Week 9 didn’t just shake up the Big Ten - it made Michigan’s path look even rougher.
The Wolverines’ own Saturday was ugly enough, with the in-state showdown against Michigan State turning into a scoreless slog until the final two minutes of regulation. Afterward, Kyle Whittingham didn’t hide how bad it felt.
"It was very disappointing after we had played pretty effectively last week on offense," Whittingham said after the game. "We had some production, some good production in a lot of areas last week.
And there's nothing productive about this game. Zero.
It's not one step back. It's three steps back.
"Really, I can't come up with one positive offensively in this game."
But Michigan’s problems were only part of the picture. Around the league, a few results carried real weight for what comes next.
Ohio State looked in command early against visiting Oregon, jumping out with two first-quarter touchdowns. Running back Bo Jackson powered both of them in, giving the Buckeyes a fast start and the feel of a game they had under control.
Bo went Beast Mode 💪Bo Jackson bounces off would-be tacklers for his second TD of the first quarter.Watch on CBS pic.twitter.com/klbiWA5uYX
Then everything flipped. Ohio State’s next eight drives ended in a punt, an interception, or a turnover on downs.
Oregon seized the lead before halftime and kept pressing after the break, scoring on three of its first five second-half possessions. By the time Ohio State finally got back into the end zone, less than four minutes remained and the Ducks had already put the game away.
What that means for Michigan is pretty straightforward: Ohio State’s loss changes the tone of The Game. The Buckeyes are now 6-3, and their playoff hopes look badly damaged, if they’re not gone already.
That doesn’t erase the rivalry, but it does change the stakes. If Michigan can’t beat this version of Ohio State in three weeks, then whatever chance Whittingham has of making it to 2027 could disappear, assuming he even lasts long enough to coach that matchup.
Oregon’s win also makes next week’s trip to Michigan look even tougher for the Wolverines. Quarterback Dylan Raiola has been inconsistent from week to week, but he’s put together his best stretch in more than a year.
Over his last two games, he’s thrown for 593 yards, five touchdowns, and no interceptions. Michigan’s defense is still a strength, but if Raiola brings that form to Ann Arbor, he’ll make life difficult.
UCLA added another problem for Michigan to think about. The Bruins didn’t need injured starting quarterback Nico Iamaleava to create big plays through the air. Five different receivers caught passes of more than 20 yards, and senior wideout Aidan Mizell was the headliner with two 75-yard touchdowns, nearly doubling his season receiving total in the process.
DIEFFENBACH TO MIZELL FOR ANOTHER 75-YARD TOUCHDOWN! That's two in back-to-back drives for @UCLAFootball pic.twitter.com/10OEHyMRlO
Ty Dieffenbach was efficient and explosive, finishing with 303 passing yards and three touchdowns on only 16 attempts.
Minnesota couldn’t slow UCLA on the ground, either. Wayne Knight ran for 109 yards and a touchdown, marking his best rushing and scoring totals since Sept. 19.
That result matters because, unless UCLA slips at home against Illinois on Friday, the Bruins will come to Ann Arbor as the last undefeated team in either of the big two conferences. That would hardly make Michigan’s upset bid any easier, though the matchup could still offer Whittingham one of his last chances to steady his standing at Michigan.
In Other News...
UCLAs Road Win Sparked A Big Debate Bruins Fans Know Well
A road win at Minnesota gave UCLA plenty to feel good about, and it also revived a familiar conversation around the Bruins offense. The 34-20 result featured explosive plays all over the field, with Aiden Mizell breaking loose for a pair of long touchdowns, Ty Dieffenbach directing the passing game, Wayne Knight providing balance on the ground and Scooter Jackson helping the defense come up with a key interception.
What makes the debate linger is how uneven the production looked beneath the final score. Dieffenbach piled up 303 passing yards and three touchdowns despite the inconsistency in the aerial attack, while UCLA still had to lean on big-play moments to separate itself. For a fan base that has seen this movie before, the question is not whether the Bruins can light up a box score, but whether this version of the offense can keep doing it when the margin gets tighter. [Read more 🡒]
UCLAs USC Showdown Could Decide Far More Than Bragging Rights
The annual UCLA-USC rivalry lands at the Rose Bowl on November 28, and this one already carries the kind of late-season weight that can shape how both sides are viewed well beyond Los Angeles. With both programs working through their 2026 schedules, the matchup fits into a stretch that has been building toward this date for months, giving the game a familiar edge while also adding a fresh layer of urgency.
For Bruins fans, it is the kind of showdown that tends to linger because of what it can say about the season as a whole, not just the city rivalry. Tickets are already on sale through StubHub, a reminder that demand is there well before kickoff and that this meeting has the feel of a game people are planning around now rather than waiting to think about later. [Read more 🡒]
USCs Playoff Push Now Comes Down To One Lingering Doubt
USCs stunning win over No. 2 Ohio State has changed the conversation around the Trojans in a hurry, but the path to a College Football Playoff at-large bid still runs through some uncomfortable territory. Ranked No. 20, USC now has to prove that the physical edge it showed in the upset was not a one-off, because the next stretch will ask the Trojans to handle the kind of road pressure that has often exposed them in the past.
The challenge only gets sharper from here, with a trip to No. 6 Indiana looming before a late-November visit to undefeated UCLA at the Rose Bowl. For USC, the issue is not just talent or momentum, but whether it can carry the toughness and resilience needed to win in hostile settings, especially against programs built to make every snap feel heavier than the last. [Read more 🡒]