Michigan football gets a rivalry test under the lights Saturday night, and the matchup comes with a clear imbalance on paper.
The Wolverines are coming off a 28-21 road win over Rutgers on Halloween afternoon, their fifth victory of the season and second in Big Ten play. Now they return home to face Michigan State at 7:30 p.m., with the Spartans riding a six-game losing streak and still searching for their first conference win.
That sets up a chance for Michigan to do more than just win. The Wolverines have been uneven for much of 2026, but Michigan State has been even rougher.
The Spartans have not beaten a Power Four opponent, with their only wins coming against Toledo and Eastern Michigan. Statistically, the offense has been one of the worst in the country, sitting 133rd nationally in total offense at 291.4 yards per game.
They also rank 125th in turnover margin out of 138 programs, a sign of how often the ball has been an issue on both sides of possession.
For Michigan, that means this is the kind of game where style points are there for the taking. The Wolverines have lived on close finishes this season.
Outside of UTEP, every win has come by one possession, and even last week against Rutgers, they only won by seven. Against a struggling rival at home, this is a chance to avoid another tight finish and handle business from the opening whistle.
The biggest offensive question remains the run game. Michigan has not gotten the ground attack going the way it has in past seasons, and last week there was at least a spark from freshman Savion Hiter. He led the team with 76 rushing yards against Rutgers and gave the backfield a little life.
Jordan Marshall, meanwhile, has not delivered the kind of season many expected. He managed just six yards on five carries last week, and the gap between the two backs is starting to matter. If Hiter puts together another strong outing, it could be enough to make him the clear RB1 moving forward.
On the other side of the ball, Michigan’s defense has been excellent for most of the year, but the injury report adds a layer of uncertainty. John Henry Daley, Dom Nichols and Rod Moore are all listed as questionable, and their availability will be worth watching as the Wolverines move deeper into the stretch run. How healthy they look, if they play at all, could matter as Michigan tries to keep its momentum going.
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 Heads Into Michigan State With One Big Question Still Lingering
Tommy Carr is set to make his third career start when Michigan hosts Michigan State on Saturday at Michigan Stadium, and that alone gives this rivalry matchup a little extra intrigue. The Wolverines are still sorting through a few defensive question marks, but those players are listed as questionable and expected to play, which should help keep the focus on a game that always carries its own edge no matter the records.
Michigan will get the prime-time treatment with Peacock and NBC Sports Network carrying the broadcast, and Paul Burmeister and Yogi Roth on the call. For a team trying to settle in behind a young quarterback, this is the kind of stage that can either steady things or complicate them, and the biggest question around Ann Arbor is whether Carr can keep building momentum in one of the sport's most unforgiving settings. [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 🡒]