Michigan Football’s Lost Season
This year, FBS teams have averaged a play length of about 5.9 yards. Interestingly, there’s one team that hasn’t allowed any opponent to reach even 5 yards per play in a single game. However, that team, Michigan, saw its playoff hopes dashed yesterday with a third loss of the season, even while maintaining a strong defensive performance of allowing 20 points or fewer. No other team in FBS has lost more than two games under those conditions.
And here we are with Michigan. The Wolverines suffered a home defeat of 13-6 against Indiana, which is not the typical moral victory one might expect, especially for an unranked team fielding a true freshman backup quarterback against the reigning national champions. It’s actually a disappointing reflection of just how much potential Michigan has squandered this season. They’ve assembled what could be a historically strong defense, yet essentially no offense to speak of, leaving fans scratching their heads.
The current landscape of college football is marked by a surprising level of parity among top teams. Oregon and Texas A&M have also dropped out of the playoff picture, despite spending even more on their rosters than Michigan. However, those teams are struggling in various ways and aren’t excelling in any particular area. In contrast, Michigan possesses a championship-caliber defense reminiscent of their successful 2023 unit. It’s shocking to see how lost this team seems, given their defensive prowess. If anything should prompt Michigan to not only part ways with its offensive coordinator but also to reassess its offensive strategy entirely, it’s this.
Now, looking at Bryce Underwood, he wasn’t particularly impressive as a freshman, but there were justifications for some concerns. Most true freshmen don’t perform particularly well in their debut seasons. The Wolverines had moments from their receivers, yet as a group, they were below average. Coach Sherrone Moore, who isn’t a seasoned quarterback coach, unfortunately, had his focus elsewhere. In a more professional setup like Whittingham’s, where winning was a consistent result over 21 years, Underwood could have potentially thrived this season.
But, that wasn’t the case. Underwood struggled and was benched this past week. His replacement, Tommy Carr, is a borderline four-star recruit who perhaps wouldn’t be on the roster were it not for his grandfather’s legacy at Michigan. The current situation doesn’t offer many good options for Michigan, and the ongoing quarterback changes have yielded little improvement. Carr managed some decent plays late against Indiana, but scoring just six points over four quarters speaks volumes. Equally concerning is the failure to reach the end zone after two attempts inside the 5-yard line during regulation.
The quarterback dilemma at Michigan has some clarity: it appears the team, like much of the industry, misjudged Underwood’s potential and struggled in grooming him. The downturn in Michigan’s running game is perplexing. Last year, they ranked 11th in yards per carry and 9th in rushing success; now, they sit at 112th and 106th, despite having the same leading back, Jordan Marshall. The offensive line has faced injuries and alterations, and promising freshman Savion Hiter hasn’t made the expected impact. A significant issue arises with perimeter runs: Michigan’s running backs are averaging about 4.6 yards up the middle, 3.3 to the left, but only 2.6 to the right. It’s strange, then, that offensive coordinator Jason Beck, who joined with Whittingham, continues to prioritize outside runs so heavily.
It’s really unusual to see such a stark contrast in rankings between a team’s offense and defense. The defense is performing at a top tier, yet the offense ranks a dismal 122nd. Historically, the last team featuring such a significant gap was Iowa under Kirk Ferentz, which notably defeated Michigan with a last-minute touchdown at the Big House a month ago.
As someone who appreciates visiting Ann Arbor and would argue it’s the best college town in the Big Ten, I’m not a Michigan supporter. If I were, though, I think I’d feel quite frustrated by this wasted season, particularly since the defense is performing so well and the rest of the Big Ten appears somewhat vulnerable. Ohio State might still lead the conference, but a potentially serious injury to Julian Sayin could have opened doors for Michigan in The Game—if only their offense weren’t so dismal. Oregon shares a similarly dire fate as Michigan. Penn State’s coaching delays have resulted in an underwhelming performance in their season, and USC seems to be floundering under Lincoln Riley. Even the defending champions at Indiana have struggled recently, unlike the powerhouse they were in 2025. No offense to Northwestern or UCLA—who are also playing backup quarterbacks—but the opportunity for success was definitely on the table.
A moderately effective Michigan offense could have kept this team in contention for the Big Ten title with limitless potential. Instead, this season now stands as a wasted chance. It’s not that Michigan is denying this reality, but they surely weren’t looking to rebuild when hiring 66-year-old Kyle Whittingham and bringing in key players from Utah; they aimed to compete right away.
Moving forward, what Michigan can do is evident, though it won’t be simple. They’ll need a new quarterback next year, having moved beyond Underwood and given Carr a chance. Ideally, their starting quarterback for 2027 shouldn’t currently be on the roster, which may mean diving into the transfer portal—something they haven’t done since 2018 with Shea Patterson from Ole Miss. Michigan has prided itself on developing quarterbacks, and while that’s valuable, it might not be wise to start another true freshman next season. Additionally, the next quarterback will require a different coach, as Beck needs to go; he doesn’t have the solutions. It will also be vital to retain as much of this defensive talent as possible to ensure that a revamped offense isn’t starting from ground zero.
Michigan doesn’t have to be too far off from contention. Most of the defensive contributors this season have eligibility left, if the program is willing to invest in keeping them. There’s room here to attract a better offensive play-caller and quarterback. However, regardless of how Michigan builds for 2027, the shadow of the lost opportunity in 2026 will linger.
