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Articles by Nick Durand
Curt Cignetti previews Michigan Football’s QB situation, ‘top-flight’ defense
Michigan regained some of its momentum coming out of the bye week with a win over Penn State. The win was an important one, but the prevailing story coming out of Saturday was Michigan’s transition to freshman quarterback Tommy Carr, which spurred a 21-point second half. In Carr’s first extended action, he wasn’t asked to do much with just seven pass attempts, but he didn’t make mistakes and kept the offense on schedule, something Bryce Underwood hadn’t been able to do consistently.
Michigan football pass defense was a little soft in win vs Penn State
After back-to-back losses, Michigan got back in the win column on Saturday and won its first in-conference game, defeating Penn State, 21-18. It was a great second half for Michigan's offense — which scored 21 points after switching to freshman quarterback Tommy Carr at halftime — but it wasn't quite as great a day for the defense. Despite only allowing 18 points to the Nittany Lions, Michigan surrendered a season-high 267 passing yards.
Michigan Football's updated ESPN's SP+ ranking after win vs Penn State
Michigan came out of its bye week and earned a 21-18 win over Penn State. The Wolverines started sloppy in the first half, but turned to freshman Tommy Carr as its quarterback in the second half and rode the momentum he provided to victory.
Michigan Football’s updated ESPN’s SP+ ranking after win vs Penn State
Michigan Football’s updated ESPN’s SP+ ranking after win vs Penn State Oct 17, 2026; Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA; Michigan Wolverines quarterback Tommy Carr (14) runs the ball in for a touch down in the second half against the Penn State Nittany Lions at Michigan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect Michigan came out of its bye week and earned a 21-18 win over Penn State.
Michigan Football’s updated ESPN’s SP+ ranking after win vs Penn State
Michigan came out of its bye week and earned a 21-18 win over Penn State. The Wolverines started sloppy in the first half, but turned to freshman Tommy Carr as its quarterback in the second half and rode the momentum he provided to victory.
Michigan Football pass defense was ‘a little soft’ in win vs Penn State
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Michigan Football pass defense was ‘a little soft’ in win vs Penn State
After back-to-back losses, Michigan got back in the win column on Saturday and won its first in-conference game, defeating Penn State, 21-18. It was a great second half for Michigan’s offense — which scored 21 points after switching to freshman quarterback Tommy Carr at halftime — but it wasn’t quite as great a day for the defense. Despite only allowing 18 points to the Nittany Lions, Michigan surrendered a season-high 267 passing yards.
Position grades from Michigan football's win vs Penn State
Michigan put a bad first half in the rearview mirror and got the Tommy Carr era started with a 21-18 victory over Penn State for its first win in Big Ten play. Here's a look at how each position group fared in the victory. Quarterback – B- Bryce Underwood picked right back up where he left off before the bye week, coming out with a really bad first half in which he completed 5-of-11 passes for 43 yards and two interceptions.
Position grades from Michigan Football’s win vs Penn State
Michigan Football got back in the win column with a win over Penn State on Saturday. Here’s how each position group fared: Michigan put a bad first half in the rearview mirror and got the Tommy Carr era started with a 21-18 victory over Penn State for its first win in Big Ten play. Here’s a look at how each position group fared in the victory.
Position grades from Michigan Football’s win vs Penn State
Formula 1 NASCAR IndyCar MotoGP Yahoo Racing is powered by Motorsport Network, providing expert reporting, analysis, and insider access across the world’s top racing series. Position grades from Michigan Football’s win vs Penn State Oct 17, 2026; Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA; Michigan Wolverines running back Jordan Marshall (23) celebrates a touchdown in the second half against the Penn State Nittany Lions at Michigan Stadium.
Roundtable: Michigan Football vs Penn State Original
The Michigan Wolverines are back from their bye week and are set to host the Penn State Nittany Lions this Saturday. In this week’s Roundtable, Maize n Brew staff members talk about the bye week, some bold predictions for tomorrow’s game and more! First off, how was your bye week? Did you watch any stress-free college football last week, or did you take the week off? Von: I was able to catch most of the Indiana-Nebraska game, and then some of UCLA-Oregon and Texas-Oklahoma.
Michigan’s OL continuing to build chemistry to kickstart the run game Original
The Michigan offense has been the story of the 2026 season so far for all the wrong reasons. The run game in particular has been underwhelming, with the Wolverines currently averaging a mere 135.0 rushing yards per game, including a season-low 79 yards against Minnesota. Those numbers are certainly below Michigan’s standard, even the last two seasons when the run game was still executing despite the offense as a whole not being all that productive.
Michigan Football injury updates on Andrew Sprague, Andrew Babalola Original
A much-needed bye week for the Michigan football program gave the team a chance to rest and recover ahead of what still looks like a gauntlet of a schedule. During the time off, the Wolverines got the chance to continue working on their game while also working back to full strength, as the team has been hampered a bit by injuries. On Monday, head coach Kyle Whittingham took the podium for his weekly press conference and provided updates on injuries affecting the offensive line.
Michigan returns to the SP+ Top-25 after the bye week Original
Michigan’s stock has dropped throughout the season to this point, but some good things happened for the Wolverines during the bye week to make their resume and quality of play perhaps look a little better. That includes a big win for Oklahoma over No. 1 Texas. Even without playing a game this weekend, Michigan moved up three spots to No. 23 in ESPN and Bill Connelly’s post-Week 6 SP+ rankings, offering maybe a slight bit of encouragement for the weeks to come.
3 offensive adjustments Michigan Football must make ahead of Penn State game Original
If you’ve been a Big Ten football fan for a long time, you know there’s a formula many teams follow year in and year out to succeed: dominant defense and just enough offense to grind out games. Over five games, Michigan has done its job on defense, but the offense has been worse than anyone could’ve expected. After last week’s loss to Minnesota, the Wolverines now sit at 3-2 and are averaging just 23.0 points per game, good for 105th in the country, along with a dismal 315.8 total yards per game.
Maybe Tommy Carr should be Michigan’s QB1, but not against Penn State or Indiana Original
Heading into a bye week and fresh off the worst offensive performance since its 2024 loss to Illinois, Michigan’s offensive players and staff have had a couple of days to let that reality sink in. Once thought to be an offensive unit that could take a big leap coming into the season, taking a leap is exactly what it’s done, just in the wrong direction.
Michigan drops several spots in ESPN’s SP+ rankings after loss to Minnesota Original
Michigan went on the road for the first time in 2026 and wound up laying an egg against Minnesota, losing by a 20-14 final score. With the loss, the Wolverines fell to 3-2 and were sent plummeting in the latest edition of ESPN and Bill Connelly’s SP+ rankings. For those of you who aren’t familiar with SP+, it’s an advanced metric that takes into account a team’s offensive, defensive, and special teams efficiencies.
Position grades from Michigan’s 20-14 loss to Minnesota Original
Michigan went out on the road for the first time in 2026 and easily put together its worst performance of the season, losing to Minnesota, 20-14. That final score doesn’t even begin to tell the story of how badly the Wolverines were dominated.
Michigan to evaluate everything offensively after loss at Minnesota Original
Through the first four weeks of the season, the Michigan offense had been a cause for concern, but there had definitely been signs of improvement, especially from the offensive line and from sophomore quarterback Bryce Underwood. Then Saturday’s game against Minnesota happened, and it’s all back to square one. The Wolverines went on the road for the first time in what’s already been a confusing roller coaster ride of a season.
Michigan Football looking to correct OL penalties ahead of Minnesota game Original
Through four weeks of play, the offensive line has been arguably the most disappointing position group for Michigan. With the addition of well-respected offensive line coach Jim Harding and the return of every starter from last year’s team, there was some optimism that a group that was merely average in 2025 could take a serious step forward in 2026. Instead, the opposite seems to have happened.
P.J. Fleck views Michigan Football’s defense as ‘one of the more dominating’ in the country Original
Michigan must quickly refocus itself after losing its first game of the season last Saturday, a last-second heartbreaker to Iowa. It’ll have to do so with the challenge of going on the road for the first time this season while facing another well-coached team in the Minnesota Golden Gophers.
All of Michigan’s goals are still on the table, but Kyle Whittingham must assert his identity Original
It’s still early in the year, but Michigan hasn’t played the brand of Kyle Whittingham-coached football that was expected during the offseason. Since Week 1, the Wolverines have been the butt of plenty of jokes from pundits and opposing fans alike for the controversial manner in which they defeated Western Michigan and the fact that the game was close to begin with.
Michigan football injury updates on Andrew Babalola, John Henry Daley, more
It wasn't just a bad day as far as the final score goes for Michigan against Iowa, but the Wolverines also came out of the game (and entered the game) with a handful of injuries to some key players. On Monday, head coach Kyle Whittingham provided a couple updates about where these guys are heading into the team's first road game of the year. DE John Henry Daley Edge rusher John Henry Daley was injured on the second-last play of the game, going down with just two seconds left.
Michigan Football injury updates on Andrew Babalola, John Henry Daley, more
It wasn’t just a bad day as far as the final score goes for Michigan against Iowa, but the Wolverines also came out of the game (and entered the game) with a handful of injuries to some key players. On Monday, head coach Kyle Whittingham provided a couple updates about where these guys are heading into the team’s first road game of the year. Edge rusher John Henry Daley was injured on the second-last play of the game, going down with just two seconds left.
Return-to-practice timeline revealed for OL Andrew Babalola
It wasn't just a bad day as far as the final score goes for Michigan against Iowa, but the Wolverines also came out of the game (and entered the game) with a handful of injuries to some key players. On Monday, head coach Kyle Whittingham provided a couple updates about where these guys are heading into the team's first road game of the year. Edge rusher John Henry Daley was injured on the second-last play of the game, going down with just two seconds left.
Michigan falls one spot in ESPN’s SP+ rankings after loss to Iowa Original
Michigan is no longer unbeaten after a last-second loss to Iowa on Saturday. Despite dominating much of the day, Michigan let Iowa hang around, and the Hawkeyes came through when it mattered most for a 20-19 win. Despite the loss, Michigan wasn’t penalized too much in the latest edition of ESPN and Bill Connelly’s SP+ rankings, dropping just one spot to No. 22. For those unfamiliar with SP+, it’s an advanced metric that accounts for a team’s offensive, defensive, and special teams efficiency.
Position grades from Michigan Football’s loss to Iowa Original
Michigan dominated Iowa for four quarters only to lose on the final play of the game by a 20-19 final score, falling to 3-1 overall on the year. Here’s a look at how each position group fared, with the position grades from the loss. Bryce Underwood looked comfortable commanding the offense for a third straight week, even against a strong Iowa defense. It wasn’t quite the run-centric game plan it was against Oklahoma, but Underwood found success on the ground and through the air against Iowa.
Mutual respect and a defensive slugfest define Saturday’s matchup of veteran head coaches
Mutual respect and a defensive slugfest define Saturday’s matchup of veteran head coaches IOWA CITY, IA - SEPTEMBER 12: Iowa Football Coach Kirk Ferentz encourages his players during a time out during a college football game between the Iowa Hawkeyes and the Iowa State Cyclones on September 12, 2026, at Kinnick Stadium in Iowa City, IA.
Michigan Football climbs several spots in ESPN’s SP+ rankings after Week 3 Original
Michigan picked up a big win over UTEP on Saturday despite getting off to a slow start, defeating the Miners, 52-17. As expected with the win, the Wolverines moved up a few spots in ESPN and Bill Connelly’s post-Week 3 SP+ rankings. For those of you who might be new to SP+, it’s an advanced metric that takes into account a team’s offensive, defensive and special teams efficiencies.
Position grades from Michigan Football’s win over UTEP Original
Michigan Football overcame a sloppy first half to get a big win over UTEP. Here are our grades for each position group in the victory: Despite a close first half, Michigan rounded out the non-conference slate with a win over UTEP in Week 3, 52-17.
Michigan Football’s TEs are key in improving the pass game, QB Bryce Underwood Original
For the past several years, one of the components of the Michigan offense that’s been nearly a guarantee is strong play from the tight ends. It wasn’t long ago that Michigan had the best tight end in college football in Colston Loveland, who posted back-to-back seasons with more than 500 receiving yards in 2023 and 2024 and is now starring with the Chicago Bears.
Michigan moves up one spot in ESPN's SP+ rankings after win over Oklahoma
Michigan changed the narrative of its season on Saturday with a win over No. 11-ranked Oklahoma at the Big House. Despite entering the matchup as an underdog, the Wolverines won a rock fight by a 17-10 final score. With the win, Michigan's standing didn't really change that much in the eyes of Bill Connelly's and ESPN's SP+ rankings. For those of you who are unfamiliar with SP+, it's an advanced metric that takes into account a team's offensive, defensive, and special teams efficiencies.
Michigan moves up one spot in ESPN’s SP+ rankings after win over Oklahoma Original
Michigan changed the narrative of its season on Saturday with a win over No. 11-ranked Oklahoma at the Big House. Despite entering the matchup as an underdog, the Wolverines won a rock fight by a 17-10 final score. With the win, Michigan’s standing didn’t really change that much in the eyes of Bill Connelly’s and ESPN’s SP+ rankings. For those of you who are unfamiliar with SP+, it’s an advanced metric that takes into account a team’s offensive, defensive, and special teams efficiencies.
Position grades from Michigan Football’s win vs Oklahoma Original
The Wolverines had some great performances on defense, and some decent to above-average ones on offense. Here are our Michigan Football position grades vs Oklahoma: Michigan proved the doubters wrong on Saturday, taking down No. 11 Oklahoma by a 17-10 final score at The Big House to move to 2-0. It was a much better performance across the board; here are the position grades for the Week 2 victory. All things considered, this was a really nice performance for Bryce Underwood.
Michigan football's edge depth could be key vs 'one of the best' OL in the country
In the aftermath of Michigan's win over Western Michigan in Week 1, one of the stats getting the most attention has been the time-of-possession battle. The Broncos held the ball for roughly 40 minutes of game time, forcing the Wolverines' defense to be on the field for the majority of the game and undoubtedly tiring out their players. Despite the workout, Michigan's defense, especially the defensive line, performed rather well, allowing only 12 points via four field goals.
Michigan Football’s edge depth could be key vs ‘one of the best’ OL in the country
In the aftermath of Michigan’s win over Western Michigan in Week 1, one of the stats getting the most attention has been the time-of-possession battle. The Broncos held the ball for roughly 40 minutes of game time, forcing the Wolverines’ defense to be on the field for the majority of the game and undoubtedly tiring out their players. Despite the workout, Michigan’s defense, especially the defensive line, performed rather well, allowing only 12 points via four field goals.
Michigan Football’s edge depth could be key vs ‘one of the best’ OL in the country
Michigan Football’s edge depth could be key vs ‘one of the best’ OL in the country ANN ARBOR, MICHIGAN - SEPTEMBER 05: Smith Snowden #3 and Nate Marshall #94 of the Michigan Wolverines celebrate after a play during the first half of a college football game against the Western Michigan Broncos at Michigan Stadium on September 05, 2026 in Ann Arbor, Michigan. The Michigan Wolverines won the game 13-12. (Photo by Aaron J.
Oklahoma HC Brent Venables still holding Michigan in ‘high regard’ after ugly Week 1 Original
It wasn’t the Week 1 Michigan was hoping for, with a narrow last-second win over Western Michigan, but the focus must change quickly as the Wolverines prepare for Oklahoma to come to town this weekend. The rematch with the Sooners has been widely anticipated since an underwhelming 24-13 loss in Norman last season, with many thinking the game could end differently for Michigan at home and with an offseason’s worth of development under a new head coach.
Michigan Football plummets in ESPN SP+ after narrow win vs WMU Original
Michigan opened its 2026 football season on Saturday night with a dud, defeating Western Michigan by a 13-12 final score despite being a heavy favorite. After the game, many have changed their outlook for the Wolverines for the rest of the season, and that’s reflected in the latest edition of ESPN and Bill Connelly’s SP+ rankings. For those of you who are unfamiliar with SP+, it’s an advanced metric that takes into account a team’s offensive, defensive, and special teams efficiencies.
QB Bryce Underwood starting job is ‘not something that's infinite' following Week 1 performance
Michigan was lucky to escape its season opener with a victory on Saturday night, as the heavily favored Wolverines needed a last-second Hail Mary to beat Western Michigan by a 13-12 final score. After an impressive opening drive, the offense fell flat and left many fans upset about the group's performance, and particularly that of sophomore quarterback Bryce Underwood.
QB Bryce Underwood starting job is ‘not something that’s infinite’ following Week 1 performance Original
Michigan was lucky to escape its season opener with a victory on Saturday night, as the heavily favored Wolverines needed a last-second Hail Mary to beat Western Michigan by a 13-12 final score. After an impressive opening drive, the offense fell flat and left many fans upset about the group’s performance, and particularly that of sophomore quarterback Bryce Underwood.
Position grades from Michigan's win over Western Michigan
Michigan narrowly pulled off the victory on Saturday night, defeating Western Michigan by a 13-12 final score on a last-second Hail Mary. Across the board, this was a pretty disappointing game despite the victory. Here's a look at each position group on the roster with grades for how each of them performed.
Position grades from Michigan’s win over Western Michigan
Michigan Football snuck out a victory on Saturday night, but it was a poor performance across the board. Here are the position grades from the Week 1 win: Michigan narrowly pulled off the victory on Saturday night, defeating Western Michigan by a 13-12 final score on a last-second Hail Mary. Across the board, this was a pretty disappointing game despite the victory. Here’s a look at each position group on the roster with grades for how each of them performed.
Position grades from Michigan’s win over Western Michigan
Position grades from Michigan’s win over Western Michigan ANN ARBOR, MICHIGAN - SEPTEMBER 05: Bryce Underwood #19 of the Michigan Wolverines looks for running room during a first half run against the Western Michigan Broncos at Michigan Stadium on September 05, 2026 in Ann Arbor, Michigan. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images) | Getty Images Michigan narrowly pulled off the victory on Saturday night, defeating Western Michigan by a 13-12 final score on a last-second Hail Mary.
Final predictions for Michigan Football’s depth chart on defense and special teams Original
The long wait is almost over, as Michigan takes the field in its season opener this Saturday against Western Michigan. It’s been an optimism-filled offseason for the program under new head coach Kyle Whittingham, with an improved defense and special teams expected to be big reasons why the Wolverines take a step forward.
Kyle Whittingham refutes report that he pressured players to play through injuries at Utah Original
Michigan kicks off its 2026 football season this week under new head coach Kyle Whittingham. However, Whittingham has been in the headlines for a different reason lately, with The Salt Lake Tribune reporting last week that a contingent of former Utah players felt pressured by Whittingham to play through injuries. In an appearance on The Dan Patrick Show on Tuesday, Whittingham was asked about the accusation and made his stance clear.
Final predictions for Michigan Football’s depth chart on offense Original
We’ve finally reached game week, with Michigan set to begin its 2026 football season on Saturday night against Western Michigan at The Big House. The offseason has been full of anticipation, and fall camp has generated plenty of optimism, particularly for the offense.
Western Michigan HC Lance Taylor is casting a wide net in preparation for Michigan Original
As is customary when preparing for opponents, you have to look into the past to know what to prepare for. That’s exactly what Western Michigan head football coach Lance Taylor is doing when preparing to play Michigan this weekend at The Big House. “Our mentality is we’re going to attack every blade of grass and every day with an enthusiasm unknown to mankind,” Taylor told local reporters on Monday. Perhaps that’s a little too far into the past.
Michigan Football adds another MAC team to its 2029 schedule Original
The Michigan football program announced on Friday that it has added another future non-conference opponent to the schedule, setting up a matchup against Bowling Green at The Big House on Saturday, Aug. 25, 2029. Interestingly, Michigan doesn’t have any non-conference games scheduled for 2028 yet. However, with this addition, Michigan now has two of its three non-conference matchups locked in for the 2029 season, along with another MAC opponent in Western Michigan.
Shamari Earls' improvement in camp has positioned him for a much bigger workload
Michigan's secondary has been an area without much concern this offseason, with the starters seemingly established. Jyaire Hill, Zeke Berry and Rod Moore all returned to the program, while Smith Snowden and Chris Bracy were both veterans added through the transfer portal.
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