• U-M and Alabama will meet for the seventh time in series history with this meeting taking place in the ReliaQuest Bowl in Tampa, Florida. The series is tied at three wins apiece, with U-M claiming the most recent victory in this same calendar year (Jan. 1, 2024) in the 2023 CFP Semifinal Rose Bowl game.
• This is also U-M’s seventh bid in the ReliaQuest Bowl (formerly Outback Bowl, Hall of Fame Bowl), the most among Big Ten schools. U-M is 3-3 in the postseason game overall but is looking for its first win in the bowl since 2003.
• As postseason honors have been announced, several Wolverines have received national recognition. Defensive lineman Mason Graham received unanimous first-team All-America honors and kicker Dominic Zvada was named a first-team All-American by the AP. Tight end Colston Loveland (FWAA) and defensive back Will Johnson (AFCA) were second-team honorees and defensive lineman Kenneth Grant (AP) picked up third-team honors.
• Graham’s recognition gives U-M a consensus All-American in four consecutive seasons: Aidan Hutchinson (2021), Blake Corum (2022), Zak Zinter (2023), and Graham (2024). Over that stretch, only Georgia and Iowa (five each) can claim more consensus honorees.
• Graham was also a finalist for the Nagurski Trophy and Outland Trophy, given to the best defensive player in college football and college football’s best interior lineman, respectively. Loveland was a finalist for the Mackey Award given to the best college football tight end. William Wagner was a finalist for the Patrick Mannelly Award given to the nation’s best long snapper.
• The Michigan run game is centered around hybrid player Max Bredeson. A true fullback who also lines up as a tight end and an H-back, Bredeson has five starts this season and three receptions. He made two catches on Senior Day against Northwestern. For his career, he has 10 receptions for 121 yards.
• Entering the season, Kalel Mullings had a career-long run of 23 yards (at Minnesota, 2023). So far this season he has six runs of at least 30 yards: 30 (touchdown), 30, 38, 47, 53 (touchdown), and 63 yards.
• Mullings has 12 rushing touchdowns this season. He is Pro Football Focus’ No. 40-graded rusher (86.4), averaging 3.55 yards after contact per attempt. He’s lost only 18 yards on 185 attempts this year.
• Both Mullings (5.1) and Donovan Edwards (4.6) have productive yards-per-carry numbers. Mullings is 52 yards shy of giving U-M four straight seasons with a 1,000-yard back (Hassan Haskins, 2021; Blake Corum, 2022-23).
• Edwards is just 14 yards shy of setting the career receiving yards record by a running back at Michigan. Edwards will finish second to Anthony Thomas (810 yards) with 86 catches for 797 career yards (9.3 average).
• According to the Big Ten Network, Edwards is the only Big Ten running back this century with multiple touchdown rushes (18), receptions (four), and passes (two) in his career.
• True freshmen backs Jordan Marshall and Micah Ka’apana and sophomore Benjamin Hall saw more work down the stretch of the regular season. Hall had carries in two of U-M’s final three games, and Marshall saw action in all three (Indiana, Northwestern, Ohio State).
• Tight end Marlin Klein, who enters with 13 career receptions for 109 yards, figures to be a larger contributor as well. Klein has played in all 12 games with six starts this season and had a career-high three catches against Ohio State (two for third down conversions). Hogan Hansen (six catches, 68 yards, one touchdown) will also be a factor at the tight end position.
• Tight end Colston Loveland was the leader or co-leader in receptions for U-M in every game he finished this season (nine), with 56 total catches. Loveland’s 84 targets were fifth in the nation among FBS tight ends through 11 games.
• Loveland became Michigan’s single-season record holder for catches by a tight end this season (56), passing the record held by Bennie Jopru (53, 2002) in the game against Northwestern.
• Wide receiver Peyton O’Leary has made several key plays in 2024, including an 18-yard reception to convert a third down at Ohio State. O’Leary has five starts this season and made receptions against Northwestern, Indiana, Oregon, Michigan State, and Texas. He has nine receptions for 95 yards with one touchdown this season.
• Colston Loveland became Michigan’s single-season record holder for catches by a tight end this season (56), passing the record held by Bennie Jopru (53, 2002) in the game against Northwestern.
• Across the last three weeks of FBS regular season football, Michigan is tied for the fewest second-half points allowed per game (1.0). Indiana’s fourth-quarter field goal represents the only points allowed.
• The Wolverine defense had at least six TFL in seven of nine Big Ten games, totaling 60 tackles for loss (fourth in Big Ten) and 27 sacks (third) in league play. U-M’s six sacks against Northwestern marked a season-high and the most since the Rose Bowl game against Alabama in 2023 (six).
U-M’s charge into the backfield is led by Josaiah Stewart‘s 6.5 sacks, all of which have come in Big Ten play (leader: 9.0). Stewart finished the regular season ranked 16th in the country with 0.77 sacks per game. Stewart’s win rate of 24.6 percent ranks No. 2 in the nation (minimum 75 pass rush snaps).
• Makari Paige has three career interceptions and two have come during wins in Columbus.
• The Wolverines rank 31st nationally in sacks (2.58 per game). TJ Guy (5.5 in Big Ten play) listed seventh in the conference in sacks during league play.
• Guy (tied-11th, 20.6) and Derrick Moore (19.3, tied-18th) are also among the nation’s best in pass rush win rate according to PFF.
• U-M has forced two-plus interceptions three times this season including in back-to-back games (Northwestern, Ohio State).
• Zeke Berry (two interceptions, one fumble forced/recovered) leads the team in turnovers and pass breakups (10 including two interceptions). Berry has seven breakups including one pick across his last four games.
• Eight different players are responsible for U-M’s 14 defensive turnovers (three fumble recoveries, 11 interceptions).
• Eighteen (18) different players have broken up passes for the defense this year including six different defensive linemen/edge rushers.
• Among FBS interior defensive linemen, Rayshaun Benny ranked 20th in run defense (84.3).
• The U-M run defense is one of eight in the nation giving up fewer than 100 yards per game on the ground (92.6, third, NCAA). The Big Ten is home to four of those eight teams (Indiana, U-M, UCLA, OSU).
• Ernest Hausmann leads the U-M defense with 82 tackles, 17 clear of the next-highest total. Hausmann set a Michigan career-high with 12 tackles at Washington, matching his best career total at Nebraska, and registered nine-plus tackles in a game four times this season.
• U-M is 11th in the nation in kick return defense (15.73 yards per return, on average). Hudson Hollenbeck is expected to make his debut punting in the ReliaQuest Bowl against Alabama.
• Dominic Zvada is 17-for-18 this year (one blocked). His nine conversions at 40-plus yards are one shy of matching the single-season record at U-M held by Jake Moody.
• Zvada was named the Big Ten’s Bakken-Andersen Kicker of the Year, the second Wolverine to hold the honor (Jake Moody, 2021-22).
• Zvada converted a 54-yard field goal in Columbus and has now made a 50-plus yarder in three straight games (56, 56, 54). At seven-for-seven from 50-plus yards this season, Zvada continues to build on his single-season and program records (previous: four). The FBS record for most 50-plus yard field goals in a season is eight. SMU’s Collin Rodgers (7-for-11) is also knocking on the door of that record.
• Michigan’s special teams units are ranked No. 1 in ESPN’s College Football Power Index Efficiency Rankings for the 2024 season (75.4).
• BCFToys’ FEI Ratings, opponent-adjusted possession efficiency data, lists U-M’s SFEI at 0.15, the third-best mark in the nation. U-M’s possession efficiency (0.13) and field goal efficiency (1.29) are both ranked No. 1 in the country.
• Fourteen (14) players have made their first career starts this fall: wide receiver Kendrick Bell, center Greg Crippen, tackle Andrew Gentry, center Dominick Giudice, tight end Marlin Klein, right tackle Evan Link, wide receivers Fredrick Moore and Peyton O’Leary, quarterback Alex Orji, quarterback Davis Warren on offense; defensive back Zeke Berry, edge TJ Guy, defensive back Jyaire Hill, and edge Derrick Moore on defense.
• Another nine players have made their first career starts as Wolverines after earning starting assignments at their previous institutions: C.J. Charleston (wide receiver), Josh Priebe (offensive line), Jack Tuttle (quarterback), Jaishawn Barham (linebacker), Aamir Hall (cornerback) Ernest Hausmann (linebacker), Josaiah Stewart (edge), Wesley Walker (defensive back), and Dominic Zvada (kicker).
• Twenty-three (23) Wolverines have made collegiate debuts this season: Chibi Anwunah (edge), Manuel Beigel (defensive line), Mason Curtis (defensive back), Jadyn Davis (quarterback), Jo’Ziah Edmond (defensive back), Jake Guarnera (offensive line), Channing Goodwin (wide receiver), Hogan Hansen (tight end), Jason Hewlett (linebacker), Breeon Ishmail (edge), Ike Iwunnah (defensive line), Micah Ka’apana (running back), Bryson Kuzdzal (running back), Alexander Lidback (linebacker), Jack MacKinnon (linebacker), Jordan Marshall (running back), Dominic Nichols (edge), Jacob Oden (defensive back), Max Reyes (defensive back), Evan Link (offensive line), Peter Simmons (defensive line), Andrew Sprague (offensive line), and Cole Sullivan (linebacker).
