Michigan heads into its rivalry game with Michigan State carrying more questions than certainty, even after knocking off Rutgers 28-21. The Wolverines have shown signs of progress, especially on offense, but consistency is still the thing holding this group back. With the 2-6 Spartans struggling across the board, this is a chance for Michigan to do more than just win - it’s a chance to answer a few lingering questions.
The biggest one starts at quarterback. Tommy Carr turned in his best outing yet against Rutgers, flashing poise, mobility and better decision-making than he had shown before.
Kyle Whittingham was impressed enough afterward to suggest that if Carr keeps playing at that level, he could become one of the nation’s top quarterbacks. Carr has now been named the starter going forward, and the next test comes against a Michigan State defense ranked No. 50 nationally against the pass.
Michigan’s defense has its own opportunity to make a statement. Michigan State has been rough offensively, sitting at No. 122 in rushing offense and No. 117 in passing offense.
That sets up a matchup where Jay Hill’s unit should be expected to control the game. The Wolverines have already shown they can clamp down, including a second half against Rutgers in which the Scarlet Knights didn’t complete a pass.
Now the question is whether Michigan can put together its most complete defensive performance of the season.
There’s also the matter of whether this team can finally separate from an opponent it should handle. Rutgers stayed in the fight despite Michigan’s edge in the matchup, and that has become a frustrating pattern.
Michigan has let lesser teams linger too often, and the Spartans present another chance to clean that up. A convincing win would say a lot.
Another tight one would leave the same old issues hanging around - turnovers, penalties and offensive inconsistency among them.
For Whittingham, this will be his first taste of the Michigan-Michigan State rivalry, and he already knows it comes with a different level of edge. He has experience in Utah-BYU, but this one is its own beast, especially in recent years.
Even with Michigan State scuffling, rivalry games have a way of creating chaos. Whittingham’s challenge is keeping his team disciplined, focused and locked in on the task of beating its in-state rival.
And then there’s the broader offensive question: is Michigan actually turning the corner under Jason Beck? The 28-point showing against Rutgers offered some hope after a stretch of frustration.
Carr’s rise gives Beck another weapon to build around, but the offense still hasn’t consistently looked like a finished product. Against a Michigan State defense ranked No. 86 against the run and No. 50 against the pass, Michigan has another chance to show that last week wasn’t a one-off.
In Other News...
Michigans Kicking Battle Just Got A Surprise Twist
Michigans search for stability on special teams just picked up an unexpected wrinkle. Ryan Jung, the kicking prospect committed to the Wolverines, is planning to reclassify to the 2027 recruiting class and arrive a year early, according to a report from Hayes Fawcett of On3.com. The move gives Michigan another name to plug into a kicking picture that has already been unsettled, with sophomore Trey Butkowski still working through struggles and the staff keeping the competition wide open.
Kerry Coombs appears to have played a real part in the decision, encouraging Jung to come in early and fight for a roster spot instead of waiting another year. For Michigan, that adds a fresh layer to a battle that already mattered, because kicking has a way of turning into a season-long storyline when it is not settled. Jungs timeline may have changed, but the bigger question is whether the early arrival can help the Wolverines find the kind of consistency they have been chasing. [Read more 🡒]
Michigan Knows Exactly What Could Decide The Michigan State Rivalry
The rushing battle has become the clearest place to look in Michigans rivalry meeting with Michigan State, and the Wolverines know it. Players on the team pointed to the ground game as a major separator in a series where the team that wins the rushing battle has taken 49 of the last 57 matchups, a trend that fits the kind of physical, possession-by-possession game this one usually turns into.
Both offenses have had trouble getting much going on the ground this season, which makes short-yardage consistency even more important than usual. Michigans defense has done a strong job of limiting opponents rushing yards, and if that holds up again, it could tilt the game in the Wolverines favor before the bigger rivalry swings even have a chance to take over. [Read more 🡒]
Michigans Opener Forced An Early Frontcourt Test Before UConn
Michigans season opener against Oakland turned into an early frontcourt test when junior center Moustapha Thiam was held out because of illness shortly before tipoff. Coach Mike Boynton Jr. had to adjust on the fly, turning to redshirt sophomore Oscar Goodman in the starting lineup and mixing in smaller looks as the game unfolded.
For a team that expects Thiam to matter in the middle, the timing was less than ideal with Connecticut next on the schedule. The good news for Michigan is that Thiam is expected back for that one, but the opener still offered a reminder that the Wolverines may need a few different answers inside if the rotation gets stretched again. [Read more 🡒]