Deep Ball Coming? Four Game Predictions for Michigan vs Michigan State

It’s rivalry week as the Michigan Wolverines will welcome the Michigan State Spartans into their home stadium looking to keep their season on track after knocking off Rutgers last week.

The Spartans are looking for a signature win with Pat Fitzgerald taking aim at Michigan earlier this week. The Spartans need something to get their fan base excited for a new era of Michigan State football.

Conversely, the Wolverines need something to assure them they’re on the right path with head coach Kyle Whittingham.

We looked into our crystal ball for four big predictions, and this is what we came up with.

Big Touchdown for Andrew Marsh

Andrew Marsh has been this close to a couple of big plays this season, but whether it’s Tommy Carr or Bryce Underwood, they have not been able to connect.

This week, that has been a focus for Michigan’s offense according to Koy Detmer Jr.

"Talking to Tommy, he's kicking himself, because he's like, 'It has nothing to do with my arm.' You know, he's like, 'I've got to connect on those,' and we talked about it,” Detmer Jr. said. “That was a big thing coming out of this game is to help everything involved in the offense, man, being able to take some shots and help be able to lighten up the box, it will help, and we've got to be able to connect on them. And so being quick and decisive with his feet, getting the ball up in time, and man, when we do have the opportunity, [Andrew Marsh] has got him beat, just being able to connect on him.”

Teams get what they emphasize. So the bet here is that Tommy Carr will find Marsh deep down the field for an explosive play that has eluded the Wolverines’ offense thus far this season.

Five Sacks for Michigan Defense

Kyle Whittingham expects John Henry Daley and Dom Nichols to be able to return this week despite listing them as questionable on the injury report.

That means that Michigan’s defense should be at full strength on the defensive line for the first time since Nichols left the lineup in late September.

John Henry Daley lived in Oklahoma's backfield all afternoon

8 TKL, 3 TFL, 1 SACK vs Oklahoma

Michigan held the Sooners to 10 points and handed them their first loss of the season

pic.twitter.com/wMRzMT3w93
— CFB Performances (@performancesCFB) September 16, 2026

Michigan’s pass rush was hellacious early in the year when Nichols was healthy and available, including a dominant performance against John Mateer and the Oklahoma Sooners. With their top two guys back in the lineup, Michigan should be able to unleash that rush again without having to send as much pressure from the second and third levels of the defense.

Three Takeaways

Of course, a dominant pass rush can lead to some key mistakes from opposing quarterbacks. If you hit someone over and over, that can lead to them getting jumpy in the pocket. Michigan saw that happen earlier in the season, and this weekend’s matchup should lend itself to getting Michigan and opportunity to get the ball out.

The bet here is a strip sack from Chris Bracy after being sent on a blitz, and interceptions from both Jyaire Hill and Rod Moore.

Bonus: Savion Hiter Strikes The Pose

One of the talking points this week around Ann Arbor has been who is going to strike the pose of Paul Bunyan like Donovan Peoples-Jones did in the 2018 version of this game.

Donovan Peoples-Jones introduces the Paul Bunyan pose after scoring on a 79 yard TD vs. Michigan State in 2018 pic.twitter.com/TEDdI0pfh1
— Swanky Wolverine (@swankywolverine) November 5, 2026

The bet this week is a 10-yard touchdown from Savion Hiter leads to him posing like Bunyan in the end zone.

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