Michigan 13, Western Michigan 12

 

J.J. Buchanan (image via X)

A win is a win. This is a common refrain around here, but this one still goes in the record books as a victory. As Herm Edwards famously said, "You play to win the game."

I have lots of issues with the offense. This was not a well organized or executed game plan, and I'll say that from top to bottom. Kyle Whittingham, Jason Beck, Bryce Underwood, the offensive line, etc., they're all accountable. I've seen a lot of heat thrown in Underwood's direction. He's not a difference maker right now, true, but other people - who are more experienced - need to be better. So he's not even my #1 problem.

Jason Beck. I think this game might have been a wake-up call for Beck. This is not to say that I don't think he's up for the challenge, but Beck got a live look at what can happen in Michigan Stadium at 7:30 p.m. on a Saturday night, when a solid MAC team takes its best shot at a big-time program. I think Beck (and some of the players) thought they would walk into the stadium, steamroll a lesser opponent, and then try to walk into the Oklahoma game after having a warmup. That's not what happened. There are two things I'm most surprised about:

1. Beck said he had a specific number of touches he wanted for his skill guys. Jordan Marshall should get more than 11 carries, and Andrew Marsh should get more than 2 catches. You can't go a whole game and only find a way to get Marsh the ball twice. It's not like he's an outside X receiver who can be taken away if you double him. He's capable of catching screens, deep balls, in-breaking routes, getting an occasional reverse/end around, etc.
2. The passing concepts were vanilla and/or poorly executed. Now maybe the vanilla aspect has to do with the quarterback, but guys often weren't getting open for Underwood. People get mad at the quarterback when he sits back there and doesn't throw the ball, but there has to be a place for him to go more consistently. (Yes, Underwood missed some open players/plays at times, which I'll address below.)

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2026 Ex-Wolverine Updates: Week 1

 

Brady Hart

FORMER PLAYERS

Devon Baxter, DE (Virginia): Baxter made 1 tackle, 0.5 tackles for loss, and 1 pass breakup in week zero against North Carolina State.

Jeremiah Beasley, LB (Missouri): Beasley made 7 tackles in a 54-14 win over Arkansas-Pine Bluff.

Tristan Bounds, OT (Arizona): Bounds is the starting right tackle for Arizona.

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Preview: Michigan vs. Western Michigan

 

Broc Lowry (image via X)

RUSH OFFENSE vs. WMU RUSH DEFENSE
Michigan was #2 in the Big Ten in 2025 with 210 yards/game on the ground and averaged the highest yards per carry (5.44) of any team in the conference, which might be surprising to some, considering the ho-hum season and general feeling about Michigan football last season. They finished with 33 rushing touchdowns (#3 in the conference) but played in only thirteen games, while the top two teams - Indiana and Oregon - played sixteen and fifteen games, respectively. The bad thing is that Michigan swapped out Justice Haynes (who transferred to Georgia Tech) for freshman Savion Hiter. Hiter is undoubtedly talented, but probably not quite as advanced as Haynes was in 2025. Meanwhile, Utah was #2 in the country in rushing (266 yards/game) and #1 in yards per carry (6.02), and Michigan imported Utah's offense with offensive coordinator Jason Beck and offensive line coach Jim Harding. The offensive line is mostly new in 2026; right tackle Andrew Sprague is the only full-time starter returning in the same spot, with part-time starters Blake Frazier (LT), Evan Link (LG), Jake Guarnera (C), Nate Efobi (RG), and Brady Norton (RG) also playing quite a bit. Beck stated earlier this week that there will be a rotation at guard, presumably between Link, Efobi, and Norton, until they decide on a winner. Western Michigan went 10-4 last season and finished #2 in the MAC in yards allowed on the ground (126 yards/game). Their top three tacklers from last season are gone, but they return fifth year senior CB Jarvarius Sims (6'0", 188 lbs.) and redshirt junior S Micah Davis (6'1", 200), who were #4 and #5 in tackles last season. Davis was a walk-on at Michigan from 2022-2023 before transferring to WMU and will be starting once again in 2026. The entire front four consists of transfers from FCS Long Island, JUCO Kilgore College, Ohio State, and Ball State, and none of them is taller than 6'1". The starting linebackers are fifth year seniors Domanick Moon (6'2", 235) and Dillon Moore (6'2", 223), who were both backups last season and had 23 and 19 tackles, respectively. The Broncos gave up 4.1 and 4.4 yards per carry last season to Michigan State and Illinois, and Michigan is a better running team than either. I expect the Wolverines to be able to control the game on the ground.
Advantage: Michigan

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Michigan's 10 Longest Plays vs. Western Michigan

 

Brandon Herron

Michigan is 6-0 against Western Michigan since their first meeting in 2001.

1. Brandon Herron 94-yard INT return TD (2011)
2. Blake Corum 79-yard kickoff return (2021)
3. Cade McNamara 76-yard TD pass to Ronnie Bell (2021)
4. A.J. Henning 74-yard rushing TD (2021)
5. J.J. McCarthy 69-yard TD pass to Daylen Baldwin (2021)
6. Karan Higdon 67-yard rushing TD (2018)
7. Jeremy LeSueur 49-yard kickoff return (2002)
8. John Navarre 47-yard pass to Calvin Bell (2001)
9. Tate Forcier 44-yard TD pass to Junior Hemingway (2009)
10. Michael Shaw 44-yard rushing TD (2011)
11. Shea Patterson 44-yard pass TD to Nico Collins (2018)

Hit the jump for some videos.