Saturdays in Ann Arbor, and what a hundred and forty seasons of them ask of the people who keep showing up. The program as a place before it is a depth chart.
When he files: Weekly through the season, more when the schedule earns it.
33 resolved, 52% held up.
Michigan's rushing attempts per game across the 2026 regular season are higher than its 2025 figure of 38.6 (502 attempts in 13 games).
Resolves in 16 days, Nov 28, 2026
The piece that made itUtah Ran A Sixth Offensive Lineman On Half Its Snaps. That Offense Is Michigan's Now.Travis Johnson finishes the 2026 regular season with more receptions than Channing Goodwin.
Resolves in 18 days, Nov 30, 2026
The piece that made itMichigan Spent August On Two Freshmen. The Third Receiver Job Went To A Junior With Six Starts.Oklahoma is NOT listed among the 25 teams in the AP Top 25 poll released in the week after Michigan's final 2026 regular-season game of November 28. Receiving votes without appearing among the 25 resolves YES.
Resolves in 18 days, Nov 30, 2026
The piece that made itMichigan is 19th, and the team it beat to get there is 24thMichigan's defense forces at least 8 turnovers (interceptions plus opponent fumbles recovered) across its eight remaining 2026 regular-season games, at Minnesota on October 3 through at Ohio State on November 28. Scored off the official box scores of those eight games; a turnover on downs does not count.
Resolves in 17 days, Nov 29, 2026
The piece that made itMichigan got inside Iowa's 20 four times and scored 10 pointsMichigan beats UCLA in the November 21, 2026 game at Michigan Stadium. Scored off the final score in Michigan Athletics' official box score; a Michigan win of any margin, overtime included, wins this row, and a UCLA win loses it. A postponed or cancelled game voids the row.
Resolves in 10 days, Nov 22, 2026
The piece that made itThe AP poll has UCLA ninth and skips Michigan. The ratings cannot tell them apartMichigan finishes the 2026 regular season with at least seven wins. Scored off Michigan's won-lost record after its final scheduled regular-season game, at Ohio State on November 28, 2026, per Michigan Athletics' schedule page; a conference championship game or bowl does not count. A cancelled game that is not played counts as no result, and the row needs seven actual wins.
Resolves in 17 days, Nov 29, 2026
The piece that made itMichigan has held all seven opponents to 20 or fewer, and is playing for a bowlMichigan is one of the 25 teams in at least one College Football Playoff selection committee ranking released after November 3, 2026, through the final ranking on Selection Day, December 6, 2026. Scored off the committee's published rankings at collegefootballplayoff.com; the November 3 ranking does not count.
Resolves by Dec 6, 2026
The piece that made itThe committee ranked three 5-3 teams, and Michigan was not one of themMichigan does not score in the first half at Oregon on November 14, 2026 at Autzen Stadium. Scored off the line score in Michigan Athletics' official box score: zero Michigan points in the first and second quarters wins this row; any Michigan points before halftime lose it. A postponed or cancelled game voids the row.
Resolves in 2 days, Nov 14, 2026
The piece that made itMichigan held Michigan State without a touchdown and lost by nineMichigan gains fewer than 300 total yards at Oregon on November 14, 2026, the first game with Jim Harding as interim offensive coordinator. Scored off total offensive yards in Michigan Athletics' official box score: 299 or fewer wins this row; 300 or more loses it. A postponed or cancelled game voids the row.
Resolves in 2 days, Nov 14, 2026
The piece that made itWhittingham said 'not right now' on Beck. Within a day, he fired himMichigan's quarterbacks are sacked three or more times at Oregon on November 14, 2026. Scored off Michigan Athletics' official box score (sacks allowed by Michigan): 3 or more wins this row; 2 or fewer loses it. A postponed or cancelled game voids the row.
Resolves in 2 days, Nov 14, 2026
The piece that made itTwelve throws on third-and-short, three sacks: what Jim Harding inheritsMichigan beats Ohio State on November 28, 2026 at Ohio Stadium. Scored off the final score in Michigan Athletics' official box score; a Michigan win of any margin, overtime included, wins this row. A postponed or cancelled game voids the row.
Resolves in 16 days, Nov 28, 2026
The piece that made itMichigan's last three opponents are 21-6, and each is playing for the playoffMichigan has not publicly identified all five offensive line starters by name and position on or before August 22, 2026.
The piece that made itJim Harding Listed Three Goals For His Line In March. The Third One Still Has No Name On It.Nathaniel Staehling (No. 44) is one of Michigan's starting linebackers in the September 5 opener against Western Michigan.
The piece that made itMichigan's 4 Captains Are February's 4 Captains. The 12 Names Underneath Them Are NotTrue freshman receiver Travis Johnson (No. 13) catches at least 1 pass in the September 5 opener against Western Michigan.
The piece that made itMichigan's 4 Captains Are February's 4 Captains. The 12 Names Underneath Them Are NotJohn Henry Daley and Rod Moore both appear in Michigan's participation report for the September 5 opener against Western Michigan.
The piece that made itMichigan Opens With Two Players Out For The Year And Only One Of Them Happened In Fall CampChanning Goodwin is credited with at least one reception in the official box score of Michigan's September 5 opener against Western Michigan.
The piece that made itMichigan Spent August On Two Freshmen. The Third Receiver Job Went To A Junior With Six Starts.Andrew Marsh finishes with more receiving yards than JJ Buchanan in Michigan's September 12 game against Oklahoma.
The piece that made itWestern Michigan Ran 67 Plays And Never Reached The End ZoneMichigan's time of possession is at least 25:00 in its September 12 game against Oklahoma.
The piece that made itWestern Michigan Ran 67 Plays And Never Reached The End ZoneMichigan runs fewer than 10 snaps from under center in its September 12, 2026 game against Oklahoma.
The piece that made itMichigan Lost Four Of Five Third-And-Shorts To A Team Averaging 3.3 Yards A PlayOklahoma gains fewer than 5.5 yards per play against Michigan on September 12, 2026, measured as total offensive yards divided by total offensive plays in the official box score.
The piece that made itMichigan Lost Four Of Five Third-And-Shorts To A Team Averaging 3.3 Yards A PlayMichigan is listed among the 25 teams in the Associated Press Top 25 poll released on Sunday, September 27, 2026. Receiving votes without appearing in the numbered 25 does not count.
The piece that made itMichigan Is The Only Team That Left The AP Top 25, And It WonOklahoma beats Michigan by 10 or more points in the September 12, 2026 game at Michigan Stadium.
The piece that made itMichigan's Players Said Soft, And The Box Score Names The HalfBryce Underwood attempts 25 or more forward passes in Michigan's September 19, 2026 game against UTEP.
The piece that made itMichigan's Winning Drive Against Oklahoma Was Six Yards LongMichigan is charged with eight or more accepted penalties in its September 19, 2026 game against UTEP.
The piece that made itMichigan's Winning Drive Against Oklahoma Was Six Yards LongMichigan's non-quarterback rushers average 4.0 or more yards per carry in Michigan's September 19, 2026 game against UTEP.
The piece that made itAll Three of Michigan's Personal Fouls Landed on Oklahoma's Only Two Scoring DrivesMichigan converts six or more third downs in its September 19, 2026 game against UTEP.
The piece that made itAll Three of Michigan's Personal Fouls Landed on Oklahoma's Only Two Scoring DrivesMichigan beats UTEP by 21 or more points in the September 19, 2026 game at Michigan Stadium.
The piece that made itMichigan has scored 30 points in two games. Today's number is 41.5.Michigan loses at least one fumble in its September 26, 2026 game against Iowa, as recorded in the official box score.
The piece that made itUTEP led Michigan by a touchdown, then gained 28 yards the rest of the wayThe five offensive linemen listed as starters in Michigan's official Player Participation release for its September 26, 2026 game against Iowa are a different set of five men from all three sets Michigan has started so far in 2026 (Frazier-Link-Guarnera-Norton-Sprague, Frazier-Efobi-Guarnera-Norton-Sprague, and Link-Efobi-Guarnera-Norton-Frazier).
The piece that made itUTEP led Michigan by a touchdown, then gained 28 yards the rest of the wayIowa's average distance to go on third down in its September 26, 2026 game at Michigan Stadium is BELOW 8.0 yards. Method fixed in advance: CollegeFootballData's play file for the 2026 regular season, week 4, filtered to plays where Iowa is the offense and down is 3, excluding kickoff, punt, timeout, no-play penalty, field goal and period-end rows; the mean of the distance field, rounded to two decimals. A result of exactly 8.00 loses.
The piece that made itUTEP forced one Michigan punt all day, and it came in the first quarterMichigan is one of the 25 teams in the College Football Playoff selection committee's first rankings of the 2026 season, released Tuesday, November 3, 2026. Scored off the committee's published top 25 at collegefootballplayoff.com; any appearance from 1 to 25 resolves YES.
The piece that made itMichigan drew five of the Big Ten's other ranked teams. Penn State drew two.Michigan beats Iowa by 7 or more points in the September 26, 2026 game at Michigan Stadium.
The piece that made itIowa has turned the ball over once. Michigan has lost four fumbles.Michigan beats Minnesota by 7 or more points in the October 3, 2026 game at Huntington Bank Stadium in Minneapolis.
The piece that made itMinnesota's blitz got seven sacks at Washington and one against Mississippi StateMichigan rushes for 150 or more net yards against Penn State on October 17, 2026, by the official box score (sacks counted as rushes, as college box scores count them).
The piece that made itNorthwestern ran for 413 yards on Penn State. Was that the real Penn State?Michigan beats Penn State by 7 or more points in the October 17, 2026 game at Michigan Stadium.
The piece that made itPenn State allowed six 20-yard runs in a night, and Michigan has one all seasonTommy Carr starts at quarterback for Michigan against Indiana on October 24, 2026 at Michigan Stadium. Scored off Michigan Athletics' Player Participation release for that game, which lists starters in capitals: Carr listed as the starting QB wins this row; Bryce Underwood or anyone else listed as the starter loses it.
The piece that made itAll 21 of Michigan's points came after Penn State gave the ball awayMichigan's quarterbacks complete NO pass that travels 20 or more yards in the air against Indiana on October 24, 2026 at Michigan Stadium. Scored off Michigan Athletics' official play-by-play for that game: for every completed pass, subtract the line of scrimmage from the 'caught at' yard line the stat crew prints; a completion of 20 or more yards by that subtraction loses this row, and a game with none wins it. Plays wiped out by penalty (NO PLAY) do not count. Air yards, not yards gained.
The piece that made itMichigan completed nothing that travelled more than 11 yards in the air, and wonIndiana beats Michigan by 7 or more points on October 24, 2026 at Michigan Stadium. Scored off the final score in Michigan Athletics' official box score: an Indiana win by 7 points or more, overtime included, wins this row; an Indiana win by 6 or fewer, or a Michigan win, loses it. A postponed or cancelled game voids the row.
The piece that made itTommy Carr's first start is against a team that almost never gives the ball backMichigan rushes for 150 or more net yards at Rutgers on October 31, 2026. Scored off the team rushing total (Total (Net)) in Michigan Athletics' official box score, which counts sacks as rushes; overtime included. A postponed or cancelled game voids the row.
The piece that made itMichigan had third down at Indiana's 1 and 3, and lost yards both timesMichigan scores at least one offensive touchdown at Rutgers on October 31, 2026 on a possession that begins in its own territory (its own 50 or deeper). Scored off the drive chart in Michigan Athletics' official box score: a Michigan possession whose start is at or behind the Michigan 50 and which ends in a Michigan touchdown by the offense; overtime possessions start in Rutgers territory and cannot count. A postponed or cancelled game voids the row.
The piece that made itMichigan ran on every short-yardage down inside the 25, until IndianaMichigan beats Rutgers by 10 or more points on October 31, 2026 at SHI Stadium. Scored off the final score in Michigan Athletics' official box score: a Michigan win by 10 points or more, overtime included, wins this row; a Michigan win by 9 or fewer, or a Rutgers win, loses it. A postponed or cancelled game voids the row.
The piece that made itRutgers allows 5.8 yards a carry, and Michigan has scored more than 21 onceSavion Hiter carries more times than any other Michigan running back against Michigan State on November 7, 2026 at Michigan Stadium. Scored off the rushing table in Michigan Athletics' official box score: Hiter's attempts must exceed those of every other player listed at running back on Michigan's roster (Jordan Marshall, Bryson Kuzdzal and any other). A tie for the most loses the row. Quarterback carries do not count. If Hiter does not play, the row loses; a postponed or cancelled game voids it.
The piece that made itCarr's three touchdowns came on third down, and Rutgers lived on three playsMichigan averages under 4.0 yards a carry on its first-down rushing plays against Michigan State on November 7, 2026 at Michigan Stadium, regulation only. Scored from Michigan Athletics' official play-by-play: every Michigan rushing play on first down in quarters one through four, including quarterback runs and rushing touchdowns, excluding kneel-downs, plays nullified by penalty (NO PLAY), and botched-exchange plays logged as a team fumble. Total yards divided by those carries must be below 4.00. A postponed or cancelled game voids the row.
The piece that made itRutgers stopped Michigan on first down, and third down covered for itMichigan beats Michigan State by 10 or more points on November 7, 2026 at Michigan Stadium. Scored off the final score in Michigan Athletics' official box score: a Michigan win by 10 points or more, overtime included, wins this row; a Michigan win by 9 or fewer, or a Michigan State win, loses it. A postponed or cancelled game voids the row.
The piece that made itMichigan State's top three backs are out, and its quarterback is questionable
The College Football Playoff selection committee's second ranking, released November 10, has UCLA 4th, Oregon 16th and Ohio State 20th, Michigan's last three opponents, who are a combined 21-6. Michigan, 5-4 and unranked, needs one win for bowl eligibility. By DraftKings' moneylines with the margin removed, it has about a 22% chance at Oregon and 18% at Ohio State.
By CollegeFootballData's play-by-play across Michigan's nine 2026 games, Michigan converted 17 of 27 third downs with 3 yards or fewer to go when it ran and 5 of 12 when it threw, with three sacks on those throws, all against Indiana. Tommy Carr has been sacked on about 1 dropback in 9, against 1 in 19 for Bryce Underwood, and its first- and second-down runs have lost ground more often. Jim Harding, the offensive line coach, is now interim coordinator and will lead a collaborative play-calling group at Oregon, which has at least two sacks in each of its last six games.
Michigan State beat Michigan 15-6 at Michigan Stadium on November 7 on five Liam Boyd field goals. Twelve of the 15 points came on drives that started at the Michigan State 38 or better, set up by two Michigan punts from deep after sacks and by two turnovers. Michigan gained 192 yards, was sacked five times, went 2 of 10 on third down and did not score until 1:35 remained.
Kyle Whittingham fired offensive coordinator Jason Beck on November 8, 2026, the day after Michigan lost 15-6 to Michigan State and gained 192 yards. On Saturday night Whittingham had said a coordinator change was not happening 'right now.' Jim Harding, Michigan's offensive line coach and assistant head coach, is interim offensive coordinator for the rest of the regular season. Michigan is 5-4 and needs one win from Oregon, UCLA and Ohio State to reach bowl eligibility.
Michigan (5-3) hosts Michigan State (2-6) at 7:30 p.m. Eastern on Peacock as a 14-point favorite. The Big Ten's Friday report lists Michigan State's three leading running backs Out and quarterback Alessio Milivojevic Questionable; Michigan, which has won one game by more than seven points, gets defensive ends John Henry Daley and Dom Nichols back as Probable.
The selection committee's first top 25 includes three 5-3 teams and leaves out 5-3 Michigan, which has no win over a ranked team. UCLA, Ohio State and Oregon, three of its last four opponents, are all in the committee's 25.
By CollegeFootballData's play-by-play, Michigan ran 21 times on first down in its 28-21 win at Rutgers for 59 yards, 2.8 a carry, the lowest of its eight games, and nine first-down runs before halftime gained 10 yards. Michigan made up the difference on second down, at 7.7 yards a play, and on third downs of 6 yards or more, where it went 6 of 8 after going 14 of 40 in its first seven games.
Michigan beat Rutgers 28-21 on October 31 for its first road win of the season, converting 12 of 16 third downs, with all three of Tommy Carr's touchdowns coming on third down. Rutgers gained 166 of its 249 yards on three plays, and Michigan's seven penalties fed four of Rutgers' nine first downs.
Michigan (4-3) plays at Rutgers (2-5) at 12:30 p.m. Eastern on the Big Ten Network as a 15.5-point favorite, a number that asks an offense averaging 20.3 points for about 31. Rutgers has allowed 28 or more to six of seven opponents and 5.8 yards a carry, and lists starting quarterback Dylan Lonergan Out.
The Big Ten's presidents adopted a rule on October 28 that caps, at $49 million per school for the 2027-28 cap year, the total of a school's revenue-sharing payments, NIL deals between its athletes and its associated boosters and collectives, and any third-party NIL deal the school helps arrange. It is one number across every sport. Michigan's FY 2027 budget sets revenue sharing at $21.32 million against a 2026-27 ceiling the Big Ten puts at $21.58 million, and Michigan projected spending $18.0 million of the $20.5 million allowed in 2025-26. The associated-entity layer is not published, so whether the line binds Michigan cannot be settled from the public record.
Michigan is 4-3 despite holding all seven opponents to 20 points or fewer, and ESPN's game-by-game numbers make a bowl likely and a seventh win close to even.
Through six games Michigan had nine short-yardage snaps (third or fourth down, three yards or fewer to go) at or inside an opponent's 25. It ran on all nine and converted seven, Bryce Underwood carrying three of them from under center and the backs six from shotgun. In Saturday's 13-6 overtime loss to Indiana it had six such snaps and called a pass on four. One converted; Tommy Carr was sacked on the other three, including on third-and-1 from the Indiana 1. Indiana's first seven opponents converted 12 of 20 short-yardage runs against it and 7 of 14 throws, sacks counted, so running was not the losing bet against this defense. The wider pattern: Michigan scored 10 touchdowns on 36 possessions that began in its own territory in its first four games, and one on 27 in the three since, under two quarterbacks. That one followed an interception. Rutgers, next, has allowed 28 points or more in six of its seven games.
Indiana beat Michigan 13-6 in overtime at Michigan Stadium in front of 111,276, its first win there since 1967. Michigan is 4-3 and 1-3 in the Big Ten. Michigan had the ball inside the Indiana 23 on five possessions and scored two field goals. Three of the five ended with Tommy Carr sacked on third down, including a 13-yard loss on third-and-1 from the Indiana 1 that Kyle Whittingham called 'not a good football call,' and a 5-yard loss on third-and-3 from the 3 with 32 seconds left. Trey Butkowski, 4 of 4 on field goals before Saturday, missed from 53 and 32. Indiana's six points in regulation both came on short fields after Carr's two turnovers; its nine other regulation possessions, all starting in its own territory, produced nothing. Josh Hoover, playing hurt per Curt Cignetti, was 8 of 18 for 81 yards and threw his first interception of the season, to Zeke Berry. Michigan ran 42 times for 57 yards, its running backs 26 times for 52. In his first start Carr was 20 of 32 for 167 yards; no completion travelled more than 18 yards past the line. Blake Frazier and Dom Nichols were ruled out on game day; Marky Walbridge started at right tackle and Benny Patterson III made his first career start. Michigan plays at Rutgers on Saturday.
Michigan (4-2, 1-2 Big Ten) hosts Indiana (6-1, 3-1), sixth in the AP poll, at Michigan Stadium at noon Eastern on Fox. DraftKings has Indiana by 7.5 with a total of 42.5 at 5:43 a.m. Eastern, which splits to about Indiana 25, Michigan 17.5. Tommy Carr, a true freshman, is expected to make his first start at quarterback; Kyle Whittingham said Monday the staff had decided and would not say who. Michigan scored all 21 of its points against Penn State after takeaways. Indiana has three turnovers in seven games, all fumbles, and Josh Hoover is 108 of 169 for 1,660 yards, 18 touchdowns and no interceptions. Indiana ran 51 times for 138 yards against Nebraska and Ohio State, sacks included. Michigan lists seven players Out and seven Questionable, among them Rod Moore Jr. and two linemen who started against Penn State; Indiana lists no one. Prediction: Indiana 20, Michigan 13.
Michigan beat Penn State 21-18 on October 17 and received no votes in Sunday's AP poll and 10 points in the coaches poll. UCLA, 6-0 and 4-0 in the Big Ten, is ninth in the AP poll and 10th in the coaches poll. ESPN's Football Power Index, updated October 21, rates UCLA 31st at 10.98 and Michigan 32nd at 10.91; SP+ rates UCLA 19th at 14.0 and Michigan 23rd at 13.0. FPI gives UCLA a 39.6% chance to make the College Football Playoff and Michigan 0.6%. Michigan lost to Iowa 20-19 and at Minnesota 20-14. By SP+, Michigan's defense is tied with Indiana's for second of 138 FBS teams behind Ohio State, and its offense is 75th. Ohio State and UCLA are 4-0 in the Big Ten and do not play each other; Indiana and USC are 3-1. Michigan and USC are the only Big Ten teams with Ohio State, UCLA and Indiana all still to play. Michigan's best possible conference record is 7-2. In 2024 and 2025, 12 teams from the four power conferences and Notre Dame finished the regular season 10-2 without winning a conference title; 5 made the playoff field, all ranked between 6th and 10th in the committee's final rankings, and none of the 14 that finished 9-3 without a title got in. Michigan's remaining six opponents include three SP+ top-11 teams, Indiana at home on Saturday and Oregon and Ohio State away. Rod Moore Jr. was carted off against Penn State; Andrew Sprague has missed four straight games. One take filed: Michigan beats UCLA on November 21.
Michigan beat Penn State 21-18 without completing a pass that travelled more than 11 yards past the line of scrimmage. By the catch spots recorded in Michigan Athletics' official play-by-play, its 10 completions covered 41 yards in the air and 49 after the catch, and the four throws that went 25 yards or more downfield were two Tommy Carr incompletions and both Bryce Underwood interceptions. Across six games, Michigan has completed five passes of 20 or more air yards, all against Western Michigan and Iowa. Penn State's deep passing game was one receiver: the stat crew marked five of Rocco Becht's 44 throws as deep, all five went to Chase Sowell, and three were caught for 76 yards. In the run game, the second half's 14 runs up the middle were Michigan's season habit producing 10.1 yards a carry instead of the 4.0 it had averaged there in the first five games, and the ball moved to Savion Hiter, who carried twice before halftime and nine times after it. PFF's grades, cited as rankings only, had Avery Gach first in run blocking among the five linemen who started at the conventional spots, Manuel Beigel's run-blocking grade highest of any Michigan lineman, Rod Moore Jr. the highest-graded Michigan defender despite leaving in the third quarter, and Jyaire Hill last in coverage among the eight defensive backs who made a tackle. Kyle Whittingham said Monday he will not name the Indiana starter.
Michigan beat Penn State 21-18 at Michigan Stadium in front of 110,731 and is 4-2, 1-2 in the Big Ten. Penn State led 3-0 at halftime, when Michigan had 80 yards on 23 plays and two Bryce Underwood interceptions. Tommy Carr played the second half at quarterback. Rod Moore Jr. intercepted Rocco Becht on Penn State's first snap of the half, Chris Bracy intercepted him on the next possession and later forced a fumble on a sack, and Michigan scored a touchdown after each: Bryson Kuzdzal's 43-yard run, Jordan Marshall's 1-yard run and Carr's 12-yard run. Michigan's other nine possessions ended in six punts, two interceptions and the clock. Michigan ran 23 times for 174 yards after halftime, three of those runs for 20 or more, after one such run in its first five games. It threw 18 passes for 90 yards. Both Penn State touchdowns came the snap after a Michigan defensive penalty wiped out a third-down incompletion. Moore was carted off after his interception; Kyle Whittingham called it nothing major and said his availability for Indiana is debatable. Whittingham will say on Monday who starts at quarterback against Indiana.
Michigan (3-2, 0-2 Big Ten) hosts Penn State (3-3, 0-3) at Michigan Stadium at 3:30 p.m. Eastern on CBS. DraftKings has Michigan by 6.5 with a total of 42.5 at 8:13 a.m. Eastern, which splits to about Michigan 24.5, Penn State 18. Michigan has one run of 20 yards or more in five games, Bryce Underwood's 38-yard touchdown against Oklahoma; its running backs have 111 carries and a longest of 17. Penn State allowed six runs of 20 or more to Northwestern and none to Wisconsin or USC. Rocco Becht is 59 of 102 for 646 yards in three Big Ten games, 6.3 a throw, after 11.7 against Marshall, Temple and Buffalo. Penn State lists receiver Koby Howard Out; he has 344 receiving yards, all of them in non-conference games. Michigan lists Andrew Sprague and Ace Hamilton Out and Jake Guarnera, Brady Norton, Andrew Babalola, Dom Nichols and John Henry Daley Questionable. Prediction: Michigan 20, Penn State 13.
Washtenaw County Circuit Judge Julia B. Owdziej granted temporary restraining orders against the NCAA on Tuesday, October 13, that make tight end Alex Bauman, formerly of Tulane and Miami, and cornerback Jeremiah Earby, formerly of California and Boise State, eligible to play in 2026. Both are members of the high school class of 2022, whom the NCAA's five-for-five rule did not cover. Both filed on September 25, according to court records cited by Field Level Media, and a preliminary injunction hearing is set for November 4. Michigan plays Penn State on October 17, Indiana on October 24 and Rutgers on October 31 before that hearing. Neither player was on Michigan's official roster on Wednesday, and a Michigan spokesman declined comment; the Michigan Daily reported he declined because neither player has officially signed. CBS Sports reported that both will play for Michigan this season. Michigan's tight ends have 9 catches for 65 yards through 5 games; Bauman caught 18 passes for 166 yards at Miami in 2025. Earby had 4 interceptions and 13 passes defended at Boise State in 2025.
Penn State (3-3, 0-3 Big Ten) visits Michigan (3-2, 0-2) on Saturday, October 17, at 3:30 p.m. Eastern on CBS. Against Marshall, Temple and Buffalo, Penn State ran 120 times for 615 yards and allowed 333 on 97 carries. In three Big Ten games it has run 89 times for 235 yards, 2.6 a carry and 17th of 18 conference teams in conference games, and allowed 662 yards on 113 carries, 5.9 a carry and 16th. Northwestern's 413 rushing yards on October 2 account for most of that defensive figure: it is the only 400-yard rushing game against an ACC, Big Ten, Big 12 or SEC defense in 322 such team-games this season, and Northwestern had run 27 times for 32 yards against Indiana the week before. Without it, Wisconsin and USC ran 58 times for 249 yards, 4.3 a carry, which would rank 12th. Penn State's own running game has been poor in all three conference games: everyone other than quarterback Rocco Becht has 62 carries for 182 yards. Michigan has run 68 times for 232 yards in two Big Ten games, 12th in the conference, and its run defense ranks fourth at 2.9 yards a carry.
Michigan received no votes in either poll on Sunday, October 4, after losing 20-14 at Minnesota. A week earlier it had 54 AP points and was 24th in the coaches poll. Penn State, which lost 34-13 at Northwestern, also received none. They were 16th and 18th in the preseason AP poll and meet at Michigan Stadium on October 17 at 3:30 p.m. Eastern. Washington, preseason 17th, is the third of the eight Big Ten teams in that preseason poll to sit at 0-2 with no votes. Minnesota and Northwestern, who beat Michigan and Penn State, both received votes. Six Big Ten teams are 2-0 in the conference and seven are 0-2. In the last two Big Ten seasons every title-game team was 8-1 or better, and Michigan can finish no better than 7-2. Its at-large path is 10-2, which means winning all seven remaining games. In 2024 and 2025, 75 FBS teams lost two of their first five games. One, Notre Dame in 2025, won the rest; it finished 11th in the committee's final ranking and was not in the field. None of the 41 power-conference teams among them won out; two finished 9-3. Michigan scores 23.0 points a game, 106th of 138 FBS teams, and four of its last seven opponents are in the top 14. Tight end Zack Marshall apologized on Tuesday for leaked messages criticizing offensive coordinator Jason Beck. Andrew Sprague has missed three straight games.
Kyle Whittingham said on his Monday radio show that Michigan did not protect the quarterback like it needed to at Minnesota, and that the loss is not all on Bryce Underwood. Minnesota sacked Underwood 3 times for 25 yards in its 20-14 win. Timed off the Fox broadcast, the sacks took about 3.7, 3.6 and 4.1 seconds, which is ordinary against the two NFL time-to-sack figures on the public record; no college figure was found. The yardage is the unusual part: two of the sacks lost 10 yards or more, which 149 of 1,016 sacks in games between FBS teams have done this season, and an offense has taken two that deep in one game 24 times in 542 team-games. Underwood's first 5 sacks of the year lost 16 yards combined. Neither measurement can divide the three sacks among coverage, protection and the quarterback.
Minnesota beat Michigan 20-14 at Huntington Bank Stadium, its first win over Michigan since 2014 and its first in Minneapolis since 1977. Michigan led 14-7 at halftime on Jordan Marshall's 5-yard run and Nathaniel Staehling's 79-yard interception return, then turned the ball over on a muffed punt and two Bryce Underwood interceptions in a span of 7:31. Minnesota scored 13 points off those turnovers on drives of 4, 34 and 35 yards. Michigan's offense gained 180 yards, its fewest of the season, held the ball for 41 seconds of the third quarter, and ran eight plays for no net yards between its touchdown and the fourth quarter. Underwood was 10 of 21 for 101 yards and was sacked three times. The running backs carried 18 times for 59 yards. Michigan's defense forced two turnovers, allowed one scoring drive longer than 35 yards and had no sacks. Michigan's last drive ended with two timeouts unused. JJ Buchanan, Nathan Efobi and Chase Taylor each went down during the game, and Kyle Whittingham said a couple of players could not finish without naming them. Michigan is 3-2 and 0-2 in the Big Ten.
Michigan (3-1, 0-1 Big Ten) plays Minnesota (3-1, 1-0) at Huntington Bank Stadium in Minneapolis at noon Eastern on Fox. DraftKings has Michigan by 6.5 with a total of 43.5 at 8:12 a.m. Eastern, down from an open of 8.5 and 44.5. Minnesota blitzed on 33.9% of snaps in MGoBlog's chart of its win at Washington, where it had seven sacks; against Mississippi State's quarterback it had one and lost 38-13. Michigan lists eight players Out, four of them offensive linemen including Andrew Sprague, Manuel Beigel and Andrew Babalola. Receiver Andrew Marsh and defensive ends Dom Nichols and John Henry Daley are Questionable. Prediction: Michigan 24, Minnesota 16.
Michigan is 3-1 and 0-1 in the Big Ten after losing 20-19 to Iowa, and is out of the AP Top 25 for the second time this season: 54 points, sixth among the teams outside the 25, down from 18th and 432. The coaches have it 24th with 166 points. The three teams Michigan has beaten are a combined 5-7 and none is ranked. Six Big Ten teams are in the AP poll: Ohio State 5th, Indiana 6th, Iowa 14th, Oregon 15th, USC 18th and UCLA 23rd. Michigan still plays four of them, Indiana and UCLA at home and Oregon and Ohio State on the road, worth 3,816 AP points, the most left on any of those seven teams' schedules. Iowa has one ranked opponent left, Ohio State at home on Saturday, and holds the head-to-head tiebreak over Michigan. In the two seasons of an 18-team Big Ten, the four title-game berths went to teams that were 9-0, 8-1, 9-0 and 9-0 in conference play, and two other 8-1 teams stayed home. In the two seasons of a 12-team playoff, none of the 14 at-large bids went to a team with three regular-season losses, and four of the eight 10-2 teams in the committee's final top 16 that were not conference champions and did not play a title game got in. Three of Michigan's four ranked opponents come in its last four games, after the committee's first ranking on November 3. Andrew Babalola is due back at practice next week, Andrew Sprague's status is unresolved after two missed games, and John Henry Daley was hurt on the second-to-last play against Iowa. Michigan plays at Minnesota on Saturday at noon Eastern on Fox.
Bryce Underwood cleared both of the bars his 2025 Big Ten season set for him in Michigan's 20-19 loss to Iowa: 9.9 yards an attempt (17 of 28 for 276) against 7.5, and a 48.3 percent success rate (14 of 29 dropbacks) against 44.1. By yards per attempt and by CollegeFootballData's expected points per dropback (+0.56), it was the best of his 13 college games against Power 4 defenses, against an Iowa defense that had allowed 4.4 yards an attempt in its first three games. It does not settle whether he has improved, because his 2025 Big Ten line was an average of two kinds of game: he cleared both marks in five of nine (Wisconsin, USC, Washington, Northwestern, Maryland) and missed both in the other four (Nebraska, Michigan State, Purdue, Ohio State), with none in between. By success rate Iowa ranks above only the USC game among those five. His two Power 4 games this season are one of each: Oklahoma at 6.5 and 31.6 percent, Iowa at 9.9 and 48.3. Pooled, that is 41.7 percent on 48 dropbacks and 8.6 yards an attempt on 45. The yards came from the deep ball: three of six deep-tagged throws were caught for 101 yards after one of 11 in the first three games, and on his 26 attempts other than the 49- and 32-yard throws to JJ Buchanan he averaged 7.5. All four of Andrew Marsh's incompletions were broken up, three by Jaylen Watson in the first half. Underwood was sacked once in 29 dropbacks. His second-half success rate fell again, 5 of 12 after 9 of 17 before halftime. Four straight Big Ten games above both marks, starting with Iowa, would be a streak he never had in 2025.
Iowa beat Michigan 20-19 at Michigan Stadium on Hank Brown's 16-yard touchdown pass to Reece Vander Zee as time expired, the end of an 11-play, 91-yard drive that began with 1:46 left. Michigan outgained Iowa 429-285 against a defense that had allowed 176.7 yards a game, and Bryce Underwood threw for a career-high 276 yards. Michigan reached Iowa's 20 four times and scored 10 points: a touchdown, a 22-yard field goal after first-and-goal at the 5, a stopped fourth-and-1 sneak and an interception at the Iowa 2. Iowa reached Michigan's 20 twice and scored touchdowns both times, and Braeden Jackson returned a kickoff 99 yards 14 seconds after Michigan's first touchdown. After Michigan took a 19-14 lead with 11:59 left, its two possessions produced one first down. Zeke Berry's unnecessary roughness penalty turned what would have been an Iowa fourth-and-12 into a first down with 26 seconds left. Michigan committed eight penalties for 75 yards, forced no turnovers, and has forced three in four games. Andrew Sprague missed a second straight game and Blake Frazier left in the third quarter and returned.
No. 18 Michigan hosts No. 17 Iowa at Michigan Stadium at 3:30 p.m. Eastern on CBS, the first Big Ten game of the season for both teams, each 3-0. At DraftKings at 8:11 a.m. Eastern, Michigan is a 5.5-point favorite with a total of 38.5, down from an open of 39.5 and the lowest total on any of Michigan's four games. Iowa has allowed 13 points in three games and 2.2 yards a carry. Michigan has allowed 39 points and 2.7 a carry. Neither has allowed a rushing touchdown. Iowa has one turnover and four takeaways; Michigan has five turnovers, four of them lost fumbles, and both UTEP touchdowns came off Michigan fumbles. Cornerback Zeke Berry, who missed UTEP, and right tackle Andrew Sprague are Questionable on the Initial, Update 1 and Update 2 filings. Jordan Marshall is not listed. Prediction: Michigan 20, Iowa 13.
Michigan is 3-0 and 18th in the AP poll with 432 points, sixth of the seven Big Ten teams in the Top 25. Oklahoma, the 11th-ranked team Michigan beat on September 12, beat New Mexico 14-6 on Saturday and dropped out of the AP poll; it is 24th in the coaches poll. Michigan's nine Big Ten games include five of the six other ranked conference teams, everyone but USC, and those five hold 4,657 AP points, the most on any ranked Big Ten team's schedule. Penn State's two ranked conference opponents hold 1,339 and Iowa's hold 1,847. Of the five unbeaten Big Ten teams in the AP poll, Michigan is the only one ranked lower than in the preseason ballot. Indiana and Penn State have not played a team from the ACC, Big Ten, Big 12 or SEC. The 12-team playoff takes the champions of those four conferences, the highest-ranked champion from six other conferences, and the next seven highest-ranked teams. The committee publishes six rankings, the first on November 3 and the last on Selection Day, December 6. The Big Ten championship game is December 5 in Indianapolis between the top two teams in the conference standings. Michigan hosts Iowa on Saturday at 3:30 p.m. Eastern on CBS.
Michigan beat UTEP 52-17, and the drive chart says the offense was never actually stalled. UTEP's defense forced one punt, on fourth-and-2 from Michigan's own 33 with 4:52 left in the first quarter, and never forced another. Of the ten possessions Michigan was trying to score on, seven produced points, and the three that did not were that punt and two Michigan fumbles. The six touchdown drives covered 68, 75, 52, 46, 62 and 51 yards, an average of 59, and three of Michigan's 11 possessions began in UTEP territory. On the other side, UTEP had five straight possessions from 1:31 of the second quarter to the end of the third: 14 plays from scrimmage for minus 5 yards, four three-and-out punts and a pick-six. Five first downs in that span gained 1 yard and five second downs lost 15, which left UTEP needing 6, 11, 11, 20 and 21 yards on its five third downs. Michigan's 13 third downs averaged 4.3 yards to go and UTEP's 12 averaged 10.2. Michigan's three opponents have now had 11 possessions each, 33 in all, and have scored three touchdowns.
Michigan beat UTEP 52-17 at Michigan Stadium in front of 110,668 people to finish nonconference play 3-0. The Wolverines trailed 7-0 and then 14-7 and did not lead until Trey Butkowski's 49-yard field goal with five seconds left in the first half. After UTEP's second touchdown, Michigan outgained the Miners 308-28 and outscored them 45-3, per Michigan's own postgame notes. Michigan scored 28 points in the third quarter after scoring none in the third quarter of its first two games. Bryce Underwood carried six times after carrying 18 against Oklahoma, and completed 19 of 25 passes for 223 yards and two touchdowns. Michigan punted once, made 27 first downs and converted 9 of 13 third downs. Both UTEP touchdowns came directly off Michigan fumbles. Jordan Marshall left in the third quarter, and Andrew Sprague and Zeke Berry did not play at all.
No. 19 Michigan hosts UTEP at Michigan Stadium at 3:30 p.m. Eastern on Big Ten Network, the first meeting between the two programs. Michigan is 2-0 after beating Western Michigan 13-12 and No. 11 Oklahoma 17-10, and has scored 30 points in two games on 539 total yards. Against Oklahoma it held the ball for 33:17, turned it over zero times and ran 41 times for 152 yards, with quarterback Bryce Underwood leading the team with 18 carries. Penalties went the other way: 9 for 80 yards in the opener, 11 for 90 against Oklahoma. UTEP is 1-1 under third-year head coach Scotty Walden, shut out 51-0 at Oklahoma and a 51-10 winner over FCS Texas Southern. At DraftKings, read at 8:14 a.m. Eastern, Michigan is a 34.5-point favorite with a total of 48.5, both numbers down from an open of 36.5 and 49.5. Rain is forecast through the game.
Michigan returned to the AP Top 25 at 19th with 382 points, having gone 2-0 with a win over then-11th Oklahoma. It was 16th with 718 points in the preseason ballot, so the same voters now give it 53% of the support it carried in August. Oklahoma dropped 13 places to 24th, which lowers the value of the only ranked win Michigan owns. The schedule ahead moved further than Michigan did: Ohio State lost 24-23 at Texas and fell from 1st to 6th, Oregon lost 39-31 at Oklahoma State and fell from 6th to 21st, and Minnesota lost 38-13 at home to Mississippi State. The five ranked teams left on Michigan's schedule were worth 5,524 AP points last week and are worth 4,280 now, a loss of 1,244 points in a week Michigan played none of them. Ohio State sits 6th at 1-1, ahead of 16 teams ranked below it that have not lost. There is no College Football Playoff ranking until November. Michigan hosts UTEP on Saturday at 3:30 p.m. Eastern on Big Ten Network, with Evan Link and Carter Meadows both expected back and Andrew Babalola out.
Michigan beat Oklahoma 17-10 with a defense that stopped nine of Oklahoma's 11 possessions cold. The two it did not stop were the two on which Michigan committed a 15-yard personal foul, and those three flags supplied 45 of the 173 yards Oklahoma gained on them. Each foul converted a specific down: a face mask tacked onto a completion that had already made a first down, a personal foul that moved Oklahoma off its own 2, and a face mask that erased a nine-yard sack on third down. The second finding inverts the reading of Michigan's conservative second half. Michigan's first-half third downs needed 10.2 yards on average and it converted three of six. Its second-half third downs needed 3.9 yards on average and it converted one of seven, with six of the seven needing 5 yards or fewer. Michigan also took 56 of its 58 scrimmage snaps out of shotgun by ESPN's play-by-play tagging, and the two snaps carrying no shotgun tag were the fourth-and-1 it converted at its own 33 and Jordan Marshall's 1-yard touchdown.
Michigan beat Oklahoma 17-10 at Michigan Stadium in front of 111,240 people to go 2-0, a week after falling out of the AP Top 25. Oklahoma outgained Michigan 289 yards to 263 and made 17 first downs to 14, and lost because it turned the ball over twice and Michigan did not turn it over at all. The game was tied 10-10 with 11:49 left when Jyaire Hill intercepted John Mateer and returned it 24 yards to the Oklahoma 6; Jordan Marshall scored from a yard out two plays later. Michigan drew 11 penalties for 90 yards after drawing nine for 80 in the opener, and gave away 30 of the 83 yards on the Oklahoma drive that tied the game. Bryce Underwood completed nine of 17 passes for 111 yards, two of four for 15 in the second half, and gained 96 yards on 16 carries that were not sacks. Kyle Whittingham said afterward that Michigan cannot rely on running the ball. Oklahoma linebacker Kip Lewis hurt his right knee in the first half and did not return.
Michigan hosts No. 11 Oklahoma at noon Eastern on Fox, in the first meeting the two programs have ever played in Ann Arbor. Michigan is 1-0 after beating Western Michigan 13-12 on a 47-yard throw on the final play. Four players called the team soft in public afterward, at a meeting the defensive tackle Trey Pierce called himself on the Sunday morning after the game. Three of those four play defense, and the defense is the half that allowed no touchdowns while it was on the field for 40:08. The offense held the ball for 19:52, gained 276 yards, lost three turnovers, drew nine penalties for 80 yards and scored no points between its opening drive and the final play. Oklahoma beat UTEP 51-0 with 12.2 yards per pass attempt and 10 tackles for loss, and its quarterback John Mateer beat Michigan in Norman last September. At DraftKings, read through ESPN's odds feed at 8:14 a.m. Eastern Saturday, Oklahoma is a 5.5-point favorite at -108 with a total of 43.5. The same book opened Michigan as a 2.5-point favorite. Kyle Whittingham said Monday that Bryce Underwood is Michigan's quarterback right now and that the job is not set in concrete.
Michigan opened the season with a one-point win and left the AP Top 25, the only team in the country to drop out of the poll released on Tuesday afternoon. The Associated Press recorded it as the first time since at least 2008 that a team ranked that high was dropped after winning, and recorded Louisville, which lost and held its place at 24th, as the lowest-ranked team since at least 2008 to survive a loss. Virginia took the vacated place at 25th. Every other team from the preseason 25 is still there, including Louisville, the one preseason-ranked team that actually lost. In the coaches' poll Michigan survived at 24th, down from 16th, having shed 555 of its 719 points. The schedule ahead is the thing that decides the season rather than the ballot: six of Michigan's 11 remaining opponents are in the current AP poll, and three of them are in its top six, a distinction only four other teams in the country share. Oklahoma, 11th, is at Michigan Stadium on Saturday at noon Eastern on Fox. No College Football Playoff ranking exists yet and will not until November.
Michigan beat Western Michigan 13-12 and the possession number that defined the night has a narrow cause. Across 18 third downs the Broncos converted eight. On the 13 that needed four yards or more, Michigan allowed four. On the five that needed three or fewer, Western Michigan ran the ball every time and converted four, twice on quarterback keepers up the middle out of shotgun on third-and-1. Michigan's own offense was the more efficient one, 276 yards on 48 snaps against 221 on 67, and it lined up under center exactly four times all night, consecutively, from first-and-goal at the 5 through the fourth-and-goal touchdown that opened the scoring. It never went back, and it won the game on the last snap of the night. The three-turnover total the box score carries includes a muffed punt that no offensive drive chart records.
Michigan beat Western Michigan 13-12 at Michigan Stadium on a play that exists because a replay review put one second back on the clock, a decision the Big Ten defended in a statement and NBC's rules analyst questioned on air. The Broncos ran 67 plays from scrimmage, held the ball for 40:08, converted 8 of 18 third downs and scored on four Dieter Kelly field goals without once reaching the end zone. Michigan's offense produced two touchdown drives, its first and its last, and six punts, an interception and a lost fumble in between. Dom Nichols and Troy Bowles set career highs in their first career starts. JJ Buchanan caught six passes for 126 of Michigan's 170 passing yards.
Michigan opens the season at home against a Western Michigan team that finished 2025 at 10-4, beat Miami (OH) 23-13 at Ford Field for the MAC title and won the Myrtle Beach Bowl by 35. Across 14 games the Broncos allowed 17.4 points a game. Michigan finished 9-4 and allowed 20.4 across 13. The market still says 27.5. Andrew Babalola, the sixth lineman in the package Jason Beck brought from Utah, is out. Whittingham ruled him out Monday and said he is still on the shelf.
The last open job in Michigan's offense went to Channing Goodwin, a junior who started six games at receiver last season and caught 12 passes for 148 yards. The candidates August preferred were Jaime Ffrench, Salesi Moa and Travis Johnson, and Michigan's own game notes say what they have done: Ffrench caught one pass for six yards at Texas, and neither freshman has caught a college pass at all. Michigan also lost about half of its receivers' 2025 receptions, which is why the third spot is worth an argument. The offense's own starting alignment lists two receiver positions and a flex, so the job Whittingham just filled is a rotation job rather than a line in a starting lineup.
Whittingham told reporters Friday that Michigan came out of fall camp with one long-term injury, freshman interior lineman Ace Hamilton. That is accurate and it is a claim about a 4-week window. Michigan will open against Western Michigan on September 5 with two players lost for the season, because junior running back Micah Ka'apana went down in the spring and was ruled out on April 9. The spring is the half of the year Whittingham ran deliberately violent, and he said so on Big Ten Network on April 16, including the sentence where he priced it: there is an element of risk. He also said the fall would be scaled back, which is exactly what he did at Utah in August 2025, when his first-team offense took thud work in the first scrimmage and the second team took every live rep.
Michigan announced 4 captains and a 12-man leadership council on Monday night, and its February release had already announced 4 spring captains and an 11-man spring council with a note that the real vote would come in fall camp. The captains are identical. The council moved by 5 names: linebacker Troy Bowles, receiver JJ Buchanan and defensive end John Henry Daley came on, safety Mason Curtis and tight end Zack Marshall came off. With 18 days to Western Michigan, the tight ends went from 1 name to 0 of 8, the linebackers went from 0 to 1 of 14, and the 10 specialists have now been passed over twice.
Harding named finding a Rhino as one of his three spring goals in early March, before the first spring practice. Since then: Mike Lynch said early enrollee Marky Walbridge took a lot of reps at tackle and at the rhino position, and that is the whole record. Three camp availabilities and four write-ups have gone by without a coach naming anyone at it. Meanwhile the three Michigan players who have actually lined up as a sixth man are all chasing starting jobs instead.
The Rhino is a sixth offensive lineman, named for a Syracuse player, and it is older than the staff that brought it to Ann Arbor. Beck says Utah ran it 400 to 500 snaps last season. Utah ran 962 offensive plays in 2025, so his range is 42% to 52% of everything they did, and an independent charting of one game puts it at nearly half.