Michigan is heading into Saturday night’s rivalry game with Michigan State in strong shape on the injury front, and that’s the kind of update the Wolverines wanted before the Paul Bunyan Trophy showdown in Ann Arbor.
The biggest boost comes with Rod Moore, Dom Nichols, and John Henry Daley all expected back in the mix. None of the three are listed on the injury report, and that’s especially notable because Nichols and Daley both sat out last week at Rutgers. Nichols has missed the last couple of weeks, while Moore also didn’t play against the Scarlet Knights after being limited since the injury he suffered against Penn State.
Up front, Michigan appears to be in good order as well. Blake Frazier, Jake Guarnerea, and Brady Norton are not on the report, which means the Wolverines should have their full group of offensive linemen available.
There had been talk that Michigan might be missing another starting lineman this weekend, but nothing on the report points to that being the case right now. Even so, Avery Gach has been making noise, and a change in the lineup would not be a surprise against the Spartans.
There is one offensive question worth watching: tight end Hogan Hansen is listed as a game-time decision. That at least suggests he has a real chance to play.
Michigan leaned more on Mason Bonner last week, giving the tall true freshman his biggest workload of the season against Rutgers. If Hansen can’t go, Bonner figures to see even more of the field.
Michigan State has a notable update of its own. Quarterback Alessio Milivojevic is not listed on the report, which points to him being back in the lineup for the Spartans.
In Other News...
Michigan State Just Found A Way To Add Juice To Rivalry Week
Rivalry week usually brings its own kind of electricity, but this years Michigan State-Michigan matchup has been carrying a different tone. Both programs have been fighting through rough stretches, and Michigan State enters the 2026 meeting on a six-game losing streak with several key players unavailable, while Michigan is favored at home. The buildup has been quieter than usual, with the usual edge muted and the trash talk mostly absent.
Kyle Whittinghams recent comment downplaying the rivalrys significance only added to the odd feel around it, especially for a series that normally sells itself. Even so, games like this have a way of finding their own juice once the week gets moving, and Michigan State still has a chance to turn a subdued lead-up into something more compelling when the teams finally line up. [Read more 🡒]
Michigan State Just Got A Harsh Reminder Of What Elite Hockey Takes
Michigan State got a blunt lesson Friday night at Ron Mason Rink, where it controlled some of the numbers but not the game in a 6-2 loss to Boston University. The Spartans outshot the Terriers and won the face-off battle, yet still found themselves chasing the scoreboard as BU made its chances count, including on the power play.
Adam Nightingales team has reason to believe the process can look better than the result, but this was also a reminder that elite hockey punishes mistakes quickly and leaves little margin for missed opportunities. For Michigan State, the frustration is not just the defeat itself, but how much work remains before those territorial advantages start turning into the kind of wins that matter. [Read more 🡒]
Michigan Legend Just Added Fuel To Michigan State's Final Four Buzz
The Final Four chatter around Michigan State picked up another notch this week when Jalen Rose, a University of Michigan basketball legend, went on TNT and put the Spartans among his picks to make it to the sports biggest stage. Rose singled out the way Tom Izzo has his team playing and pointed to Jeremy Fears as part of the reason Michigan State has started to look more like a contender after the preseason uncertainty that surrounded the program.
It also adds another layer to the pressure already hanging over Izzo, with the Final Four set for Detroit and the Spartans trying to turn a strong start into something bigger. Rose filled out the rest of his bracket with Illinois, Florida and Duke, but for Michigan State fans, the notable part is simple enough: a Michigan icon just gave their team a public vote of confidence at exactly the right time. [Read more 🡒]