Michigan
Michigan is 5-4 and No. 36 of 138 in the machine's ratings, 9.6 points better than an average FBS team. Last game: lost 15-6 vs Michigan State in Week 10.
Week 11: at Oregon, Saturday, Nov 14: the matchup, unit by unit
Why Michigan is No. 36
- Michigan's rating is 9.6: the machine's estimate that Michigan is 9.6 points better than an average FBS team on a neutral field. That is No. 36 of 138. For scale, 0 is an average FBS team: right now the closest to it is No. 68 Arizona State (0.2).
- It started the season at 15.9, ESPN's preseason Football Power Index from July. Its results since have moved it down 6.3.
- The biggest weekly moves: −3.1 after Week 1 (W 13-12 vs Western Michigan) and −2.1 after Week 5 (L 14-20 at Minnesota).
- Its record is 5-4. The 4 losses were to No. 9 Indiana, No. 17 Iowa, No. 58 Michigan State, No. 67 Minnesota, by 5.8 points on average. The 5 wins came by 10.6 points on average; the best was over No. 16 Oklahoma. The rating weighs how much a team won or lost by and against whom, not just the win-loss count.
- Its FBS opponents so far average No. 56 in the machine's ratings.
- Just above is No. 35 Penn State (9.7); just below is No. 37 Auburn (9.6).
The rating, week by week
Strengths and weak spots
Head coach
Kyle Whittingham is in his 1st season at Michigan. This season: 5-4.
Data provided by CollegeFootballData.com.
Team stats
Season totals and averages over 9 games, each with its national rank among 138 FBS teams (No. 1 = best). The game-by-game story is in the season, week by week.
Passing
| Completions-attempts | 135-220 |
|---|---|
| Passing yards | 1565 |
| Touchdowns-interceptions | 7-9 |
| Yards per attempt* | 7.1No. 88 of 138 |
| Explosive pass rate | 8.0%No. 124 of 138 |
| Sacks allowed (rate) | 7.6%No. 114 of 138 |
Rushing
| Carries-yards | 324-1158 |
|---|---|
| Yards per carry | 3.6No. 119 of 138 |
| 10-plus-yard runs (rate) | 8.6%No. 133 of 138 |
| Stuffed at or behind the line (rate) | 15.9%No. 49 of 138 |
Scoring
| Points per game | 19.6No. 126 of 138 |
|---|---|
| Yards per play | 5.05No. 123 of 138 |
| Third-down rate | 41.9%No. 50 of 138 |
| Red-zone TD rate | 62.5%No. 59 of 138 |
| Giveaways | 17No. 131 of 138 |
Defense
| Points allowed per game | 16.2No. 14 of 138 |
|---|---|
| Yards per play allowed | 4.30No. 4 of 138 |
| Yards per pass attempt allowed | 5.9No. 11 of 138 |
| Yards per carry allowed | 3.0No. 15 of 138 |
| Sack rate | 7.1%No. 35 of 138 |
| Takeaways | 9No. 101 of 138 |
| Third-down rate allowed | 33.9%No. 33 of 138 |
Totals are the official box score. * Yards per attempt and the rates come from the play-by-play, where passing yards count on completions only, so they can differ from the box score by a play or two.
Data provided by CollegeFootballData.com.
Player leaders
The top 3 in each category over the same games. Passing yards count every completion (official box score).
Passing
- Bryce Underwood72-124, 924 yds, 5 TD, 6 INT
- Tommy Carr63-94, 641 yds, 2 TD, 3 INT
Rushing
- Savion Hiter93 carries, 331 yds, 3 TD
- Jordan Marshall88 carries, 323 yds, 5 TD
- Bryce Underwood61 carries, 222 yds, 2 TD
Receiving
- JJ Buchanan40 catches, 637 yds, 5 TD
- Andrew Marsh43 catches, 398 yds, 1 TD
- Hogan Hansen14 catches, 142 yds, 0 TD
Tackles
- Troy Bowles72
- Chris Bracy60
- Nathaniel Staehling50
Sacks
- John Henry Daley5.5
- Dominic Nichols2.5
- Chris Bracy2
Interceptions
- Chris Bracy1
- Jonah Lea'Ea1
- Jyaire Hill1
Data provided by CollegeFootballData.com.
Who's playing
Based on who has actually played this season, from the box scores, not the team's published depth chart. Each bar is that player's share of the team's attempts, carries (quarterbacks left out), catches or tackles. The box score lists no positions, so there is no offensive line here.
Throwing
- Bryce Underwood6 games124 attempts57%
- Tommy CarrMost passes in the last game5 games94 attempts43%
Carrying
- Savion Hiter9 games93 carries43%
- Jordan Marshall9 games88 carries40%
- Bryson Kuzdzal7 games30 carries14%
Catching
- Andrew Marsh9 games43 catches32%
- JJ Buchanan9 games40 catches30%
- Hogan Hansen5 games14 catches10%
- Savion Hiter6 games9 catches7%
Tackling
- Troy Bowles9 games72 tackles13%
- Chris Bracy9 games60 tackles11%
- Nathaniel Staehling8 games50 tackles9%
- Jyaire Hill9 games38 tackles7%
Data provided by CollegeFootballData.com.
The season, week by week
- Week 1 W 13–12 vs Western Michigan. The pass defense was the strength: Western Michigan got 4.2 yards an attempt, 3.1 under what it usually gains. Lost the turnover battle by 3.
- Week 2 W 17–10 vs Oklahoma. The pass defense was the strength: Oklahoma got 5.7 yards an attempt, 1.7 under what it usually gains. Won the turnover battle by 2.
- Week 3 W 52–17 vs UTEP. The run defense was the strength: UTEP got 1.8 yards a carry, 2.0 under what it usually gains. The fewest yards a carry it has allowed all season.
- Week 4 L 19–20 vs Iowa. The passing game was the strength: 9.9 yards an attempt, 3.5 more than Iowa usually allows. The machine had Michigan by 4.1 (61%), so this was a loss it did not see coming.
- Week 5 L 14–20 at Minnesota. The passing game struggled: 4.8 yards an attempt, 3.1 less than Minnesota usually allows. The machine had Michigan by 8.8 (71%), so this was a loss it did not see coming.
- Week 7 W 21–18 vs Penn State. The run defense was the strength: Penn State got 2.2 yards a carry, 2.2 under what it usually gains. Its most yards a carry of the season.
- Week 8 L 6–13 vs Indiana. The pass defense was the strength: Indiana got 4.5 yards an attempt, 4.6 under what it usually gains. Its fewest yards a carry of the season.
- Week 9 W 28–21 at Rutgers. The run game struggled: 3.6 yards a carry, 2.2 less than Rutgers usually allows. The most yards an attempt it has allowed all season.
- Week 10 L 6–15 vs Michigan State. The run game struggled: 2.1 yards a carry, 2.1 less than Michigan State usually allows. The machine had Michigan by 11.0 (76%), so this was a loss it did not see coming; Michigan lost the turnover battle by 4.