Michigan’s first half under Kyle Whittingham has been a study in contradiction.
The Wolverines are 4-2 at the midpoint of the 2026 season, and both losses came by a single score. That record leaves plenty of room for what-ifs, but it also doesn’t hide the fact that Michigan has spent much of the season looking far less polished than the standings suggest.
ESPN’s Adam Rittenberg gave Whittingham a middling review in his look at first-year Power Four coaches, and the assessment tracks with what has played out on the field: steady leadership from the new head coach, but uneven results around him. Michigan needed stability after a chaotic finish to 2025, and Whittingham has brought that. The week-to-week play, though, has been much harder to pin down.
That inconsistency showed up right away. Michigan opened with a controversial win over Western Michigan that came down to a Hail Mary ending, then beat Oklahoma in a one-score game even though the Sooners have not been quite as strong as expected.
Later came the two losses - Iowa and Minnesota - that could easily have gone the other way, with the Minnesota game swinging on turnovers that handed the Gophers short fields. The offense has been the biggest issue, as it has yet to settle into a true rhythm, even if it showed signs of life in the second half against Penn State last week.
The latest attempt to jolt that unit came with a quarterback change. Michigan has moved from Underwood to Carr, and the hope is that the switch can unlock an offense that at least figures to run the ball well enough to support a defense that has been a major strength.
Rittenberg’s view reflects that balance. The defense has been the clear bright spot, while the offense may finally be trending in the right direction with Tommy Carr now leading it.
Whittingham, meanwhile, has a familiar formula in his past: defense-first teams that can live with mixed or even poor offensive output. The question now is whether this group can play cleaner and more connected football when the schedule tightens.
And it tightens fast.
Michigan’s last six games include four ranked opponents, with three top 10 teams on the slate: No. 3 Ohio State, No.
6 Indiana and No. 9 UCLA, plus Oregon.
That stretch will tell the real story of this team.
The next test comes at home against defending national champion Indiana, which is coming off a self-inflicted loss against Ohio State in Bloomington. Kickoff is set for 12:10 p.m. EDT at The Big House, and Fox will carry the game.
In Other News...
Bryce Underwood Just Put Michigans Quarterback Future On Edge
Bryce Underwoods status has suddenly become one of the biggest talking points around Michigan, after the Wolverines made the move to bench him in favor of Tommy Carr for the upcoming game. Underwood arrived with enormous expectations and an NIL package reportedly worth more than $10 million, so any shift in his role carries immediate weight for the programs short- and long-term plans.
Underwood has not been confirmed as a portal entrant, but the possibility is enough to send the speculation machine into overdrive given how heavily Michigan invested in him. If he does decide to move on, familiar recruiting ties and roster needs would make places like LSU, Miami, Texas Tech, Georgia, and Kentucky worth watching closely, which is exactly why this situation feels so sensitive for a Wolverines team trying to protect its quarterback future. [Read more 🡒]
Michigans Offense Just Took A Turn Fans Need To Watch
Michigans offense got a fresh jolt on Sunday when the coaching staff settled on Tommy Carr as the starting quarterback, a move confirmed by sources and noticed by other coaches around the program. It gives the Wolverines a clearer direction under center at a time when every bit of stability matters, and it comes alongside a few other roster developments that could shape how the offense looks moving forward.
Jeremiah Earby, the former Boise State cornerback, is now officially on the Michigan roster and eligible to play right away, adding another experienced piece to the secondary. The future also got a little brighter when three-star receiver Yuto Kawamura-Johnson flipped his commitment from Toledo to Michigan for the 2027 class, a reminder that the staff is still working to build depth even as the focus shifts to the present. [Read more 🡒]
Michigan Fans Just Got A Tough New Bryce Underwood Reality
The quarterback conversation around Michigan has taken another turn, and it comes with a familiar name weighing in. Urban Meyer said on Outkick that Tommy Carr has positioned himself to be the starting quarterback over Bryce Underwood, pointing to Carrs performance and the way his game fits a similar offensive style. It is the kind of evaluation that keeps the focus on fit as much as talent, especially with a player like Underwood already drawing attention.
Meyer also made it clear this is not a knock on Underwoods ability. He described the young quarterback as talented and engaged, while noting that his role in the offense still has to be sorted out. Meyer added that he stays in regular contact with Kyle Whittingham, a detail that only adds to the sense that this is a developing situation rather than a settled one. [Read more 🡒]