• U-M looks to add to the program’s streak of 26 consecutive Big Ten wins (dating to 2021). That figure represents a program record, with the previous mark set by Gary Moeller’s 1990-92 teams (19).
• The Big Ten conference does not recognize the 2021, 2022, or 2023 title games as conference matchups, so U-M is at 23 straight wins by the league’s record book.
• Since the start of the 2016 season, U-M has registered fewer than 100 team passing yards on six occasions. The Wolverines are 6-0 in such games with wins over Indiana (59 yards, 2016; 58 yards, 2017), Minnesota (56, 2017), Washington (44, 2021), Penn State (60, 2023), and USC (32, 2024) during that stretch (via On3’s Anthony Broome).
• According to TruMediaSports (via ESPN’s Max Olson), Michigan’s win over USC with 32 passing yards is the third time in the last three seasons that a team has defeated an AP Top 25-ranked opponent with fewer than 50 yards through the air. The other two wins came for two of the nation’s service academies: Army (40 yards, Air Force, 2023) and Navy (zero, UCF, 2022).
• Twelve (12) Wolverines have made their collegiate debuts so far this season: Chibi Anwunah (edge), Manuel Beigel (defensive line), Hogan Hansen (tight end), Jason Hewlett (linebacker), Breeon Ishmail (edge), Ike Iwunnah (defensive line), Dominic Nichols (edge), Bryson Kuzdzal (running back), Evan Link (offensive line), Jordan Marshall (running back), Andrew Sprague (offensive line), and Cole Sullivan (linebacker).
• Another six players made their first career starts as Wolverines after earning starting assignments at their previous institutions: C.J. Charleston (wide receiver), Josh Priebe (offensive line), Josaiah Stewart (edge), Ernest Hausmann (linebacker), Jaishawn Barham (linebacker), and Dominic Zvada (kicker).
• Ten (10) players have made their first career starts this fall: wide receiver Kendrick Bell, center Dominick Giudice, right tackle Evan Link, tight end Marlin Klein, wide receiver Peyton O’Leary, quarterback Alex Orji, quarterback Davis Warren on offense; defensive back Zeke Berry, defensive back Jyaire Hill, and edge Derrick Moore on defense.
• Pro Football Focus (PFF) grades U-M’s rushing offense (14th, 86.3), defense (ninth, 90.0), run defense (ninth, 90.7), tackling (19th, 76.7), and pass rush (fifth, 84.1) among the top units in the country.
• Entering the season, Kalel Mullings had a career-long run of 23 yards (at Minnesota, 2023). So far this season he has runs of 30 (touchdown), 30, 38, 53 (touchdown), and 63 yards.
• Donovan Edwards also registered his longest carry of the year against the Trojans (41 yards) and scored on the play. He’s reached 70-plus rush yards in consecutive games, averaging over 5.2 yards per carry in that span (31 carries).
• It was the first time multiple U-M backs scored on runs of 40-plus yards in the same game since 2022 (Penn State) when Edwards (67-yard run) and Blake Corum (61-yard run) scored less than four minutes of game time apart.
• Mullings is seventh in the country in yards per carry (8.1) and 12th in rushing yards (429). He is Pro Football Focus College’s No. 10-graded rusher (89.2; minimum 18 carries).
• Mullings averages 5.38 yards per carry after contact, according to PFF. He has just one yard lost on 53 carries this season and just three yards lost on 103 career carries.
• Mullings has set new career highs each of the past two weeks in rushing yards (153, 159) and attempts (15, 17).
• Together the duo helped U-M total 290 yards rushing, the second straight game at or near 300 yards on the ground.
• Tight end Colston Loveland was the leader or co-leader in receptions in each of U-M’s first three games before missing last weekend’s contest.
• Loveland’s 80 career receptions rank sixth all-time for tight ends (next: Sim Nelson, 84) and his 1,071 career receiving yards are now fifth all-time among tight ends at U-M (next: Lowell Perry, 1,261).
• Opponents have struggled to run the ball effectively against the Wolverines. Fresno State finished with nine rushing yards, Texas with 143, Arkansas State with 58, and USC with 96. Altogether, teams have scored just one rushing touchdown against U-M this year.
• USC’s Woody Marks reached exactly 100 rushing yards on 13 carries. He was the first back to reach 100-plus rushing yards on U-M since Emari Demercado (150 yards on 17 carries) of TCU (Dec. 31, 2022).
• Twelve (12) different players have broken up passes for the defense this year including four defensive linemen. Will Johnson leads the team with five (including two interceptions) and Kenneth Grant has three.
• Grant has been active in this area throughout his career; he had six breakups in 2023, giving him nine for his career. Across 2023 and 2024 combined, the defensive line has been responsible for more than a quarter (26.3 percent) of the team’s total pass breakups (7-of-26 in 2024; 18-of-69 in 2023).
• The defense has generated 21 tackles for loss this season (5.2 per game), led by edge rusher Josaiah Stewart‘s 6.5 (17th NCAA). Stewart’s 4.0 sacks are the most by any player in the Big Ten and rank 12th nationally. He matched his career-highs in TFLs (3.0) and sacks (2.0) last weekend against USC.
• Stewart was rewarded for his efforts with Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week honors by the league on Monday. He was also named Breakout Defensive Player of the Week by the East-West Shrine Bowl. On Tuesday, he picked up another recognition as the Chuck Bednarik Player of the Week.
