Michigan Heads To Minnesota With One Big Concern Up Front

Midweek injury updates reveal several key Michigan Wolverines impacted, casting uncertainty over their first road game against Minnesota.

Michigan’s trip to Minnesota comes with a fresh injury watch attached to it.

The Wolverines head on the road for the first time this season Saturday afternoon, with kickoff set for noon on FOX, and the first Big Ten injury report released Wednesday evening shows several key names still in flux - especially up front. Michigan was already short-handed along the offensive line against Iowa, and that situation may not be fully sorted out yet.

The players listed out are WR Braydon Alford, RB Micah Ka’apana, RB Jonathan Brown, DE Julius Holly, OL Ace Hamilton and OL Andrew Babalola.

A larger group landed in the questionable category: WR Andrew Marsh, edge rusher Dom Nichols, OL Andrew Sprague, OL Houston Ka’aha’aina-Torres, OL Manuel Beigel and DE John Henry Daley. OL Blake Frazier is listed as probable.

One encouraging note for Michigan: running back Jordan Marshall is not on the report for a second straight week. He left the UTEP game a couple weeks ago and also looked limited last week against Iowa, so his absence from the injury list is a welcome sign with the ground game likely to matter against Minnesota.

Beigel’s status is another positive development after he missed last week. He has been moved up to questionable, which suggests he has a real chance to suit up. If he can’t go, sophomore Avery Gach is the likely option after filling in for him against Iowa.

Frazier being tagged probable also points toward a return after getting banged up last week. Sprague, though, remains in the same uncertain spot as before, listed questionable again. And on defense, both of Michigan’s top edge rushers are still on the report after picking up injuries against Iowa.

Marsh is the newest name on the list, and since he never seemed to leave last week’s game, his status is worth watching closely. If he can’t play, Michigan would likely lean more on JJ Buchanan, Salesi Moa and Travis Johnson.

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