Michigan found some late-season help in the transfer portal, adding former Miami tight end Alex Bauman and former Boise State cornerback Jeremiah Earby just days before its matchup with Penn State.
Both players recently received temporary restraining orders that granted them an additional season of eligibility, and both have already enrolled at Michigan, according to sources who spoke to CBS Sports' Matt Zenitz. The timing gives the Wolverines two experienced pieces at a moment when they need reinforcements.
Bauman arrives after a productive year at Miami, where he stepped into a starting role and finished with 18 catches for 166 yards and a touchdown as the Hurricanes reached the national championship game. A three-star recruit coming out of high school, he spent his first three college seasons at Tulane before transferring to Miami last year. After the season, he worked out at Miami's Pro Day but did not land an NFL roster spot, which kept the path back to college open.
Earby brings a different kind of resume. He spent two seasons at California before moving to Boise State ahead of the 2024 season, then became an important piece of the Broncos’ defense. Last fall, he posted 60 tackles and four interceptions while earning second-team All-Mountain West honors.
For Michigan, the need is obvious on offense. The Wolverines' passing game sits last in the Big Ten, and that could push the staff toward a heavier reliance on the run in the second half of the season.
If that happens, Bauman could have a chance to work in multiple-tight-end sets. He could also fill a bigger void as a receiver, since Michigan has gotten almost nothing from its tight ends in the passing game.
Hogan Hansen leads the group with just five catches for 35 yards.
Earby may not have as clear a path to a major role, at least not right away. Michigan owns the Big Ten's best pass defense, giving up just 146.8 yards per game, so he may initially slot into the defensive back rotation. Even so, the Wolverines can use every reliable body they can get, and Earby gives them another proven defender to work with.
In Other News...
Former Boise State DB At Center Of Eligibility Fight Fans Should Watch
Former Boise State cornerback Jeremiah Earby is back in the middle of a bigger NCAA eligibility fight that could have ripple effects beyond football. Earby, who entered the transfer portal, was one of two players granted temporary restraining orders by the Washtenaw County Circuit Court in Michigan, a ruling that allowed him and former Miami tight end Alex Bauman to keep their college football eligibility while their cases play out.
For Boise State fans, the story is worth watching because the NCAAs pushback on eligibility lawsuits involving class of 2022 athletes has already produced mixed results in court. That uncertainty has reached other Broncos as well, including basketball player Lamar Washington, who remains ineligible, making Earbys case part of a much broader test of how far players can go to challenge the NCAAs rules. [Read more 🡒]
Boise State's Playoff Push Just Got A Lot More Real
Boise States early-season surge has put the Broncos in a spot they rarely get to enjoy this time of year: being talked about as a real playoff contender, not just a team with an outside shot. At 5-1 and sitting atop the Pac-12 at 2-0, the Broncos have positioned themselves as the Group of Six team everyone else is chasing, and the numbers are starting to reflect that momentum.
DraftKings Sportsbook now has Boise State as the favorite among Group of Six programs to reach the College Football Playoff, and the wider projection world is treating the Broncos like a legitimate part of the conversation. National bowl forecasts are beginning to map out a path that would put Boise State in the playoff field, with the race still leaving plenty to settle before anything becomes official. [Read more 🡒]
Boise States CFP Push Comes With One Growing Problem
Boise State has built a compelling early case in its College Football Playoff chase, with a 5-1 start, a 2-0 mark in conference play and a No. 23 spot in the Associated Press Top 25. The Broncos have leaned on a balanced identity that starts with junior running back Dylan Riley and has been stabilized by quarterback Maddux Madsen, who has protected the ball well while keeping the offense on schedule.
The concern, though, is becoming harder to ignore as the stakes rise. Boise States defense has been vulnerable in pass coverage and has also struggled with tackling, leaving it exposed to explosive plays at a time when every slip can matter in the race for a playoff berth. If the Broncos are going to keep turning this fast start into something bigger, they will have to clean up that side of the ball before it costs them in a game that matters most. [Read more 🡒]