4 Ways Michigan Football Can Turn Its Season Around

This is not where a lot of Michigan fans thought the team would be when the season started. Before the season began, buzz around the program was talking about a run at the College Football Playoff.

Instead, those hopes have been all but dashed as the Wolverines are 3-2 going into their bye week, and likely would need to run the table in order to get a seat at the table for the postseason.

In fact, some discussion now is whether or not Michigan will be able to make a run at a bowl game.

They’re likely to be favored in just three more games this season. If Michigan just won the games they were favored in and lost the others, they would finish 6-6, which would just get them into bowl eligibility.

That’s a far cry from a shot at the College Football Playoff. They need to turn things around, and fast. How do they do that?

We have a few ideas.

Get Downhill

Blake Frazier came dangerously close to quoting Brady Hoke when he started talking about Michigan’s run game.

“I would love that,” Frazier said. “This is Michigan football. You think Michigan football, you think downhill runs. I would love to see that implemented a little bit more."

OK, so that’s not quite saying, “This is Michigan for God’s sakes.” But it’s clear what direction Frazier wants to go with Michigan’s run game.

Michigan’s run game has not gotten on track this season. Jordan Marshall and Savion Hiter are rushing well below what the general consensus was they’d be pacing at by this point in the year.

Whether it was Western Michigan, Oklahoma, or Minnesota, it has not mattered. The Wolverines cannot run the ball effectively enough.

Michigan offensive lineman Blake Frazier (77) celebrates 17-10 win over Oklahoma at Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor on Saturday, Sept. 12, 2026. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Some of that has to do with Jason Beck fitting a square peg into a round hole. His horizontal run schemes have not been up to snuff so far at Michigan. That causes more problems with an offensive line and running backs that were recruited by Jim Harbaugh and Sherrone Moore. They were recruited with the vision of mauling people and pushing them off the ball.

Michigan’s outside run schemes do not take advantage of that skill set. Moving to a more downhill running style would benefit the line and the running backs trying to find room to roam.

Ultimately, however, Frazier has taken responsibility for why his team has not been able to move the ball.

“If we’re not able to run the ball, then that’s a direct reflection of the offensive line and so that’s what we’ve been working on,” Frazier said.

Pick A Direction

No, Kyle Whittingham has never really ,alluded to the idea that Bryce Underwood is going to sit on the bench. Yes, Underwood has played well in spurts even if it has not been good enough.

Publicly, at least, Whittingham has acknowledged that Underwood has done some good things but also needs to play better.

There are some realities that are impossible to ignore as Michigan goes through its season. Whittingham did not recruit Bryce Underwood. For all we know, maybe he would not have.

They are tied together, however, and this is a ship that is going to rise or sink with the marriage of these two men.

Any chatter about Tommy Carr getting into the game should be shut down immediately.

Yes, outside noise should be ignored. Yes, players are paid now and it’s a different world than the one we used to live in.

It’s also true that players on the team are still very young men, some are still teenagers. It’s hard to ignore outside noise at the same level of a professional athlete.

Whittingham does not need to guarantee Underwood’s job as the starter, but continued support that does not waver in public could go a long way toward giving the team some stability.

Play Cleaner

This is the easiest, but also most elusive trait of them all. Michigan has not been clean. They have not been disciplined.

The first talking point during the bye week should be how to get lined up. It takes zero talent to line up correctly in a formation, and Michigan has struggled with that since the first game of the season.

Physical penalties are going to happen. Holding penalties will happen. Illegal formations? False starts? Especially at home?

Those all have to be cleaned up.

Turnovers, too. This is where Bryce Underwood can help his head coach in the talking point we made earlier.

Sep 5, 2026; Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA; Michigan quarterback Bryce Underwood (19) fumbles the snap against Western Michigan in the first quarter at Michigan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Lon Horwedel-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Underwood has to take better care of the football. The rest of the team does too, but Underwood touches the ball on every play offensively.

He’s fumbled the ball too often. He’s thrown four interceptions, and got away with another against Minnesota.

With the offense struggling as much as it has through five weeks, the margin for error for this team is incredibly slim. Michigan cannot afford to turn the ball over at almost any point in a game. They were plus-2 at halftime against Minnesota in the turnover margin.

They finished the game minus-1 thanks to two interceptions from Underwood and a muffed punt from Andrew Marsh.

If they take those plays out of the game, they probably win. That’s how good Michigan’s defense has been all season. Playing clean might be enough to win most games, if they just avoid losing them.

Find Some Playmakers

Who on the offense can make plays other than Andrew Marsh and JJ Buchanan? The running backs are capable, but that has not showed up in Jason Beck’s offense this season.

The tight ends have been mostly nonexistent. Receivers outside of Marsh and Buchanan have as well.

Ultimately, a two man passing game becomes far too easy to defend, and Michigan learned the hard way against Minnesota.

Whether it’s freshman tight end Mason Bonner,or one of the secondary receivers, someone has to emerge other than Marsh and Buchanan to give the Wolverines some balance in their passing attack.

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