Michigan9-4CFP #184Carter Meadows (#6 nationally, EDGE) arrives as Sherrone Moore's second class aims to outlast Ohio State — 86% QB continuity and 40% production returning suggest the winningest program isn't done yet.
Michigan is the sport's winningest program — the keeper of the record book — handing the keys to a 21-year Utah builder and a sophomore phenom to steady a house that just shook from the inside.
The fanbase has heard for two years that the 2023 title carries an asterisk and that Michigan is a story the rest of the sport gets to narrate; Michigan Men say the ledger answers all of it, and that…
Approaching
30 days
until kickoff · vs Western Michigan · Sat Sep 5 · 23:30 UTC
Michigan is the nation's winningest program, and still plays like the total isn't finished.
With a #25 recruiting class and significant transfer activity, Michigan faces challenges in maintaining continuity amid heavy reload. The team's performance will depend on integrating new talent and addressing key position needs.
The Big House is empty on purpose. Saturdays have a schedule.
the open questiondoes the recruiting haul translate on the field?
Bryce Underwood (#1 nationally) steps into an 86% QB continuity advantage as Moore's second class aims to outlast Ohio State in the Big Ten's defining rivalry.
Sherrone Moore's second season opens with a 9-4 record and a program that still believes in its unfinished legacy.
Kyle Whittingham, who previously led Utah, inherits a 9-4 winning record at Michigan — a program that still believes its legacy is unfinished.
Michigan enters 2026 — the 9-4 record and No. 25 SP+ rating highlight a program that hasn't been this high since its national title era, yet still faces the challenge.
Whittingham, who led Utah to a 9-4 record, inherits a 40% production return and a program that hasn't won a national title since 1997 — the identity anchor is the weight, not the numbers.
Jordan Marshall does NOT see a usage spike in garbage time -- his workload holds steady regardless of score, and he's also efficient in competitive snaps -- the production isn't just garbage-time padding.
Justice Haynes does NOT see a usage spike in garbage time -- his workload holds steady regardless of score, and he's also efficient in competitive snaps -- the production isn't just garbage-time padding.
Jasper Parker: a closer signal screened this season.
Jordan Marshall: a closer signal screened this season.
Michigan: coordinator change reshaping a unit.
Carter Meadows (#6 nationally, EDGE) arrives as Sherrone Moore's second class aims to outlast Ohio State — 86% QB continuity and 40% production returning suggest the winningest program isn't done yet.
Five-star RB Savion Hiter commits 2026
Eight gone from the RB room, Justice Haynes included — Hiter is the first real answer to a backfield that lost starters and added two retreads, not a depth piece.
Michigan dismisses Tatum, Charleston
Tatum and Charleston out while Sherrone Moore is still patching holes left by six drafted starters — roster math gets harder before it gets easier in Ann Arbor.
Michigan QB depth chart announced
Bryce Underwood's depth chart status matters more than any recruiting ranking — Whittingham inherits a prove-it season where the QB spot is the load-bearing wall, and the room can't afford a slow start.
Two players depart Michigan roster
Two more bodies out the door at Michigan — with six draft losses and IOL already the loudest offseason concern, Sherrone Moore can't afford attrition bleeding into a roster that was supposed to be rebuilding, not thinning.
Lincoln Mageo commits to Michigan
IOL pressure was the loudest hole after six drafted starters walked out the door — Mageo lands in Ann Arbor to protect Moore's rebuild from collapsing up front.
Michigan hires Boynton as HC
Michigan didn't chase a name from the recycled HC carousel — Boynton comes in while the Wolverines are sitting on a top-6 class and a 12-spot SP+ climb, so the ceiling here is real if he can hold the IOL room together after six NFL exits.
Top 3 commits
Fan confidence a bit lower than recent years
23rd percentile among FBS programs
Market outlook
Sportsbook consensus · best odds across multiple books · 2026-08-06
Michigan · Next-Season Outcome Band
Final-season-aware projection: floor / base / ceiling include conference title and CFP games where the model supports them, so a ceiling can exceed a 12-game regular season.
Michigan signed a top-6 recruiting class. It is the program's best recruiting class in at least five years. A top-6 class is a program-level investment. Development timelines decide the return. National coverage is split on what the ranking actually signals for this program.
The optimistic read: the class is real, the program is a destination again.
The 'rankings don't tell the whole story' counter -- development gaps, position holes still open.
This event was in 166 of 3189 board posts (5%) over the last 60 days — engaged but not consumed. Fan text shown verbatim, attributed to the community not the individual poster.
Board health this week (1244 posts): 15% positive · 51% neutral · 34% negative. Team-level weekly mood — not specific to this event. The boards ≠ the fanbase: a self-selected vocal slice.
Michigan: coordinator change reshaping a unit.
The optimistic read: momentum, and the 'this is real' takes.
This event was in 451 of 3189 board posts (14%) over the last 60 days — a fanbase consumed by it. Fan text shown verbatim, attributed to the community not the individual poster.
Board health this week (1244 posts): 15% positive · 51% neutral · 34% negative. Team-level weekly mood — not specific to this event. The boards ≠ the fanbase: a self-selected vocal slice.
Recent Form · last 10 games
Three of five. Trending up, not yet hot.
Opens Sep 5
vs Western Michigan · at home
✓ fact on line · ~ our read on style
Fan mood index · most recent r/cfb data
Recruiting Footprint · 2026
TX leads the 2026 class with 5 commits. National footprint reaching 13 states.
Where they recruit · 2023-2026
101 signees across 27 states, 2023-2026. MI leads the pull.
Top r/cfb community posts · last 12 months
51 of 66 AP voters have them ranked, final AP ballot (2025) — from #16, Brian Fonseca (NJ Advance Media / Star-Ledger), to #25, Trevor Hass (Boston.com). 15 voters left them off the ballot entirely.
Individual AP Top 25 ballots, final AP ballot, 2025 — 66 voters tracked.
13 games with TV coverage: 10 national broadcast, 3 conference network
Kickoff windows: 5 noon, 3 afternoon, 5 primetime
The bounces have gone their way on the fumbles they've forced: 80% recovered, vs. ~49% expected.
4 of 5 forced fumbles recovered; 2 of 9 own fumbles recovered themselves, 2025 only.
Cashing in at a normal clip: 24% of disrupted passes intercepted, close to ~19% league-wide.
13 interceptions of 54 disrupted passes (41 deflected, 13 intercepted), 2025 only.
The flags have favored them: 67 penalties drawn on opponents vs. 57 committed, 54 yards to the good.
508 penalty yards committed vs. 562 drawn on opponents, 2025 season total.
What moved it — fall camp · last 14 days
Fanbase Signals
Position = mood · width = volume · color = the kind of feeling
Inside the fanbase — all 12 corners
The split, staged
How Michigan fans actually talk real · top-upvoted
The crowd’s loudest take by upvotes — read for mood, not as a side. The cohort read is the measured part.
Loudest in the room this week real · by engagement
All 12 corners of the fanbase
Cohort sentiment is a source-weighted model read — never a quote pinned to a person.
What this fanbase keeps coming back to our read · topic model
Topics are model-labeled from Reddit — a rough signal of what this fanbase is circling right now.
Fan reads
Michigan is strengthening its defense with top recruits, while Ohio State misses out on a key local prospect.
How will these roster changes impact the Michigan vs. Ohio State rivalry?
that 68 yarder is insane, especially for a high schooler still in his junior year. That's the kind of distance that actually wins games in college football so no wonder Michigan moved quick on him.r/MichiganWolverines
The difficulty ranking of Michigan's 2026 games could influence their season strategy and expectations.
How will Michigan handle its toughest and easiest games in 2026?
Penn St. not playing Ohio St. Oregon or Indiana makes it an easy schedule. Penn St. could go 11-1 and lose to Michigan and be a much worse team than Michigan who could be 9-3.YouTube · The Joel Klatt Show: A College Football Podcast
Michigan goes 10-2 or better under Coach Whitt, including a win over Ohio State, and makes the CFP semifinals.YouTube · Josh Pate's College Football Show
~ our readMichigan fans are down on the program, and they're backing it with about as much hard evidence as anyone.
✓ counted We read 1244 posts from Michigan fans this week.
Fan mood across the 2025 season, both sides — our read
Shaded weeks show whose fanbase read warmer, our measure of what fans actually said, not a poll.
Fan claims · every quote verified verbatim
But there's still real uncertainty about who's under center Week 1, which feels like it should've been settled by now given the hype Underwood came in with.
Genuinely wild that "who starts at QB for Michigan" is still an open question this deep into the offseason, whether you want to accept it or not.
Based on 4 comments from 1 poster across 1 thread · Jul 30, 2026 · via MichiganWolverines
I think Moore has been appropriately aggressive, especially in big games. Both OSU games and Penn State 23 he had great game management. That punt did annoy me though
Based on 1 comment from 1 poster across 1 thread · Aug 31, 2025 · via CFB
Underwood is as advertised and worth every penny. Everyone else is suss at best. Hate to say it but they looked poorly coached tonight.
Based on 1 comment from 1 poster across 1 thread · Aug 31, 2025 · via CFB
Michigan debut Ahh we are 6 days away from I’m seeing some Michigan football. How do you think our season is gonna go do you think we will be national Champion contenders? Do you think Bryce Underwood will be the next great Michigan quarterback and of course, do you think were going to win five straight games against ❌hio State?
Based on 1 comment from 1 poster across 1 thread · Aug 25, 2025 · via MichiganWolverines
Kyle Whittingham has stood by his QB, Bryce Underwood, throughout the offseason and even after the disappointing showing in the spring game .
Based on 2 comments across 1 thread · Jul 23, 2026
“When they called a timeout to put him out there for one more play, it felt like coaching malpractice to me. Hasn’t the poor guy suffered enough?”— r/CFB
“University of Utah alum. New to Michigan football. Genuine question. Are Michigan State fans always this loud? Found out you had a football program a week ago and all you do is talk about Michigan. Sit the fuck down.”— r/MichiganWolverines
“That may have been the most “dominant” 3 point win I’ve ever seen my team have. What a frustrating watch. Can’t wait for the next game 😂”— r/CFB
“He was also better for hoops than football. Gus Johnson in the tournament was an absolute vibe”— r/CFB
“I think Beck will really test this IU defense. He can chunk out 3-4 yards on a busted play at the drop of a hat and IU doesn’t have the db talent to keep a spy on him.”— r/CFB
Five Lenses
What people are saying right now
“Michigan absolutely has a chance to the natty”
Fanbase Health Index · Michigan · high confidence
No financial relationship with any outlet listed. If we have a reporter wrong or missing, please let us know.
“Michigan head coach Kyle Whittingham still feels like a strange thing to write. With Hail to the Victors playing as he walked up “I know the words to that song now!””
Here are five questions facing Whittingham and the Wolverines as they open preseason camp Wednesday. # 1. Did Michigan fix
Whittingham brought basically his entire staff. Aswell as key players who know the system, and
Super challenging schedule....love Whittingham and his approach. Under coach Moore, the team lacked discipline, direction and was
Weird to see "Michigan's Kyle Whittingham"...
Whittingham I'll take it as a sign that Mormonism is the one true religion and I'll finally
Whittingham has stood by his QB, Bryce Underwood, throughout the offseason and even after the
Michigan head coach Kyle Whittingham still feels like a strange thing to write. With Hail to the Victors playing as
Nobody in the country has done MORE WITH LESS than Whittingham. Michigan is lucky they got him!
3rd down defense needs to be ALOT better
Michigan Football's Donovan edwards makes decision on bowl game status
FBS rankings · 2025 season · all stats vs 136 FBS programs
| Player | # | G | Cmp/Att | Pct | Yds | Y/A | TD | INT | Rate | QBR | Adj ANY/A | Sack% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Scrambler · +0.28 EPA/play | 19 | 13 | 202 / 335 | 60.3 | 2428 #69 FBS | 7.2 | 11 | 9 | 126.6 | 64.6 | 6.0 | 5.6 | |
Yards by week → ScramblerMakes plays with feet when the pocket collapses. Efficiency still on the rise. Impact starter — above-average production for the conference. 45 of 183 QBs we've classified this way this season. Season receipt Rush usage20.8% bottom 46th percentile · FBS QBs, min. 80 attempts Rush yards / carry4.5 85th percentile · FBS QBs, min. 80 attempts Trait fingerprint Plays like View Bryce Underwood's full player page | |||||||||||||
| Player | # | G | Car | Yds | Avg | TD | Long | 3rd Dn Use | Pass Dn Use | Stuff% | 10+% | Tgt Share | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Speed Merchant · +0.19 EPA/play | 23 | 11 | 150 | 932 #56 FBS | 6.2 | 10 #46 FBS | 65 | 15.1 | 15.5 | 6.2 | 13.8 | — | |
Yards by week → Speed MerchantCuts upfield fast. Designed to find the crease, not run through the line. Starter — over 60% of the snaps, holding the job. 48 of 349 RBs we've classified this way this season. Season receipt Yards / carry6.8 82th percentile · FBS RBs, min. 40 carries Receiving share5.7% bottom 18th percentile · FBS RBs, min. 40 carries Trait fingerprint Plays like View Jordan Marshall's full player page | |||||||||||||
| Speed Merchant · +0.32 EPA/play | 22 | 7 | 121 | 857 #71 FBS | 7.1 | 10 #46 FBS | 75 | 25.4 | 22.3 | 10.2 | 15.3 | 5.1% (16/313) | |
Yards by week → Speed MerchantCuts upfield fast. Designed to find the crease, not run through the line. All-Conference honorable mention / 2nd team — the recognition has started. 48 of 349 RBs we've classified this way this season. Season receipt Yards / carry7.5 97th percentile · FBS RBs, min. 40 carries Rush TD rate8.3% 93th percentile · FBS RBs, min. 40 carries Trait fingerprint Plays like our readAscending: his CFB Index score now sits at the 92nd percentile among FBS RBs, up from the 53rd | |||||||||||||
| Balanced Back · +0.08 EPA/play | 24 | 8 | 76 | 326 | 4.3 | 4 | 22 | 10.1 | 12.9 | 19.4 | 11.1 | — | |
Yards by week → Balanced BackPlays within the scheme — consistent production without a dominant dimension. Part-time starter — splitting the role or filling in on injury. The most common profile in its group this season — 186 of 349 classified this way. Played in 8 of 21 games this season · junior · 2-star, 2023 class View Bryson Kuzdzal's full player page | |||||||||||||
| +0.01 EPA/play | 27 | 5 | 25 | 93 | 3.7 | 2 | 11 | 7.8 | 1.1 | — | — | — | |
Yards by week → | |||||||||||||
| Player | # | G | Rec | Yds | Avg | TD | Long | 3rd Dn Use | Pass Dn Use | Tgt Share | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Slot Technician · +0.76 EPA/play | 4 | 12 | 45 | 651 | 14.5 | 4 | 69 | 5.1 | 9.2 | 17.9% (56/313) | |
Yards by week → Slot Technician· Boom-or-bustRuns precise routes in tight quarters. Volume player who keeps chains moving. his yards come in chunks — feast or famine 97 of 558 WRs we've classified this way this season. Season receipt Reception volume45 71th percentile · FBS WRs, min. 12 receptions EPA / play (adj)0.8 86th percentile · FBS WRs, min. 12 receptions Trait fingerprint View Andrew Marsh's full player page | |||||||||||
| Deep Threat · +0.57 EPA/play | 1 | 13 | 39 | 588 | 15.1 | 3 | 44 | 11.1 | 13.7 | 23.3% (73/313) | |
Yards by week → Deep ThreatStretches the field vertically. Every snap is a potential big play. 100 of 558 WRs we've classified this way this season. Season receipt Yards / reception16.3 79th percentile · FBS WRs, min. 12 receptions EPA / play (adj)0.6 63th percentile · FBS WRs, min. 12 receptions Trait fingerprint Plays like View Donaven McCulley's full player page | |||||||||||
| Complete TE · +0.24 EPA/play | 17 | 11 | 24 | 248 | 10.3 | 1 | 27 | 7.9 | 7.3 | 13.1% (41/313) | |
Yards by week → Complete TENo single go-to route — the receiving numbers show up inline and split out alike. 177 of 223 TEs we've classified this way this season. Season receipt Yards / reception13.4 75th percentile · FBS TEs, min. 8 receptions EPA / play (adj)0.2 bottom 21th percentile · FBS TEs, min. 8 receptions Trait fingerprint Plays like View Marlin Klein's full player page | |||||||||||
| Possession Receiver · +0.17 EPA/play | — | 11 | 20 | 223 | 11.2 | 1 | 32 | 6.2 | 6.6 | 11.5% (36/313) | |
Yards by week → Possession ReceiverReliable target who converts on critical downs. Not flashy; consistently productive. The most common profile in its group this season — 332 of 558 classified this way. Played in 11 of 21 games this season · junior · 3-star, 2023 class View Semaj Morgan's full player page | |||||||||||
| Move TE · +0.64 EPA/play | 83 | 8 | 16 | 199 | 12.4 | 1 | 37 | 5.4 | 5.7 | 7.0% (22/313) | |
Yards by week → Move TELined up out wide as often as inline. Creates mismatches downfield. 34 of 223 TEs we've classified this way this season. Season receipt Yards / reception17.1 95th percentile · FBS TEs, min. 8 receptions Reception volume16 bottom 31th percentile · FBS TEs, min. 8 receptions Trait fingerprint Plays like View Zack Marshall's full player page | |||||||||||
| Possession Receiver · +0.24 EPA/play | 9 | 9 | 12 | 148 | 12.3 | 0 | 39 | 6.5 | 6.4 | 7.0% (22/313) | |
Yards by week → Possession ReceiverReliable target who converts on critical downs. Not flashy; consistently productive. 332 of 558 WRs we've classified this way this season. Season receipt Yards / reception10.7 bottom 25th percentile · FBS WRs, min. 12 receptions TD rate0.0% bottom 8th percentile · FBS WRs, min. 12 receptions Trait fingerprint Plays like View Channing Goodwin's full player page | |||||||||||
| +0.17 EPA/play | 80 | 2 | 6 | 74 | 12.3 | 0 | 26 | 9.7 | 4.3 | — | |
Yards by week → | |||||||||||
| Complete TE · +0.87 EPA/play | 43 | 5 | 8 | 72 | 9 | 0 | 28 | 8.8 | 5.7 | — | |
Yards by week → Complete TENo single go-to route — the receiving numbers show up inline and split out alike. 177 of 223 TEs we've classified this way this season. Season receipt Yards / reception14.0 79th percentile · FBS TEs, min. 8 receptions TD rate0.0% bottom 10th percentile · FBS TEs, min. 8 receptions Trait fingerprint Plays like View Deakon Tonielli's full player page | |||||||||||
| Player | # | G | Tot | Solo | TFL | Sack | Hur |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nose Anchor | 26 | 13 | 35 | 19 | 3 | 1.5 | 2 |
Nose AnchorThe heaviest frame on the interior. Sack production is intentionally not the point of this profile. All-Conference honorable mention / 2nd team — the recognition has started. 152 of 809 IDLs we've classified this way this season. Season receipt Weight305 lb 78th percentile · FBS interior linemen, min. 10 tackles Plays like our readBounce-Back: his CFB Index score shows a real arc: 76th percentile among FBS IDLs, fell to 49th, now back up to 89th | |||||||
| Nose Anchor | 95 | 13 | 30 | 18 | 1 | 0 | 2 |
Nose AnchorThe heaviest frame on the interior. Sack production is intentionally not the point of this profile. Part-time starter — splitting the role or filling in on injury. 152 of 809 IDLs we've classified this way this season. Season receipt Weight310 lb 83th percentile · FBS interior linemen, min. 10 tackles Plays like our readBreakout: his CFB Index score went from the 14th percentile among FBS IDLs to the 54th | |||||||
| Nose Anchor | — | 11 | 21 | 13 | 6.5 | 1 | 0 |
Nose AnchorThe heaviest frame on the interior. Sack production is intentionally not the point of this profile. 152 of 809 IDLs we've classified this way this season. Season receipt Weight320 lb 90th percentile · FBS interior linemen, min. 10 tackles Plays like our readAscending: his CFB Index score moved from the 23rd to 47th percentile among FBS IDLs | |||||||
| Nose Anchor | 44 | 9 | 16 | 9 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
Nose AnchorThe heaviest frame on the interior. Sack production is intentionally not the point of this profile. 152 of 809 IDLs we've classified this way this season. Season receipt Weight311 lb 84th percentile · FBS interior linemen, min. 10 tackles Plays like View Damon Payne Jr.'s full player page | |||||||
| Nose Anchor | 17 | 11 | 15 | 6 | 2.5 | 0.5 | 7 |
Nose AnchorThe heaviest frame on the interior. Sack production is intentionally not the point of this profile. 152 of 809 IDLs we've classified this way this season. Season receipt Weight320 lb 90th percentile · FBS interior linemen, min. 10 tackles Plays like View Enow Etta's full player page | |||||||
| Player | # | G | Tot | Solo | Ast | TFL | Sack | PD | INT |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sideline-to-Sideline | 30 | 12 | 73 | 47 | 26 | 7 | 2 | 1 | 1 |
Sideline-to-SidelineRanges from hash to hash and makes his own tackles. All-Conference honorable mention / 2nd team — the recognition has started. 102 of 660 LBs we've classified this way this season. Season receipt Solo tackle rate0.6 91th percentile · FBS linebackers, min. 15 tackles Tackle volume73 79th percentile · FBS linebackers, min. 15 tackles Trait fingerprint Plays like our readBreakout: his CFB Index score climbed from the 13th percentile to the 80th among FBS LBs | |||||||||
| Sideline-to-Sideline | 15 | 10 | 68 | 44 | 24 | 5.5 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
Sideline-to-SidelineRanges from hash to hash and makes his own tackles. All-Conference honorable mention / 2nd team — the recognition has started. 102 of 660 LBs we've classified this way this season. Season receipt Solo tackle rate0.6 91th percentile · FBS linebackers, min. 15 tackles Tackle volume68 73th percentile · FBS linebackers, min. 15 tackles Trait fingerprint Plays like View Ernest Hausmann's full player page | |||||||||
| Sideline-to-Sideline | 23 | 10 | 44 | 28 | 16 | 5 | 2 | 1 | 3 #56 FBS |
Sideline-to-SidelineRanges from hash to hash and makes his own tackles. 102 of 660 LBs we've classified this way this season. Season receipt Solo tackle rate0.6 90th percentile · FBS linebackers, min. 15 tackles Plays like View Cole Sullivan's full player page | |||||||||
| Thumper | 1 | 11 | 32 | 21 | 11 | 10 | 4 | 4 | 0 |
ThumperDownhill striker who fills the run lane and blitzes off the edge. The rare part: he lives in the backfield — and he covers, too 97 of 660 LBs we've classified this way this season. Season receipt TFL rate31.2% 100th percentile · FBS linebackers, min. 15 tackles PD rate12.5% 100th percentile · FBS linebackers, min. 15 tackles — the part the label misses Trait fingerprint Plays like our readAscending: his CFB Index score climbed from the 58th percentile to the 82nd among FBS LBs | |||||||||
| Finisher | 8 | 12 | 29 | 19 | 10 | 10 | 9.5 #15 FBS | 3 | 0 |
FinisherTurns pressure into sacks — when he gets there, he finishes. All-Conference honorable mention / 2nd team — the recognition has started. 16 of 200 EDGEs we've classified this way this season. Season receipt Pressure-to-sack conversion0.8 94th percentile · FBS EDGE, min. 10 tackles Plays like our readUnranked recruit — top-quartile production against his own recruiting profile our readBounce-Back: his CFB Index score shows a real arc: 88th percentile among FBS EDGEs, fell to 40th, now back up to 94th | |||||||||
| Sideline-to-Sideline | 18 | 12 | 27 | 16 | 11 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
Sideline-to-SidelineRanges from hash to hash and makes his own tackles. 102 of 660 LBs we've classified this way this season. Season receipt Solo tackle rate0.6 81th percentile · FBS linebackers, min. 15 tackles Plays like View Troy Bowles's full player page | |||||||||
| Versatile End | 9 | 12 | 22 | 12 | 10 | 1.5 | 0.5 | 0 | 0 |
Versatile EndNo single standout number, but nothing missing either — competent across the board. 139 of 200 EDGEs we've classified this way this season. Season receipt TFL rate6.8% bottom 12th percentile · FBS EDGE, min. 10 tackles Plays like our readAscending: his CFB Index score went from the 18th percentile among FBS EDGEs to the 46th | |||||||||
| Versatile End | 33 | 9 | 19 | 14 | 5 | 5.5 | 1.5 | 0 | 0 |
Versatile EndNo single standout number, but nothing missing either — competent across the board. The most common profile in its group this season — 139 of 200 classified this way. Played in 9 of 21 games this season · sophomore · 3-star, 2024 class View Dominic Nichols's full player page | |||||||||
| Versatile End | 4 | 10 | 17 | 13 | 4 | 2.5 | 2 | 0 | 1 |
Versatile EndNo single standout number, but nothing missing either — competent across the board. The most common profile in its group this season — 139 of 200 classified this way. Played in 10 of 21 games this season · senior · 3-star, 2021 class our readFading: his CFB Index score moved from the 84th to 48th percentile among FBS EDGEs | |||||||||
| 29 | 7 | 10 | 7 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 94 | 6 | 6 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Player | # | G | Tot | PD | INT | TFL | Sack |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hybrid Nickel | 7 | 13 | 58 | 4 | 1 | 2.5 | 0 |
Hybrid NickelMoves between deep coverage and the slot — the modern positionless DB. Starter — over 60% of the snaps, holding the job. The most common profile in its group this season — 419 of 801 classified this way. Played in 13 of 21 games this season · junior View TJ Metcalf's full player page | |||||||
| Hybrid Nickel | 6 | 12 | 49 | 3 | 1 | 2.5 | 0 |
Hybrid NickelMoves between deep coverage and the slot — the modern positionless DB. Part-time starter — splitting the role or filling in on injury. The most common profile in its group this season — 419 of 801 classified this way. Played in 12 of 21 games this season · junior · 4-star, 2023 class our readAscending: his CFB Index score climbed from the 9th percentile to the 53rd among FBS Ss | |||||||
| Hybrid Nickel | 20 | 13 | 36 | 5 | 1 | 3 | 1 |
Hybrid NickelMoves between deep coverage and the slot — the modern positionless DB. The most common profile in its group this season — 419 of 801 classified this way. Played in 13 of 21 games this season · junior · 4-star, 2023 class View Jyaire Hill's full player page | |||||||
| Hybrid Nickel | 25 | 10 | 33 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
Hybrid NickelMoves between deep coverage and the slot — the modern positionless DB. 419 of 801 Ss we've classified this way this season. Season receipt PD rate3.0% bottom 25th percentile · FBS safeties, min. 15 tackles Plays like View Mason Curtis's full player page | |||||||
| Centerfielder | 10 | 11 | 33 | 10 #20 FBS | 1 | 0 | 0 |
CenterfielderSingle-high range who erases the deep middle of the field. All-Conference honorable mention / 2nd team — the recognition has started. 133 of 801 Ss we've classified this way this season. Season receipt PD rate30.3% 100th percentile · FBS safeties, min. 15 tackles Plays like View Zeke Berry's full player page | |||||||
| Hybrid Nickel | 3 | 12 | 30 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0.5 |
Hybrid NickelMoves between deep coverage and the slot — the modern positionless DB. The most common profile in its group this season — 419 of 801 classified this way. Played in 12 of 21 games this season · senior View Jaden Mangham's full player page | |||||||
| Hybrid Nickel | 27 | 9 | 23 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Hybrid NickelMoves between deep coverage and the slot — the modern positionless DB. 419 of 801 Ss we've classified this way this season. Season receipt PD rate4.3% bottom 31th percentile · FBS safeties, min. 15 tackles Plays like View Jayden Sanders's full player page | |||||||
| Centerfielder | 14 | 8 | 15 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
CenterfielderSingle-high range who erases the deep middle of the field. 133 of 801 Ss we've classified this way this season. Season receipt PD rate20.0% 95th percentile · FBS safeties, min. 15 tackles Plays like View Jordan Young's full player page | |||||||
| 22 | 8 | 11 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | |
| 13 | 4 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 19 | 3 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | |
| 24 | 4 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Player | # | G | FG M/A | FG% | XP M/A | Pts | Long |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Big Leg | 96 | 13 | 17/25 | 68 | 43/43 | 94 | 56 |
| Player | # | G | No | Yds | Avg | Long | In20 | TB |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Steady | 90 | 11 | 40 | 1729 | 43.2 | 67 | 10 | 3 |
Net average is unavailable — CFBD's punting feed carries gross yards only, with no return-yardage or touchback deduction.
| Player | # | G | No | Yds | Avg | TD | Long |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Slot Technician · +0.76 EPA/play | 4 | 12 | 17 | 378 | 22.2 | 0 | 51 |
| Player | # | G | No | Yds | Avg | TD | Long |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Slot Technician · +0.76 EPA/play | 4 | 12 | 4 | 45 | 11.3 | 0 | 14 |
| Possession Receiver · +0.17 EPA/play | — | 11 | 13 | 30 | 2.3 | 0 | 13 |
2025 stat leaders
finalRoster
2025+25 more
| Wk | Date | Us | Opp | Line | Opponent | Result | Record | Conf |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Aug 30 | #10 | #139 | -34.5 | New Mexico | W 34–17 139 | 1-0 | 0-0 |
| 2 | Sep 6 | #17 | #29 | +3.5 | @Oklahoma | L 13–24 130 | 1-1 | 0-0 |
| 3 | Sep 13 | #11 | #103 | -27.5 | Central Michigan | W 63–3 128 | 2-1 | 0-0 |
| 4 | Sep 20 | #13 | #35 | +1 | @Nebraska | W 30–27 126 | 3-1 | 1-0 |
| 6 | Oct 4 | #12 | #64 | -17 | Wisconsin | W 24–10 119 | 4-1 | 2-0 |
| 7 | Oct 11 | #13 | #21 | +2.5 | @USC | L 13–31 124 | 4-2 | 2-1 |
| 8 | Oct 18 | #17 | #25 | -4 | Washington | W 24–7 123 | 5-2 | 3-1 |
| 9 | Oct 25 | #18 | #93 | -13.5 | @Michigan State | W 31–20 138 | 6-2 | 4-1 |
| 10 | Nov 1 | #18 | #123 | -21 | Purdue | W 21–16 126 | 7-2 | 5-1 |
| 12 | Nov 15 | #20 | #59 | -10 | Northwestern (N) | W 24–22 130 | 8-2 | 6-1 |
| 13 | Nov 22 | #23 | #100 | -14 | @Maryland | W 45–20 141 | 9-2 | 7-1 |
| 14 | Nov 29 | #21 | #1 | +9.5 | Ohio State | L 9–27 115 | 9-3 | 7-2 |
| Bowl Season | ||||||||
| 18 | Dec 31 | #26 | #21 | +4.5 | Texas (N) | L 27–41 | 9-4 | 7-2 |
| Date | Opp | Result | Yds | TO | TOP | EPA/play | Success% | Explosive% | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dec 31 | Texas | L 27–41 | — | — | — | +0.067 | 36.5% | 115.9% | Defense's roughest night |
| Nov 29 | Ohio State | L 9–27 | 163 | 1 | 19:59 | -0.179 | 24.4% | 114.4% | Season-low EPA/play |
| Nov 22 | @Maryland | W 45–20 | 443 | 0 | 35:38 | +0.313 | 55.8% | 102.6% | |
| Nov 15 | Northwestern | W 24–22 | 496 | 5 | 33:06 | +0.145 | 50.0% | 116.5% | One-score win |
| Nov 1 | Purdue | W 21–16 | 398 | 2 | 27:05 | +0.151 | 50.0% | 84.7% | One-score win |
| Oct 25 | @Michigan State | W 31–20 | 362 | 1 | 30:33 | +0.082 | 42.0% | 95.4% | |
| Oct 18 | Washington | W 24–7 | 417 | 0 | 37:29 | +0.254 | 47.1% | 114.1% | |
| Oct 11 | @USC | L 13–31 | 316 | 2 | 26:38 | +0.163 | 43.1% | 109.9% | |
| Oct 4 | Wisconsin | W 24–10 | 445 | 0 | 29:03 | +0.289 | 56.5% | 97.5% | |
| Sep 20 | @Nebraska | W 30–27 | 395 | 1 | 26:43 | +0.226 | 40.0% | 151.6% | One-score win |
| Sep 13 | Central Michigan | W 63–3 | 625 | 1 | 33:07 | +0.473 | 62.5% | 111.2% | Season-high EPA/play |
| Sep 6 | @Oklahoma | L 13–24 | 288 | 0 | 27:48 | +0.033 | 25.0% | 174.4% | Most explosive |
| Aug 30 | New Mexico | W 34–17 | 452 | 1 | 26:58 | +0.385 | 43.5% | 141.3% | |
| Season average (13 games) | 400 | 1.2 | +0.185 | 44.3% | 117.7% | ||||
Michigan fields a capable methodical, ball-control offense behind a strong, bend-don't-break defense.
Opponent-adjusted percentiles vs all FBS. Bar = where this team ranks — right is better.
Team identity · competitive snaps only
67th percentile quality, 33rd percentile boom-dependency. Garbage time excluded from both axes — the same correction that changes the Q4 story below.
| Team | Quality percentile | Boom-share percentile |
|---|---|---|
| Air Force | 86th | 11th |
| Akron | 12th | 89th |
| Alabama | 58th | 17th |
| App State | 35th | 47th |
| Arizona | 64th | 37th |
| Arizona State | 41st | 62nd |
| Arkansas | 90th | 12th |
| Arkansas State | 17th | 66th |
| Army | 57th | 43rd |
| Auburn | 47th | 53rd |
| BYU | 78th | 19th |
| Baylor | 69th | 25th |
| Boise State | 66th | 20th |
| Boston College | 37th | 54th |
| Bowling Green | 2nd | 98th |
| Buffalo | 11th | 88th |
| California | 28th | 48th |
| Central Michigan | 52nd | 64th |
| Cincinnati | 89th | 16th |
| Clemson | 51st | 48th |
| Coastal Carolina | 17th | 83rd |
| Colorado | 18th | 84th |
| Colorado State | 16th | 83rd |
| Delaware | 38th | 58th |
| Duke | 80th | 14th |
| East Carolina | 63rd | 36th |
| Eastern Michigan | 49th | 42nd |
| Florida | 30th | 67th |
| Florida Atlantic | 62nd | 59th |
| Florida International | 42nd | 50th |
| Florida State | 83rd | 32nd |
| Fresno State | 26th | 73rd |
| Georgia | 81st | 3rd |
| Georgia Southern | 73rd | 21st |
| Georgia State | 36th | 70th |
| Georgia Tech | 84th | 5th |
| Hawai'i | 64th | 41st |
| Houston | 27th | 65th |
| Illinois | 75th | 26th |
| Indiana | 95th | 1st |
| Iowa | 44th | 40th |
| Iowa State | 68th | 22nd |
| Jacksonville State | 54th | 38th |
| James Madison | 65th | 44th |
| Kansas | 85th | 28th |
| Kansas State | 71st | 49th |
| Kennesaw State | 56th | 30th |
| Kent State | 21st | 86th |
| Kentucky | 15th | 85th |
| LSU | 14th | 81st |
| Liberty | 43rd | 56th |
| Louisiana | 19th | 73rd |
| Louisiana Tech | 39th | 61st |
| Louisville | 48th | 64th |
| Marshall | 55th | 39th |
| Maryland | 30th | 74th |
| Memphis | 80th | 24th |
| Miami | 76th | 5th |
| Miami (OH) | 34th | 67th |
| Michigan | 67th | 33rd |
| Michigan State | 27th | 75th |
| Middle Tennessee | 39th | 52nd |
| Minnesota | 29th | 77th |
| Mississippi State | 22nd | 77th |
| Missouri | 61st | 30th |
| Missouri State | 55th | 46th |
| NC State | 86th | 23rd |
| Navy | 94th | 17th |
| Nebraska | 48th | 57th |
| Nevada | 3rd | 97th |
| New Mexico | 58th | 60th |
| New Mexico State | 9th | 87th |
| North Carolina | 13th | 89th |
| North Texas | 98th | 7th |
| Northern Illinois | 8th | 92nd |
| Northwestern | 52nd | 36th |
| Notre Dame | 99th | 20th |
| Ohio | 67th | 18th |
| Ohio State | 93rd | 4th |
| Oklahoma | 20th | 80th |
| Oklahoma State | 5th | 95th |
| Old Dominion | 83rd | 45th |
| Ole Miss | 89th | 2nd |
| Oregon | 91st | 10th |
| Oregon State | 2nd | 98th |
| Penn State | 73rd | 33rd |
| Pittsburgh | 60th | 39th |
| Purdue | 25th | 78th |
| Rice | 6th | 94th |
| Rutgers | 70th | 27th |
| SMU | 74th | 42nd |
| Sam Houston | 4th | 96th |
| San Diego State | 24th | 76th |
| San José State | 45th | 69th |
| South Alabama | 36th | 58th |
| South Carolina | 23rd | 86th |
| South Florida | 87th | 23rd |
| Southern Miss | 40th | 55th |
| Stanford | 10th | 90th |
| Syracuse | 5th | 95th |
| TCU | 72nd | 35th |
| Temple | 70th | 34th |
| Tennessee | 96th | 11th |
| Texas | 45th | 55th |
| Texas A&M | 82nd | 14th |
| Texas State | 92nd | 8th |
| Texas Tech | 77th | 31st |
| Toledo | 50th | 61st |
| Troy | 14th | 80th |
| Tulane | 79th | 15th |
| Tulsa | 20th | 70th |
| UAB | 61st | 45th |
| UCF | 33rd | 82nd |
| UCLA | 23rd | 79th |
| UConn | 95th | 13th |
| UL Monroe | 11th | 92nd |
| UNLV | 88th | 9th |
| USC | 98th | 2nd |
| UTEP | 1st | 99th |
| UTSA | 77th | 51st |
| Utah | 97th | 6th |
| Utah State | 46th | 63rd |
| Vanderbilt | 100th | 0th |
| Virginia | 59th | 27th |
| Virginia Tech | 32nd | 71st |
| Wake Forest | 42nd | 72nd |
| Washington | 92nd | 8th |
| Washington State | 33rd | 52nd |
| West Virginia | 7th | 93rd |
| Western Kentucky | 53rd | 29th |
| Western Michigan | 31st | 68th |
| Wisconsin | 0th | 100th |
| Wyoming | 8th | 91st |
Fourth-quarter reliability, corrected
Raw Q4 EPA/play ranks 41st percentile in FBS. Strip out snaps taken with a blowout margin and it drops to the 40th — the correction is the finding, not a footnote.
Standard downs vs. passing downs
73rd percentile success on standard downs, 74th on passing downs — little dropoff between the two — a schedule-independent identity.
| Team | Standard-downs percentile | Passing-downs percentile |
|---|---|---|
| Air Force | 82nd | 69th |
| Akron | 20th | 36th |
| Alabama | 47th | 76th |
| App State | 41st | 80th |
| Arizona | 54th | 54th |
| Arizona State | 40th | 37th |
| Arkansas | 90th | 97th |
| Arkansas State | 51st | 40th |
| Army | 37th | 44th |
| Auburn | 73rd | 24th |
| Austin Peay | 56th | 13th |
| BYU | 91st | 46th |
| Ball State | 5th | 3rd |
| Baylor | 70th | 77th |
| Boise State | 42nd | 63rd |
| Boston College | 56th | 54th |
| Bowling Green | 10th | 17th |
| Bryant | 7th | 2nd |
| Buffalo | 29th | 20th |
| California | 25th | 66th |
| Central Michigan | 57th | 11th |
| Charlotte | 7th | 7th |
| Cincinnati | 89th | 65th |
| Clemson | 49th | 34th |
| Coastal Carolina | 16th | 22nd |
| Colorado | 8th | 48th |
| Colorado State | 29th | 35th |
| Delaware | 66th | 31st |
| Duke | 82nd | 63rd |
| East Carolina | 63rd | 91st |
| Eastern Michigan | 46th | 67th |
| Florida | 52nd | 45th |
| Florida Atlantic | 44th | 61st |
| Florida International | 50th | 26th |
| Florida State | 65th | 90th |
| Fresno State | 22nd | 71st |
| Georgia | 95th | 69th |
| Georgia Southern | 64th | 84th |
| Georgia State | 22nd | 75th |
| Georgia Tech | 92nd | 89th |
| Hawai'i | 33rd | 87th |
| Houston | 61st | 29th |
| Idaho | 30th | 78th |
| Idaho State | 93rd | 14th |
| Illinois | 79th | 95th |
| Indiana | 97th | 98th |
| Iowa | 74th | 19th |
| Iowa State | 80th | 58th |
| Jacksonville State | 59th | 56th |
| James Madison | 77th | 52nd |
| Kansas | 99th | 82nd |
| Kansas State | 37th | 59th |
| Kennesaw State | 44th | 67th |
| Kent State | 15th | 5th |
| Kentucky | 62nd | 29th |
| LSU | 18th | 52nd |
| Lafayette | 0th | 12th |
| Liberty | 65th | 53rd |
| Lindenwood | 4th | 1st |
| Long Island University | 24th | 78th |
| Louisiana | 24th | 23rd |
| Louisiana Tech | 41st | 24th |
| Louisville | 84th | 32nd |
| Maine | 3rd | 18th |
| Marshall | 71st | 62nd |
| Maryland | 11th | 86th |
| Massachusetts | 5th | 9th |
| Memphis | 75th | 68th |
| Merrimack | 1st | 83rd |
| Miami | 80th | 64th |
| Miami (OH) | 33rd | 39th |
| Michigan | 73rd | 74th |
| Michigan State | 48th | 39th |
| Middle Tennessee | 69th | 47th |
| Minnesota | 35th | 33rd |
| Mississippi State | 52nd | 35th |
| Missouri | 76th | 50th |
| Missouri State | 32nd | 50th |
| Murray State | 1st | 6th |
| NC State | 58th | 71st |
| Navy | 95th | 72nd |
| Nebraska | 78th | 51st |
| Nevada | 17th | 16th |
| New Mexico | 38th | 60th |
| New Mexico State | 16th | 33rd |
| North Carolina | 14th | 30th |
| North Texas | 100th | 97th |
| Northern Illinois | 9th | 5th |
| Northwestern | 48th | 88th |
| Notre Dame | 88th | 99th |
| Ohio | 69th | 76th |
| Ohio State | 99th | 99th |
| Oklahoma | 39th | 41st |
| Oklahoma State | 14th | 7th |
| Old Dominion | 72nd | 79th |
| Ole Miss | 83rd | 95th |
| Oregon | 93rd | 55th |
| Oregon State | 54th | 25th |
| Penn State | 76th | 73rd |
| Pittsburgh | 35th | 56th |
| Purdue | 46th | 88th |
| Rice | 20th | 0th |
| Rutgers | 71st | 84th |
| SMU | 50th | 57th |
| Sam Houston | 26th | 4th |
| San Diego State | 84th | 1st |
| San José State | 68th | 70th |
| South Alabama | 53rd | 28th |
| South Carolina | 31st | 8th |
| South Carolina State | 10th | 3rd |
| South Florida | 86th | 46th |
| Southern Miss | 27th | 38th |
| Stanford | 12th | 12th |
| Syracuse | 19th | 10th |
| TCU | 63rd | 82nd |
| Temple | 85th | 22nd |
| Tennessee | 97th | 81st |
| Texas | 27th | 61st |
| Texas A&M | 88th | 59th |
| Texas State | 60th | 93rd |
| Texas Tech | 45th | 65th |
| Toledo | 67th | 42nd |
| Troy | 18th | 27th |
| Tulane | 81st | 86th |
| Tulsa | 43rd | 43rd |
| UAB | 34th | 94th |
| UCF | 39th | 20th |
| UCLA | 28th | 48th |
| UConn | 96th | 37th |
| UL Monroe | 13th | 14th |
| UNLV | 78th | 85th |
| USC | 94th | 90th |
| UT Martin | 2nd | 41st |
| UTEP | 3rd | 10th |
| UTSA | 67th | 92nd |
| Utah | 87th | 96th |
| Utah State | 31st | 49th |
| Vanderbilt | 90th | 100th |
| Virginia | 36th | 73rd |
| Virginia Tech | 59th | 21st |
| Wake Forest | 21st | 31st |
| Washington | 98th | 93rd |
| Washington State | 61st | 44th |
| West Virginia | 12th | 18th |
| Western Kentucky | 55th | 80th |
| Western Michigan | 86th | 16th |
| Wisconsin | 6th | 27th |
| Wyoming | 23rd | 15th |
Halftime identity
1st-half offense ranks 79th percentile in FBS; 2nd-half, 50th — competitive snaps only, garbage time excluded from both halves.
Schedule mirage
Raw EPA/play through week 21 is 0.18; 63rd percentile once opponent strength is stripped out, it's 0.04. The widest gap came in week 1: 0.38 raw vs. 0.03 adjusted.
Michigan reads strongest in explosive plays allowed (top 5%) and rushing epa (top 14%); the crux lives in explosive plays, where Michigan sits at the 13th percentile.
offense · strengths lead
defense · higher bar = harder to play against
hidden math · special situations
Most Similar Programs · Michigan
Static-attribute similarity across tier, archetype, conference, and voice. Not a prediction — a calibration.
Home-Field Advantage · Michigan · 2018-present
86% home win rate vs 69% on the road. margin runs +8.9 better at home. Michigan Stadium seats 107,601, averaging 103% full (110,386 attendance, 29 games reported).
Positional competition · WR/TE room
Donaven McCulley (WR) and Marlin Klein (TE) split the targets (71/111 vs 40/111) -- but the job isn't split the same way.
What changed
Play-calling barely moved on the change — every rate held within a few points.
The biggest shift: 4th-down go rate moved down 15 points. The rest held closer to steady.
Season by season
Defensive identity · pass zones
On short passes, Michigan’s defense allows a completion rate below the FBS mean (63.8% vs 65.9% league-wide, shrunk toward the mean for its 161-play sample) — mid-pack, 25 of 133 qualifying defenses.
We won’t show a deep-ball leaderboard here: at the defense level, most teams face well under 30 rich-feed deep targets all season — too thin to tell a real tendency from noise, so we won’t guess.
Historical echo
Programs whose stature climbed in the same shape. The grey line is their run; the color is what came next for them.
An analogy on the shape of a program’s Zeitgeist stature arc — not a prediction. Interim calibration, medium confidence; matched among current FBS programs at a comparable level.
58°F average kickoff temp; 11% of games had measurable precipitation; 9 mph average wind.
Based on 81 home games with weather data.
1 title, 3 CFP appearances across 12 seasons — the era the program defined.
Michigan's 2014–2025 record is 111-40 with 3 CFP appearances and 1 national title. The era closed the program's question of whether this program could still reach the room where the sport ends — by being in that room.
Week-by-week rivalry heat isn't tracked yet for this matchup — check back as the 2026-27 season approaches and real fan-intel signal accumulates.
Who's more worked up right now
Cross-fanbase rivalry sentiment for this matchup hasn't been measured yet this week — both sides show as neutral until real signal comes in.
THE LAST 5 · year-by-year
All-Time Record
since 1881 · 139 seasons · .716 win rate
Michigan has more all-time wins than any program in the history of the sport. It finished 2025 at 9-4, losing the Citrus Bowl to Texas by 14, then dismissed its head coach for cause and hired a 21-year Utah builder to steady the institution. The record book doesn't take a year off.
Michigan is the keeper of the record book. More wins than any program in college football history. The highest all-time winning percentage among programs with 1,000-plus games played. Fielding Yost's point-a-minute teams. The winged helmet. 107,601 seats in the Big House, the largest stadium in the Western Hemisphere. Bo Schembechler and the Ten Year War with Ohio State. Charles Woodson's Heisman. Jim Harbaugh's 2023 national title, the first in 26 years, preceded by three straight wins over Ohio State. The institution is that record and has been for over a century.
Sherrone Moore was dismissed for cause in December 2025 amid an off-field investigation. Michigan moved quickly: Kyle Whittingham, 21 seasons at Utah and one of the most respected program-builders in the sport, signed a five-year deal as the 22nd head coach in program history. Whittingham inherits a roster anchored by sophomore quarterback Bryce Underwood — the former No. 1 overall recruit who threw for 2,229 yards in an uneven freshman year — and a Big House crowd that has been trained, across decades and coaches, to expect the program to reassert itself. The 9-4 finish and the Citrus Bowl loss to Texas were the turbulent context. The institutional response was to hire a proven steady hand and call it a recalibration.
The 2026 season is Whittingham's first referendum. Not the question of whether Michigan will be competitive — Underwood's ceiling is real and the roster retained its core — but whether a 21-year Utah coach can install a culture in Ann Arbor fast enough that the program enters October as a genuine Big Ten title contender rather than a rebuilding story. Michigan Men do not use the word rebuild, and the standard doesn't make room for it. The schedule will answer which characterization fits.
Proud-institutional football — physical, disciplined, historically run-first with a premium on trench dominance. Whittingham's Utah teams were built the same way: defensive physicality, an efficient ground game, and a culture that outlasts individual talent cycles. Michigan's offensive adaptation under this staff will involve Underwood's arm — he has the tools to make the scheme more balanced than Utah's — layered over a run-game and defensive identity the program has carried for decades. The winged helmet and the M Club banner are not decorations; they're the operating system.
Michigan 2016–2025. Climbing +1.8 rungs across the last 10 seasons. Slope +0.14 rungs / year — moving up the prestige scale.
12 seasons on file
down middle peak CFP year
Season Standing · 2025 · 9-4 · CFP #18 / AP #18
Michigan: Ranked in the AP/Coaches polls, 16-25. National relevance achieved.
Big Ten Standing · 2025
Michigan sits 4th of 18 in the Big Ten at 7-2. Mid-conference — moves up or down depend on rivalry results and the late-season closing run.
| # | Program | Record |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Indiana | 11-0 |
| 2 | Ohio State | 9-1 |
| 3 | Oregon | 8-2 |
| 4 | Michigan | 7-2 |
| 5 | USC | 7-2 |
| 6 | Iowa | 6-3 |
| 7 | Illinois | 5-4 |
| 8 | Minnesota | 5-4 |
| 9 | Washington | 5-4 |
| 10 | Nebraska | 4-5 |
| 11 | Northwestern | 4-5 |
| 12 | Penn State | 3-6 |
| 13 | UCLA | 3-6 |
| 14 | Rutgers | 2-7 |
| 15 | Wisconsin | 2-7 |
| 16 | Maryland | 1-8 |
| 17 | Michigan State | 1-8 |
| 18 | Purdue | 0-9 |
Coaching Era · Michigan
Kyle Whittingham took over from Sherrone Moore for the 2026 season.
Things this fanbase does every Saturday — none of them invented in the last decade.
since 1898
Written by Louis Elbel hours after Michigan beat Chicago for the 1898 conference title. Played at every Michigan athletic event since. John Philip Sousa called it 'the greatest college fight song ever written.' The Big House's 110,000+ singing it after a touchdown is one of college football's universal experiences.
since 1962
Players leap to touch the 'Go Blue / M Club Supports You' banner as they enter the field. Started by Bo Schembechler when the M Club lettermen presented a banner; the ritual stabilized into a Bo-era pillar. Every Michigan player has touched it; the banner itself is replaced periodically but the pose is identical.
since 2010
Players walk from the team hotel to Michigan Stadium through fan-lined Main Street. Rich Rodriguez introduced it; Brady Hoke and Jim Harbaugh kept it. Less codified than Auburn's Tiger Walk but increasingly ritualized. The mid-2010s iteration grew to thousands of fans lining the route.
since 1938
Maize-and-blue helmet design from coach Fritz Crisler. Not a ritual per se — a permanent visual identity. So iconic that Delaware and Princeton adopted variants; Michigan's lawyers occasionally intervene. The helmet shows up in every recruiting pitch and every NFL broadcast graphic. Pure visual signature.
since 1897
Not a Saturday tradition — a season-long cultural orientation. Michigan calendars are organized around The Game; the rest of the schedule is the on-ramp. Three Yards and a Cloud of Dust came from this rivalry. The 2021-2023 Michigan three-game win streak ended Ohio State's dominance era; the 2024 result restored the cycle.
Marsh logged 88 mentions and 22 weeks of measurable presence, peaking at a 6.91 attention score — the longest sustained run of any Michigan skill player tracked last season. Those who stay will be champions, and Marsh stayed in the conversation longer than almost anyone on the roster.
gamelog + roster archive · Andrew Marsh · 2025The Wolverines' 63-3 win over Central Michigan in Week 3 landed 52.8 points above the team's season-average margin of 7.2 — by far the widest gap between a single scoreline and the team's own baseline that year. Leaders and best, and for one week in September, the margin matched the slogan.
gamelog · 2025 season · wk 3Bell needed only 6 weeks in the conversation to hit a 6.55 peak attention score, just below Marsh's 6.91 across more than three times as many weeks. Ten mentions total, but a per-week intensity that outpaced the volume numbers alone.
gamelog + roster archive · Kendrick Bell · 2025Opponents managed an explosive play against Michigan at just the 95.3 percentile rate of FBS — elite, and consistent with a defense that allowed almost nothing to break loose in 2025. The Team. The Team. The Team, and on defense that fall, the team meant it.
Savant card · 2025 season through postseasonProgram memory
Most weeks vanish. These didn’t.
12-0 and a share of the championship with Nebraska — Michigan's first in 49 years
2015
A botched snap on a punt hands Michigan State a last-second win; 'the punt' carries weight to this day
Heartbreak
2023
Michigan wins The Game three years running (2021-2023) before the title run
Michigan beats Washington for its first championship in 26 years, vindicating the Harbaugh era
Moment of the Year · Michigan · 2025
Week 18 of 2025. The single game that defined the season's arc.
Bowl / Postseason Ledger
Most recent: 2025 — loss 41-27 (away). Last 5 postseason: 3-2.
NFL Draft Pipeline
2022–202640 picks last 5 cycles, including 7 in round 1. Top recruit destination + development pipeline.
Unit lineage
FBS-relative efficiency percentile per season (2014–2025), same population as the Coordinator Mirror board. Dashed vertical lines mark a coordinator change.
Hired for 2026: Jason Beck — not yet reflected in on-field data.
Hired for 2026: Jay Hill — not yet reflected in on-field data.
All-time top community posts · ranked by upvotes
Michigan · Next-Season Outcome Band
Recruiting Footprint · 2026
Fanbase Health Index · Michigan · high confidence
2025 stat leaders
How They Play · 2025
Most Similar Programs · Michigan
Season Standing · 2025 · 9-4 · CFP #18 / AP #18
Coaching Era · Michigan
Moment of the Year · Michigan · 2025
Bowl / Postseason Ledger
NFL Draft Pipeline