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Michigan’s season may hinge on Underwood’s development

Ohio State and Oregon are set to challenge Indiana for Big Ten supremacy. The Buckeyes and Ducks have rosters full of seasoned players and the Hoosiers must replace Heisman Trophy winner and No. 1 NFL draft pick Fernando Mendoza. Ohio State plays the toughest conference schedule. The Buckeyes visit Indiana on Oct. 17 and host Oregon on Nov. 7. Those games could go a long way in deciding the teams in the Big Ten championship game in Indianapolis on Dec. 5 and CFP seeding. Other contenders include Southern California, Michigan and Penn State.

No. 16 MICHIGAN

2025 record: 9-4

The Wolverines will likely fall short of a double-digit win season for the third straight year with six opponents ranked in the AP Top 25, including four in the top 10. Coach Kyle Whittingham’s debut season may hinge on how much Bryce Underwood improves in his second season but he should bring stability to a program that desperately needs it, coming off the firing and arrest of former coach Sherrone Moore and NCAA rules violations that put the maize and blue on probation.

Underwood stepped on campus as the No. 1 recruit in the country last year and didn’t live up to the hype, throwing just 11 touchdowns with nine interceptions in 13 games. Whittingham hired a quarterbacks coach, former NFL QB Koy Detmer, to give Underwood a resource he didn’t have as a freshman.

Michigan’s running game potentially can take some pressure off Underwood. Whittingham says he expects the 6-foot-4, 230-pound Underwood to be part of the attack by design and improvisation.

Jordan Marshall gained 6.2 yards a carry last year and finished with 932 yards rushing and 10 touchdowns for the Wolverines. Marshall is expected to share carries with freshman Savion Hiter, one of the nation’s top-rated high school running backs. Utah transfers John Henry Daley, a second-team preseason AP All-America edge, and Jonah Lea’ea lead a revamped and strong defensive line.

Michigan has sent a steady stream of tight ends, including Colston Loveland, to the NFL in recent years and that streak will likely stop. Zach Marshall has the most experience in the position group, but has just 16 career catches for 199 yards and a TD. The Wolverines lost their top four linebackers from last season, including Cole Sullivan, who transferred to Oklahoma. Troy Bowles has a shot to lead the group in his second season following two years as a seldom-used player at Georgia.

New faces

Daley, Lea’ea, CB Smith Snowden, WR JJ Buchanan (transfers from Utah), freshman WR Salesi Moa (flipped commitment to Utah), Hiter (highly touted recruit), S Chris Bracy (Memphis).

Key losses

DE Derrick Moore, TE Marlin Klein, DE Jaishawn Barham, LB Jimmy Rolder, FB Max Bredeson (all were selected in NFL draft), RB Justice Haynes (transferred to Georgia Tech), WR Semaj Morgan (transferred to UCLA), DB Jayden Sanders (transferred to Notre Dame), DB TJ Metcalf (transferred to Tennessee), DB Brandyn Hillman (transferred to Virginia) and Sullivan (transferred to Oklahoma).

Biggest games

Vs. No. 10 Oklahoma (Sept. 12), vs. No. 6 Indiana (Oct. 24), at No. 2 Oregon (Nov. 14), at No. 1 Ohio State (Nov. 28).

MICHIGAN STATE

2025 record: 4-8

The Spartans will surpass modest projections if they avoid a fifth straight losing season in Pat Fitzgerald’s first year as coach. Fitzgerald and Michigan State seem to be a good fit and both have a lot to prove. Fitzgerald was fired four years ago by Northwestern due to a hazing scandal. He sued Northwestern and agreed to a settlement after the school said evidence did not establish any player reported hazing to Fitzgerald or that he condoned or directed hazing. The Spartans are hoping Fitzgerald, their third coach since 2023, can turn around a program that has won five or fewer games in each of the past four seasons and is trying to shed fallout from the Mel Tucker firing.

Cam Edwards bolsters the running game after running for 1,240 yards and 15 touchdowns last season for UConn. His chances of having room to run improved when former teammate Ben Murawski, a standout left tackle for the Huskies, also decided to transfer and play for the Spartans. Jordan Hall, an honorable mention All-Big Ten player last year, returns for his fourth year with the program and leads a deep linebacking corps coached by former Spartan and Notre Dame assistant Max Bullough.

Big-play WR Nick Marsh transferred to Indiana and no one seems ready to step into his role. Chrishon McCray is the returning WR with the most yards receiving last year (330 yards on 24 catches with three TDs). Transfers Fredrick Moore and KK Smith will get chances to show what they can do after being seldom-used players at Michigan and Notre Dame.

Michigan State had fewer than two sacks a game last season, ranking 86th in the nation, and might struggle to get to the quarterback again this year. DT Ben Roberts is the returning player on the DL with the most experience with the Spartans and he had 11 tackles in six starts last season. Illinois transfer Eli Coenen will have an opportunity to be an impact player on the defensive front.

New faces

Edwards and Murawski (transfers from UConn), LB Kenny Soares (transfer from NC State), CB Tre Bell (transfer from Iowa State), C Trent Fraley (transfer from North Dakota State), WR Samson Gash (four-star recruit).

Key losses

Marsh (transferred to Indiana), QB Aidan Chiles (transferred to Northwestern), RB Makhi Frazier (transferred to Ole Miss), TE Michael Masunas (transfer to Texas), OL Stanton Ramil (transfer to Auburn), C Matt Gulbin (NFL draft), P Ryan Eckley (NFL draft), WR Omari Kelly (NFL), and TE Jack Velling (NFL).

Biggest games

At No. 4 Notre Dame (Sept. 19), at No. 16 Michigan (Nov. 7), at No. 17 Washington (Sept. 14), vs No. 2 Oregon (Nov. 20).

WISCONSIN

2025 record: 4-8

Wisconsin believes its increased investment in roster construction can help the Badgers bounce back from back-to-back losing seasons. Before departing as athletic director to take a job in the Big Ten office, Chris McIntosh decided to stick with Luke Fickell rather than making a coaching change. McIntosh believed Fickell could win at Wisconsin if he got more financial support.

Wisconsin then added 34 transfers, including 27 from other Bowl Subdivision programs. Wisconsin had a Power Four-leading 22 straight winning seasons before this recent downturn. An improved roster and a lighter schedule ought to help the Badgers return to bowl eligibility this season. Wisconsin opens against No. 4 Notre Dame, but the conference schedule doesn’t include any of the three Big Ten teams that made last year’s College Football Playoff (Indiana, Ohio State and Oregon).

The linebacker duo of Mason Posa and Cooper Catalano gives Wisconsin reason for hope. Both moved into the starting lineup late in their freshman seasons and provided a spark in victories over Washington and Illinois last year. Posa made such an impact that he earned third-team all-Big Ten honors from the league’s coaches despite starting just five games.

Wisconsin ranked next-to-last among all FBS programs last year - ahead of only UMass - in yards per game and yards per play. The Badgers did plenty of work to upgrade their talent base on that side of the ball in the offseason. There’s no doubt Wisconsin’s offense will be better this season than it was a year ago. But there was such a long way to go that simply getting back to respectability would be a major step forward.

New faces

S Marvin Burks Jr. started 26 straight games for Missouri from 2024-25. He had 66 tackles in 2024 and 49 last season.

QB Colton Joseph comes over from Old Dominion to become the fourth straight transfer to open a season as Wisconsin’s starter at this position. He threw for 2,624 yards and 21 touchdowns while rushing for 1,007 yards and 13 more scores last year to help Old Dominion go 9-3 in the regular season.

CB Javan Robinson made 26 straight starts at Arizona State from 2024-25.

RB Abu Sama III rushed for 1,933 yards at Iowa State the last three seasons. He ran fot 732 yards and gained 5.2 yards per carry last year.

OT PJ Wilkins has a good chance of opening the season as Wisconsin’s starting left tackle. He primarily played guard at his two previous schools: Charlotte (2024) and Mississippi (2025).

Key losses

LB Christian Alliegro (transfer to Ohio State, OL Joe Brunner (transfer to Indiana), CB Ricardo Hallman (Denver Broncos camp).

Biggest games

Notre Dame at Lambeau Field (Sept. 6), at No. 18 Penn State (Sept. 26), vs. No. 14 Southern California (Oct. 24), at No. 22 Iowa (Oct. 31), vs. Minnesota (Nov. 27)