Michigan and Iowa are heading into Saturday’s ranked showdown in Ann Arbor with both sides carrying injury questions.
The Wolverines, ranked No. 18, and the No. 17 Hawkeyes are both undefeated, but neither roster looks clean on the Wednesday night Big Ten injury report. Michigan listed six players as out and four more as questionable, while Iowa had one player out and three questionable.
For Michigan, the unavailable group includes WR Braydon Alford, RB Micah Ka'apana, RB Jonathan Brown, DE Julius Holly, OL Ace Hamilton and OL Andrew Babalola. The questionable list features DE Dom Nichols, CB Zeke Berry, OL Andrew Sprague and WR Logan Forbes.
That gives Michigan a mixed picture. Berry and Sprague being questionable leaves the door open for both to potentially suit up after missing the Week 3 game against UTEP. Running back Jordan Marshall, who left that game with an injury, is not on the report.
The concern for Michigan is the status of Dom Nichols, who appears on the questionable list. Also listed as doubtful is rhino Manuel Beigel.
Iowa’s report is shorter, but the names are important. DB Kyler Gerardy is out, while RB Brevin Doll, RB Kamari Moulton and TE DJ Vonnahme are all questionable.
Moulton and Vonnahme stand out as two of Iowa’s biggest playmakers, so their availability will be a major storyline as the week goes on.
The Big Ten’s new injury report system will keep updating through the week, with releases set for Wednesday, Thursday and Friday nights, plus another update two hours before kickoff.
In Other News...
Ohio State Is At The Center Of Another FOX Debate
FOXs Big Noon Kickoff is heading to Ohio Stadium this weekend to preview Illinois against No. 7 Ohio State, and the choice has already stirred up the familiar conversation around how often the network seems to plant its flag in Columbus. Some fans have pointed to the shows coverage of 11 Ohio State games since the start of the 2024 season as evidence that the Buckeyes keep getting the spotlight, especially when other top games are on the schedule.
That frustration is part of why this weekends assignment drew attention beyond the matchup itself, since the show is passing on the No. 20 Oregon vs. No. 12 USC game. For Michigan fans, it is another reminder of how heavily Ohio State sits at the center of the national broadcast conversation, even when the rest of the Big Ten has plenty of intrigue of its own. [Read more 🡒]
Michigan Has A New No. 44 With Familiar Expectations
Max Bredeson is headed into the NFL, and Michigans old No. 44 leaves behind the kind of standard that tends to outlast the player wearing it. A former fullback and two-time captain, Bredeson built his reputation on physical play and steady leadership, the sort of presence younger teammates notice long before they fully understand what it takes to carry it. For Eli Owens, who now takes over the number, that history matters more than the jersey itself.
Owens and Bredeson overlapped in 2025, giving Michigan a brief but meaningful bridge between the old and new wearers of 44. Owens has already said he wants to model his game after Bredesons, and he has leaned on that example as he settles into the role. The number brings expectations in Ann Arbor, and Owens enters with a clear idea of what it is supposed to represent. [Read more 🡒]
Michigan Edge Depth Suddenly Faces A Bigger Iowa Test
Michigans edge rotation has picked up an early-week wrinkle with Dom Nichols listed as questionable for the upcoming game against Iowa. Nichols has been part of the Wolverines plan up front, and his status matters even more in a matchup where staying disciplined at the point of attack is going to be essential against an Iowa offense that wants to lean on the run.
If Nichols cant go, or is limited, Michigan may have to turn more heavily to freshmen Tariq Boney and Carter Meadows in the pass-rush mix. That would put a bigger spotlight on the staffs ability to tweak the front and keep pressure coming without losing integrity against Iowas ground game, a challenge that can quickly become central to how the defense holds up over four quarters. [Read more 🡒]