ANN ARBOR, Mich. – The No. 21-ranked Michigan Wolverines are looking to keep their winning ways as they’ll play host to the Purdue Boilermakers.
After coming off a grueling matchup against the Michigan State Spartans in the battle for the Paul Bunyan Trophy on Oct. 25 in East Lansing, the 6-2 Wolverines will look to get their passing attack back on track.
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The Wolverines’ offense tallies 37 plays of 20-plus yards through eight weeks, including 22 receiving and 15 rushing.
Justice Haynes and Andrew Marsh lead the team with nine such plays each—Haynes with all rushes, Marsh with eight receptions.
Marsh also has three kickoff return plays of 20-plus yards.
Offensive line
The offensive line has helped pave the way for 21 rushing touchdowns while allowing only 10 sacks this season.
Despite injuries that have led to five different starting lineups in eight games, the unit remains effective.
Defensively
Defensively, Michigan allows an average of 3.75 negative plays per game, ranking 14th nationally in tackles for loss allowed.
Michigan leads the turnover battle with a 15-6 ratio, ranking eighth nationally. The men in maize have forced 15 turnovers, ranking 12th in FBS.
Linebacker Cole Sullivan leads the team with four turnovers forced (three interceptions, one fumble recovery).
He is one of nine Michigan linebackers with three or more interceptions in a season, the first since Steve Morrison in 1991.
Michigan ranks 24th in total defense, allowing over 300 yards of offense in only three games (Oklahoma, USC, Michigan State).
The Wolverines rank eighth nationally with 11 interceptions and have multiple turnovers in five of eight games. Nine players have contributed interceptions.
The recent game against Michigan State was the first without an interception since 2024 against Oregon, ending an 11-game streak.
Through seven games, 18 players have recorded interceptions or pass breakups, including linebackers, defensive linemen, and defensive backs.
Zeke Berry leads with six passes defended.
Michigan ranks second in the Big Ten with 39 total pass breakups (interceptions plus passes defended).
The pass rush averages 2.63 sacks per game, ranking 25th nationally.
Michigan’s 21 sacks are tied for fourth in the Big Ten.
Central Michigan is the only team to avoid a sack against Michigan.
The defense ranks 28th nationally in tackles for loss, averaging 6.6 negative plays per game.
Derrick Moore leads with 6.5 sacks and shares the team lead in tackles for loss with Jaishawn Barham.
Moore has consecutive games with multiple sacks for the first time in his career and ranks 15th nationally in sacks, third in the Big Ten, and first in conference play.
Opponents have only 21 runs of 10-plus yards, tied for the 13th fewest nationally.
Michigan’s defense has been strong at limiting big plays, allowing only one play of 50-plus yards this season. The Wolverines are among 19 teams that have allowed one or fewer such plays.
The rushing defense ranks 15th nationally, allowing 95.5 yards per game and 3.0 yards per carry.
Linebackers Ernest Hausmann and Jimmy Rolder lead the team with 52 tackles each.
TJ Metcalf leads the secondary with 32 tackles, and Trey Pierce leads interior defensive linemen with 18 stops.
Opponents score on 78.3% of red-zone drives against Michigan, the 26th stingiest mark nationally.
In the fourth quarter, opponents have scored only four field goals and four touchdowns this year.
Michigan has allowed 7 touchdowns and 4 field goals in 7 second halves, averaging 7.5 points allowed per second half, tied for 12th nationally.
Rushing attack
Haynes leads a strong rushing duo alongside Jordan Marshall.
The starting back has reached at least 100 rushing yards with a touchdown in seven of eight games this year, except when Haynes was injured at USC.
Last weekend, both Haynes and Marshall rushed for over 100 yards against the Michigan State Spartans, marking the first time since 1994 that Michigan had two 100-yard rushers in the series.
It was also the first time since the 2023 National Championship Game that the Wolverines had two 100-yard rushers in a game.
Marshall is a consistent, positive-yardage rusher, losing only one yard on 99 carries and averaging 5.5 yards per carry.
Michigan ranks 15th in FBS for rushing, averaging 220.1 yards per game.
Six players have scored rushing touchdowns, led by Haynes with 10, ranking seventh nationally despite missing nearly two full games. Marshall has five rushing touchdowns.
Haynes leads the Big Ten with 857 rushing yards (fourth nationally), ranking sixth in carries.
He averages 122.4 rushing yards per game and 7.08 yards per carry, ranking third and sixth nationally, respectively.
Haynes is one of four backs nationally with five or more runs of 40-plus yards and four or more runs of 50-plus yards.
Michigan and the UTSA Road Runners are the only FBS teams with six plays of 50-plus rushing yards this season.
Bryce Underwood
Quarterback Bryce Underwood averages 5.2 yards per carry with three rushing touchdowns.
Adjusted for sacks, Underwood averages 6.9 yards per carry on 35 rushes for 242 yards.
Michigan has nine 100-yard rushing performances this year: six by Haynes, two by Marshall, and one by Underwood.
Underwood’s passing stats include a 61.1% completion rate (121 of 198), averaging 7.95 yards per attempt and a 135.5 pass efficiency rating. He ranks 36th nationally with 12.61 yards per completion.
Passing attack
The passing game continues to develop with 12 different receivers, including five with 10 or more catches. Freshman Andrew Marsh has 20 catches for 321 yards and two touchdowns over the last month.
Tight ends have combined for 28 receptions, 332 yards, and an 11.9-yard average per catch, with five different tight ends catching passes.
The Wolverines will host the Purdue Boilermakers on Saturday, Nov. 1, 2025, in Ann Arbor inside the Big House.
Kickoff is at 7 p.m. on the Big Ten Network.