It’s getting harder for Michigan fans not to look back at the first month of the season and see a couple of missed chances sitting right there in plain sight.
After Week 6, the Big Ten still has six teams without a conference win, and Michigan is one of them. That’s the part that has to sting most for the Wolverines, because the path looks so different if just a play or two breaks the other way.
The kickoff return against Iowa. The muffed punt against Minnesota by Andrew Marsh.
Remove those moments, and Michigan is sitting at 5-0 overall, 2-0 in league play, and tied for first in the Big Ten loss column.
Instead, the Wolverines are tied for last.
The loss to Minnesota hurts in particular, and the Iowa game does too. Iowa now has just one loss, which only makes that one-point defeat look more valuable in hindsight.
Michigan’s bye week didn’t change the record, but the rest of the weekend did at least soften the national conversation a little. Oklahoma’s late field goal upset of No.
1 Texas changed the way people view the Sooners after plenty of reaction to Michigan’s win over them. Turns out Oklahoma is still pretty good.
That matters because the Big Ten, as a whole, suddenly looks a lot more open than it did not long ago. Ohio State still looks like Ohio State - the Buckeyes appear to be the class of the league, and maybe the country.
But Indiana showed some vulnerability, or at least some beatability, and Nebraska may be better than expected. Maybe both things are true.
Indiana comes to Ann Arbor in two weeks, and that game now sits right in the middle of Michigan’s margin for error. If the coaches can sort out the offense, Bryce Underwood’s ability to run gives the Wolverines at least a path to make things interesting. Oregon also looks beatable, though that changes if Dante Moore is back.
The bigger picture hasn’t changed much: Michigan likely has to win out to make the College Football Playoff. That still sounds like a tall order. But after Saturday, it doesn’t feel quite as impossible as it did before.
And if the Wolverines do manage to claw their way back to eight or nine wins, those early losses will loom even larger. That’s especially true after seeing Purdue blow out Minnesota. Michigan simply had no business dropping games to Minnesota or Iowa.
In Other News...
Michigans Utah Transfers Are Giving Fans One Bright Spot
Among the quieter successes in Michigans portal work this season has been the immediate impact of the Utah transfers Kyle Whittingham brought with him. Cornerback Smith Snowden, wide receiver JJ Buchanan and defensive end John Henry Daley have all settled in quickly, giving the Wolverines a handful of additions who look far more like plug-and-play contributors than developmental projects.
Buchanan has become a useful outlet in the passing game, Snowden has stabilized the secondary and Daley has been a force up front, helping set the tone on the defensive line. For a team always looking for dependable production from new faces, those three have provided a welcome bright spot and a reminder that transfer success can still make a real difference in Ann Arbor. [Read more 🡒]
Michigan Fans Finally Get A First Look At Boynton's New Pieces
Michigan basketball fans are about to get their first real look at Mike Boynton Jr.s new group when the Wolverines begin a three-game exhibition slate ahead of the 2026-27 season. The opener comes against Eastern Michigan, which will also be introducing a new voice of its own in Billy Donlon, giving the matchup a little extra curiosity beyond the usual preseason tune-up.
For Michigan, the spotlight will be on how the fresh roster pieces fit early, especially newcomers Kenny Noland and Roddy Gayle Jr. Both are expected to take part in the exhibition, and their presence should offer at least a first glimpse at how Boynton wants this team to look before the games start counting for real. [Read more 🡒]
Iowa's Rebound Just Changed How Michigan Fans See That Loss
Iowas response after its earlier loss did more than stabilize the Hawkeyes, it also gave Michigan fans a fresh lens on that defeat. In a Big Ten weekend packed with swings, Nebraska pushed Indiana before falling late and Oregon had its own problems against UCLA, with injuries complicating the Ducks offense, all of it reinforcing how quickly the conference picture can change from one Saturday to the next.
For Michigan, the bigger takeaway is less about any one final score and more about what these teams might look like by the time the Wolverines see them again. Iowas bounce-back suggests that result was never going to define the Hawkeyes for long, while the late-game issues for Nebraska and the uneven showing from Oregon only add more uncertainty to a league race that already feels unsettled. [Read more 🡒]