Michigan heads into Saturday night’s matchup with Michigan State carrying a few injury questions, but the biggest names on the report are trending toward a return.
The Wolverines, 5-3, will host the Spartans, 2-6, at Michigan Stadium in a game that puts two programs navigating rough seasons under new head coaches against each other. Michigan State has dropped six straight and is still searching for its first win over a Power Four opponent this year, including a three-point loss to Pat Fitzgerald’s former team, Northwestern.
Michigan’s own season has had its share of turbulence, but the quarterback spot has at least settled into a clearer picture. Tommy Carr is set for his third career start, and after a modest first outing as the starter, he looked much sharper against Rutgers last week. He threw for 266 yards and a touchdown and also added 54 rushing yards with two scores on the ground.
The injury report is where the attention turns now. Defensive linemen John Henry Daley and Dom Nichols are both listed as questionable after sitting out last week’s game in Piscataway. Their status matters, but head coach Kyle Whittingham sounded upbeat about the possibility of getting them back.
“But good news is they played well in the absence of those guys, and those guys should be back this week, John Henry, Dom and Rod,” Whittingham said on Inside Michigan Football.
Rod Moore is also on the availability list, along with Kendrick Bell, Braydon Alford, Micah Ka’apana, Julius Holly, Ace Hamilton, Andrew Sprague, Jordan Young, Brady Norton and Hogan Hansen.
On the other side, Michigan State’s list includes Cam Edwards, Cam Fancher, Tre Bell, Jaziun Patterson, Charles Brantley, Jordan Hall, Marvis Parrish, Brayden Thomas, Jay Coyne, Ben Roberts, Tristan Comer, Joe Caudill, Devin Vaught, Alessio Milivojevic, Charles Taplin, Keshawn Williams and Tyran Chappell.
Saturday’s game is set for 7:30 p.m. ET in Ann Arbor and will air on Peacock and NBC Sports Network, with Paul Burmeister and Yogi Roth on the call.
In Other News...
Michigan Coach Just Made Bryce Underwood's Situation Even More Concerning
Tommy Carr is set to make his third start at quarterback for Michigan after Bryce Underwood was benched following a recent game in which turnovers helped force the change. Underwood had entered the season with plenty of expectations and even wore a captains label, but the results have been uneven, with passing accuracy and interceptions becoming recurring issues as the Wolverines try to steady the position.
From the sideline, Underwood has handled the demotion professionally and continued supporting Carr, which has not gone unnoticed inside the program. Quarterbacks coach Koy Detmer praised Underwoods leadership and the way he has responded, while also saying he wishes he had done more to prepare him for the season, a comment that only adds to the sense that Michigans quarterback situation is still searching for firmer footing. [Read more 🡒]
Michigan's O-Line Problem Is Becoming A Real Concern For Bryce Underwood
Michigans offensive line has become one of the clearest pressure points in a season already defined by shuffling and attrition up front. Only junior Jake Guarnera has started all eight games, and the constant turnover has left the unit searching for any kind of rhythm. For a team that wants to lean on the ground game and make life easier on its offense as a whole, the lack of continuity has shown up in a hurry.
The results have been hard to ignore, with Michigan sitting 97th in rushing offense and still trying to find a combination that can hold up week after week. Coach Kyle Whittingham and offensive line coach Jim Harding have both acknowledged the challenge, and the focus now is on making the group more physical and more efficient. Until that happens, the questions around protection and run-game consistency are going to keep hanging over Bryce Underwood and the offense. [Read more 🡒]
Michigan State Game Puts Michigans Biggest Offensive Frustration On Display
Michigans offensive frustration has been impossible to ignore this fall, and the buildup to the Michigan State game has only sharpened the focus on it. Quarterbacks coach Koy Detmer Jr. said the Wolverines want to lean on the run game in the rivalry matchup, a sensible place to start for a team that has not produced a 100-yard rusher and has averaged just 3.5 yards per carry in Big Ten play.
The timing matters, too, because both teams are dealing with injuries and the matchup figures to be a physical one. For Michigan, that means the ground game is not just a preference but a pressure point, especially in a rivalry where control at the line of scrimmage can decide everything long before the final whistle. [Read more 🡒]