

The Trojans were forced to take a field goal to push the score to 24-7, but it still put USC up three scores with just 10 minutes to play.

Michigan still had some signs of life. On the second play of the following drive, Underwood connected with freshman wide receiver Andrew Marsh for a 69-yard touchdown. The Wolverines went for the two-point conversion, but were unsuccessful, making the score 24-13 with a little more than nine minutes left in the game.

Any hopes of a Michigan comeback were squandered just nine plays later. USC running back Bryan Jackson broke off a 29-yard touchdown scamper, making the score 31-13 and sealing the game with just over four minutes left in the game. The clocked ticked down to zeros with no more changes to the score, and Michigan fell to 1-2 on the road in 2025.

The Michigan Wolverines will travel out west to face the USC Trojans in a clash between two of the most historically recognizable programs in college football history. Both teams have had their fair share of success this season, with the Wolverines scoring wins against Nebraska and Wisconsin while only losing to a very solid Oklahoma team. USC’s lone game against a legitimate team was against Illinois, and the Trojans failed to hold a late lead, falling to a last-second field goal. 

Unsurprisingly, the Wolverines have stuck with the style of offense that helped them win the national championship a couple of years ago. Quarterback Bryce Underwood has been solid, but the run game is the true engine of the offense, with running backs Justice Haynes and Jordan Marshall each playing hugely important roles. The defense has been as good as everyone expected, with guys like Ernest Hausmann and Cole Sullivan contributing tons of tackles and surprisingly good pass coverage. They will have their work cut out for them against a USC passing attack that is one of the best in the nation. 

The Trojans are essentially the opposite of Michigan. Quarterback Jayden Maiava has garnered some early Heisman consideration, thanks to his fantastic connection with wide receivers Makai Lemon and Ja’Kobi Lane. Running back Waymond Jordan has also contributed in a big way, putting up 537 rushing yards and five touchdowns on the year. However, the defense has been downright abysmal, allowing points to just about any offense that lines up across from them. A deadly Wolverine rushing attack should be able to capitalize on that.

Note: The above data was collected on Oct. 10, 2025, and may have changed since writing.

It is an absolute shock to see the Wolverines as 2.5-point underdogs, and it stinks of the same line that the Fighting Illini commanded before their game with the Trojans. Until USC shows any sort of defensive capability, taking them as a favorite is an extremely questionable prospect. 

The Wolverines should be able to run the ball at will, which will allow them to keep the USC offense and Maiava on the sidelines. Michigan will dominate the time of possession battle and play effective defense throughout the entirety of this contest, and that will be enough for the Wolverines to take home a road win. Michigan’s spread is obviously the safer play, but play their money line with confidence.

Under the Saturday evening Los Angeles sky, No. 15 Michigan will take on Southern California in the Colosseum.

The last time the Wolverines trekked to California to take on the Trojans in a true road game — not the neutral site Rose Bowl — was 1957. But now in the new Big Ten, Michigan and USC will become familiarized with each other’s home turf.

The Trojans have had a bounceback year after last season’s disappointment, and they appear poised to give much of the Big Ten a run for its money. Michigan, on the other hand, would love a repeat of last year’s 27-24 victory in Ann Arbor, although perhaps it’d like a wider margin this time around.

Here are five things to watch for in Saturday’s battle between the Wolverines and the Trojans…

After struggling to find consistency in the passing game for much of the season, Michigan freshman quarterback Bryce Underwood alongside graduate wide receiver Donaven McCulley finally figured it all out last week against Wisconsin. 

The Badgers pass defense wasn’t very strong, however, so the Wolverines will have a chance to prove that their improvement was no fluke against USC. While the Trojans’ secondary isn’t top-tier itself, it should provide more staunch protection than Wisconsin’s.

For Underwood and his receivers, this matchup is a type of ‘prove it’ game.

USC’s quarterback Jayden Maiava can really sling the pill. He ranks second in the nation in passing yards per game with 317.4 and has tossed 11 touchdowns to just one interception.

He also has two game-changing receivers in Makai Lemon and Ja’Kobi Lane at his disposal. Lemon has taken on a larger role since Lane has battled through injury, but the bye week should’ve helped Lane get his feet back under him. 

Between Maiava, Lemon, and Lane, the Wolverines will have a lot on their hands come Saturday.

While the Trojans offense is high-powered, their defense is still vulnerable. In its three Big Ten games thus far, USC has allowed an average of 26.7 points per game compared to Michigan’s 18.5 through two games.

It’s certainly a small sample size for both squads, but the Wolverines should have ample opportunity to put points on the board, and they’re going to need to. With an offense as good as the Trojans’ is, Michigan will need to take advantage of each opportunity it has to light up the scoreboard.

USC’s pass rush is quite good, currently ranking seventh in the nation with 3.4 sacks per game. On the contrary, Michigan is adept at pass protection, allowing just one per game. Certainly, the Wolverines’ lack of drop-back passes aids this number, but they’ve still proven capable.

If Michigan wants to continue its success through the air, the pass protection will need to play its best game of the season so far.

Penn State’s shocking loss to then-winless UCLA reminded the entire country the role that coast-to-coast travel can play in football games. The three-hour time difference is certainly not the only reason the Nittany Lions lost, and it’s not the only reason the Bruins won, but it does play a role.

Michigan is traveling down to Los Angeles Thursday night, allowing all of Friday to acclimate to the time difference in hopes of mitigating its effects. Still, it’s just one more factor that the Wolverines will have working against them Saturday evening.

It’s been 10 years since the last time a running back took the Heisman Trophy home, when Derrick Henry did it in 2015. Since then, it’s been all quarterbacks and wide receivers — along with a two-way player in Travis Hunter in 2024.

Still, running backs have been in the mix, and Michigan head coach Sherrone Moore thinks junior running back Justice Haynes should be up there on the watch list.

“Animal,” Moore said in a press conference Monday, as soon as Haynes’ name was mentioned. “Animal. He should be up for the Heisman. Start doing that.”

And it’s not just not head coach bias, the numbers back him up as well.

Haynes is currently third among all running backs in yards per carry at a ridiculous 7.7, fourth in total rushing yards with 654, and tied for fourth in rushing touchdowns with eight. By the numbers, Haynes is easily a top 3 running back in the country, and the case can certainly be made for the top spot.

In 2024, then-Boise State running back Ashton Jeanty was the runner-up for the Heisman Trophy, losing to the aforementioned Hunter. This result proved just how difficult it is for a running back to take home the award in the first palce, because Jeanty had an unbelievable season. He rushed for 2,601 total yards — 27 shy of the all-time record — good for 29 touchdowns, averaging 7.0 yards per carry.

Comparing Haynes’ 2025 so far to Jeanty’s 2024, Haynes still has a bit to go to reach Jeanty’s level of production. To get to 2,601 yards, Jeanty averaged a massive 185.8 yards per game through 14 games, and averaged a little over two touchdowns a game.

If Haynes were to finish at this exact pace, he’d amass 1,570 yards in the 12 regular season games, or, for sake of comparison, 1,831 yards through 14 games. 

It’d be hard to argue that Haynes had a better season than Jeanty, but Haynes does have several things going for him. First, Haynes plays in the Big Ten. The competition he faces is much stiffer than the Mountain West competition that Jeanty faced last season, and that definitely hurt Jeanty’s case last year. 

And second, there is no Hunter in the mix, and no far-and-away favorite to come away with the Heisman in general. The race is wide-open, and Haynes has played himself into the conversation.

Jeanty had a historic season in 2024, so that comparison is a little unfair. Instead, perhaps Haynes should be compared to another Wolverine, Blake Corum. Corum finished ninth in Heisman voting in 2023 and seventh in 2022.

Corum played just 12 games in 2022 due to a late-season injury, but he still gained 1,463 rushing yards for 18 touchdowns, averaging 121.9 yards per game. At his current pace, Haynes is on track to beat Corum in all three categories. 

Haynes is doing it all on relatively low volume. Compared to Jeanty, who carried the ball an average of 26.7 times per game, Haynes so far is averaging just 17 carries per contest. And Haynes has proven that he doesn’t need incredibly high volume to be successful, all he needs is one play.

In four of Michigan’s five games, Haynes has had a run of more than 40 yards, and two of 75 yards. The value of these kinds of plays cannot be understated. They quickly shift the momentum of the game and give the Wolverines a massive boost. One big play can win a game, and Haynes is adept at making them.

Even if Haynes doesn’t pick up the stat line needed to outright win the Heisman, his production should absolutely place him in consideration. It wouldn’t be shocking to see him at least earn some votes at the end of the season.

Michigan defensive coordinator Wink Martindale wants his 11 best players on the field. It sounds simple, but talent isn’t always evenly distributed throughout position groups. Sometimes, then, you just have to move players around.

It’s no secret that the Wolverines linebacker room is stacked. To start the season, there was senior Ernest Hausmann, senior Jaishawn Barham, senior Jimmy Rolder, sophomore Cole Sullivan, and even freshman Nathaniel Owusu-Boateng all competing for playing time. And in Martindale’s “best 11” philosophy, he needed to get more of them onto the field.

So, he moved Barham to edge rusher full-time. And Barham has thrived.

For the first two weeks of the season, Barham took the vast majority of his snaps at the linebacker position, with a few packages with him as an edge rusher sprinkled in. But in Week 3 against Central Michigan, Barham’s shift to a full-time edge rusher began, collecting two sacks off the defensive line. In the last two games, Barham has been listed as a starting edge rusher.

For Barham’s skill set, it’s been nearly a perfect match. There’s no doubt that Barham was, and still is, a very good linebacker, but his explosiveness and hard-hitting ability make him an unenviable matchup for any offensive line.

He’s still learning the position, certainly, but so far, he’s been quite impactful. In his three games taking significant snaps lined up on the defensive line, he’s collected three sacks alongside nine quarterback pressures.

Because of his skill set at the edge, Barham has generated some significant draft buzz. Nebraska head coach Matt Rhule even thinks Barham is a top-10 pick in the NFL draft. While Martindale isn’t commenting on where Barham will go in the draft, he thinks Barham is just getting started.

“I just know he’s a good football player,” Martindale said in a press conference Oct. 1. “I don’t think that he has a ceiling. I think he’s just going to keep getting better, and I know he loves playing in this defense.”

Not only has Barham’s move to edge rusher resulted in increasing production at his new position, but it has also helped out his old position. Michigan would love to have a clone of Barham so he can play both of his positions, but the Wolverines’ depth at the linebacker spot has made it so the defense didn’t skip a beat.

Hausmann was always going to be a starter, but Sullivan and Rolder were fighting for playing time when Barham was still playing linebacker. Now, both Rolder and Sullivan have seen an increase in their snaps and made the most of their opportunities. Rolder saw the most defensive snaps on the team against Wisconsin at 41, and Sullivan has both an interception and a fumble recovery.

Now, Martindale inches closer to having his 11 best players roaming on defense, and Barham’s move is a major part of that.

“He hits,” Martindale said. “And those guys are unique, so enjoy it while you’re seeing it.”

The Wolverine faithful certainly have been enjoying watching Barham flying around the field, and as long as he stays on the field, they’ll continue to be excited by his play.

Following its 24-10 victory of Wisconsin, the AP Poll Top 25 voters gave the Michigan football team its biggest boost of the season.

The Wolverines jumped five spots from No. 20 all the way up to No. 15.

Michigan didn’t play its best game Saturday, but it did come away with a win. And in a week chock-full of massive upsets, simply walking away with a win will secure a nice boost in the Sunday rankings.

Freshman quarterback Bryce Underwood had a successful day through the air, throwing 19-for-28 for 270 yards and a touchdown. He connected six times with graduate wide receiver Donaven McCulley for 112 yards and the one touchdown. McCulley’s performance marked the first time all season that a Michigan pass catcher eclipsed 100 yards.

Junior running back Justice Haynes continued to dominate. For his fifth straight game, he gained 100 yards and scored at least one touchdown, gaining 117 yards and punching in two touchdowns.

The Wolverines defense had a great day as well. After allowing a touchdown on the first drive of the game, they didn’t allow the Badgers to score until their final drive. Indeed, Wisconsin’s offense has been rough all season, but Michigan’s performance remains impressive.

Looking around college football, UCLA pulled off a wild upset in Pasadena, as the previously 0-4 Bruins took down then-No.7 Penn State by a score of 42-37. The Nittany Lions have dropped two games in a row and fell all the way out of the top 25.

Then-No. 9 Texas also lost to an unranked opponent, falling to Florida, 29-21. The Longhorns reaped the consequences, also dropping out of the rankings altogether.

Here are the complete AP Poll Top 25 rankings for Week 7:

Other teams receiving votes: Cincinnati, Texas, Penn St., Utah, Nebraska, Southern Cal, UNLV, North Texas, TCU, Washington, Mississippi St., Navy, Louisville, Auburn

Next week, the Wolverines trek out to Los Angeles to take on Southern California. USC has had a much better year than many predicted. While they are currently unranked, they’ve cracked the top 25 at points this season and have a potent offense. 

USC quarterback Jayden Maiava has had a great year throwing the ball, having already thrown 11 touchdowns to just one interception. Wide receiver Makai Lemon has also been electrifying this season, forming a formidable duo with Maiava.

The Trojans are giving up an average of 26.7 points per game through its first three Big Ten matchups this season, hinting at potential defensive holes. 

For Michigan to continue its climb up the rankings, a win at USC should do the trick. Against struggling Wisconsin, the Wolverines needed to be convincing, but away at the Trojans, just coming away with the win will be impressive enough.

USC is currently a 2.5-point favorite according to FanDuel as of the time of this writing, so the fans think that this game will be a tight one.

You can hear the call of the game when Michigan takes on USC on Oct. 11, on 94.7 WCSX, with pregame coverage starting at 5:30 p.m. EST. Here’s the full Michigan football schedule.

It took until the second half for the Michigan offense to really get rolling, but in the end, the Wolverines took care of Wisconsin by a score of 24-10.

Many people expected the Wolverines to dominate the struggling Badgers from start to finish, but that wasn’t the case. Both offenses were stagnant for the first 30 minutes, and Michigan only took a three-point lead into halftime. 

But in the second half, the Wolverines defense remained strong and the offense woke up, leading to a much more convincing performance to end the game.

Here are four ‘Ups’ and two ‘Downs’ from Michigan’s win over Wisconsin…

McCulley finally had his breakout performance that many people have been waiting for. He hauled in a season-high six receptions for 112 yards and his first touchdown of the season. Michigan’s wide receiver room has struggled this season, and no true No. 1 target has emerged. McCulley’s performance, particularly in the second half, made a solid case for him to slide into that role.

With a little over five minutes left in the third quarter, McCulley hauled in a massive 33-yard catch down the left sideline before scoring a 29-yard touchdown two plays later. For a team that has struggled to maintain a consistent passing attack, this sequence from McCulley — and his performance as a whole — is quite encouraging.

Moore returned from a knee injury two weeks ago against Nebraska after a year and a half of recovery. Saturday, Moore collected his first interception since his return. While the interception was an important play within the confines of the game, its impact extends beyond just the outcome on the field.

Moore has been a team captain for the last two seasons, and is a veteran presence on the field and in the locker room. The entire team has been pulling for Moore since his injury, and his return was a moral win for everyone involved. Now, his first interception back from injury keeps the good vibes rolling.

For the third time this season, Zvada has misfired on a kick that everyone expects him to make — this time, it was a 27-yard chip shot. This one wasn’t solely Zvada’s fault. The snap came in low, and senior punter Hudson Hollenbeck had to take extra time to get the ball set. This small hitch may have cost the Wolverines three points.

Regardless of his missed kicks, Michigan is going to continue rolling with Zvada. When he’s right, he’s one of the best kickers in the country, and the Wolverines are going to have to count on him to return to that form.

Head coach Sherrone Moore was quite impressed with Marsh’s practices during the bye week, enough so that Marsh earned himself a start. He took advantage of the opportunity, catching all four of his targets for 80 yards.

If Marsh can continue this production, he will be a major addition to a wide receiver room looking for answers. He and freshman quarterback Bryce Underwood appeared to be on the same page today, which is a major plus for both the rest of the 2025 season and beyond. A fellow freshman, Marsh and Underwood’s connection could be one that grows and develops over the course of several years.

Through the air, Underwood had his best game of the season. He completed 19 of 28 passes for 270 yards and a touchdown. Underwood didn’t use his legs too much, and it appeared as though Michigan was making a concerted effort to utilize his arm talent more.

It wasn’t a perfect passing performance, but he is showing steady improvement over his freshman season. Underwood has proven that he can be a threat running the ball, so if he can truly dial it in as a passer, he’ll be incredibly difficult to stop.

Morgan’s numbers on the day weren’t bad, bringing in five of his seven targets for 44 yards, but drops remain a looming problem for him. He dropped a potential first down pass on a third-and-9 in the first quarter, and very nearly dropped the ball in the third quarter before gaining 19 yards, fumbling the ball, then recovering it again.

Morgan has a lot of upside. He’s an experienced player and is extremely shifty, but his drops sometimes hold him back from being a reliable target. Morgan can certainly still be a high-impact player, but the small mistakes will have to be mitigated.

Junior running back Justice Haynes had yet another 100-yard rushing day along with two touchdowns, continuing his dominance this season…Senior edge rusher Derrick Moore picked up a sack and consistently generated pressure in the backfield…Senior linebacker Jimmy Rolder had another solid game, picking up a team-leading seven tackles, several coming in big spots…Sophomore running back Jordan Marshall continues to be solid even on low volume, picking up 44 yards on nine attempts.