Michigan’s 17-10 win over Oklahoma did more than shake up Saturday in the Big House. It gave the Wolverines a recruiting stage, and by the end of the day, it looked like they made the most of it.
One of the biggest names in the building was 2027 five-star wide receiver Dakota Guerrant, a metro Detroit product from Harper Woods High School who is currently committed to Oregon. Michigan’s performance, paired with the setting and the result, clearly left a mark. A source told Rivals’ Steve Wiltfong, “It couldn’t have gone better,” and that same weekend took an even sharper turn for Michigan’s benefit when Oregon lost to Oklahoma State as a huge favorite just a couple hours after the Wolverines’ win.
Michigan’s momentum with visitors didn’t stop there. Wiltfong came away feeling good about 2028 four-star cornerback Nasir Richardson, the No. 12 player in the 2028 class from Malcolm X Shabazz High School in Newark, NJ, and also logged a prediction for Michigan to land 2028 three-star safety Mekhi McNair, the No. 337 player in the 2028 class from Winslow Township High School in Sicklerville, NJ.
Another recruit who got a close look at the Wolverines was 2028 four-star edge rusher Asa Burch, the No. 132 overall player in his class from Warren, Ohio. Burch came away impressed with what he saw on the field and around the program.
“The environment was absolutely fantastic,” Burch told Rivals’ Witlfong ($). “I loved how hard they played on defense, and how coach Whitt never took the foot off the gas.”
He also pointed to the way Michigan handled the noise around the program and stayed locked in.
“Their ability to block out the outside noise and come together,” Burch told On3’s Ethan McDowell ($). “It was a great game.”
Burch wasn’t there alone. His father, Alfie Burch, who is a Michigan graduate, was also on the trip, and he liked what he saw from the way the staff and players handled the visit.
“Visit was very good,” Alfie said. “Ace had a great time. Got the four-star treatment, had conversations with the 2027 commits on the d-line.edge position, kept them all together building a great family atmosphere.”
The crowd and the energy inside the stadium stood out to him, too.
“First of all, the atmosphere for the fans has grown,” Alfie said. “Sounds like a true football environment in there, got increasingly louder every quarter.
Secondly, the team camaraderie. They look like they wanted to play for each other and a higher purpose.
You saw that today. I saw the kids and the coaches drink some of that Michigan believe juice .”
Michigan also worked on a flip candidate from the 2028 class in four-star wide receiver Armani Strong, who is committed to Florida but was in Ann Arbor for the Oklahoma game. Strong, who attends Chaminade-Madonna Prep in Miami and is the No. 215 player in the class, said the scene inside the Big House was unforgettable.
“It was crazy,” Strong told The Michigan Insider ($). “It was pretty loud.
A hundred thousand people were there today. It was crazy.”
Kyle Whittingham met with Strong during the visit and made sure he knew where Michigan stands with him.
“He was like, ‘You’re a top priority for our school, so had to come and get you up here and watch Michigan football,’” Strong said. “He’s a chill guy.
I like him. He’s really chill, laid-back, and he’s somebody that you could talk to.”
Strong also said current Michigan commits helped make the visit feel comfortable, especially 2027 four-star cornerback Blake Jenkins.
“It was nice talking to them,” Strong said. “Blake that’s committed in the ‘27 class, he got with me earlier and was showing me around, telling me how it’s like. It was nice hearing that and pretty good listening.”
Even with his Florida pledge still in place, Michigan has clearly moved into the conversation.
“I feel like on my top colleges, they’ve come up,” he admitted. “They’re really up there. So, them, pretty far up there.”
Strong is set to return to Ann Arbor on Oct. 24 for the Indiana game.
In Other News...
Michigan Just Made An Early Move That Should Excite Basketball Fans
While the football team was entertaining Oklahoma, Michigan basketball used the same weekend to work its own recruiting circuit, bringing in several top prospects for campus visits. Among the headliners were 2028 five-star forwards Dylan Betts and Brady Pettigrew, a sign that the staff is already thinking far ahead as it tries to build relationships with the next wave of elite talent.
The visits also included time with head coach Mike Boynton and former players, giving the recruits a fuller look at what Michigan can offer beyond the practice gym. Pettigrew has sparked some buzz because of the possibility that he could move up a class, but that remains unconfirmed for now, leaving the bigger question open: how much traction did Michigan gain with two of the most coveted names on its early board? [Read more 🡒]
Michigan Shouldn't Overlook The UTEP Threats That Could Test This Opener
Michigan opens the season as a heavy favorite, but the spread alone will not make UTEP disappear. The Miners bring a few players who give this matchup some real shape, starting with quarterback EJ Colson Jr., who gives their offense a dual-threat element, and Kam Thomas, a versatile piece who can move around and create problems in different spots. Add running back Tavorus Jones to the mix and UTEP at least has enough skill talent to make the Wolverines stay alert early.
Defensively, the Miners also have a few names that could make the first game of the year feel less like a tune-up than Michigan would prefer. Linebacker Jayden Wilson has been one of the more active pieces on that side, while cornerback Justin Content brings the kind of coverage ability that can challenge timing throws. Michigan should still expect to control the game, but if UTEP is going to make it interesting at all, it will probably come through a handful of those individual matchups rather than a broad team upset push. [Read more 🡒]
Michigan Just Turned Its Oklahoma Upset Into A Recruiting Statement
Michigans win over No. 11 Oklahoma did more than push the Wolverines back into the AP Top 25 at No. 19. It also gave the program a showcase moment in front of a packed recruiting audience, with multiple high-end prospects in the building to see the atmosphere, the performance and the kind of stage Michigan can still command when it lands a marquee nonconference win.
Kamden Lopati, Antijuan Wilkes Jr., Armani Strong and Dakota Guerrant were among the recruits who took in the game, and their presence only sharpened the stakes around a result that carried meaning beyond the standings. Kyle Whittingham pointed to the boost the win gave Michigan on the trail, and for a program trying to turn big-game momentum into future classes, this one had the feel of a night that could linger with visitors long after the final whistle. [Read more 🡒]