• Tonight’s victory improves U-M to 6-2 on the season and marks the fourth time in the last five years that the Wolverines have become postseason eligible before Halloween.
• Michigan has now won four straight games in the rivalry series against Michigan State, marking its longest winning streak in the series since 2002-07, when the Maize and Blue won six straight. U-M is 2-0 in the rivalry under head coach Sherrone Moore.
• All-time, Michigan is now 75-38-5 in 118 meetings between the two programs. In 73 games with the Paul Bunyan Trophy on the line, the Wolverines hold a 42-29-2 advantage.
• Quarterback Bryce Underwood scored the game’s first touchdown with a 13-yard rush in the first quarter, marking the fourth rushing touchdown of his freshman season.
• Whichever running back starts for U-M has found great success, and that continued with the return of Justice Haynes. Haynes (seven starts) and Jordan Marshall (one start) have rushed for 100-plus yards with at least one touchdown in seven of eight games this year. Both backs went over 100 yards today.
• Haynes finished the day with 26 carries for 152 yards and two touchdowns — his third multi-touchdown game of the season. It was the most rushing yards by a Wolverine in the rivalry series since Blake Corum had 177 yards on 33 carries in 2022.
• Haynes is the first Wolverine with multiple rushing touchdowns against the Spartans since Corum in 2020.
• Marshall finished with 110 rushing yards on 15 carries, giving him consecutive games of 100-plus rushing yards. His 56-yard carry in the fourth quarter was a career-long (two yards longer than his touchdown run at Nebraska earlier this year).
• Together, the duo propelled U-M to 276 total yards on the ground, the program’s most in this rivalry since 1994 (352 rushing yards), per NBC. It also marked the first time in the series that U-M had two backs over 100 rushing yards since 1994 (Tyrone Wheatley, 153 yards; Tshimanga Biakabutuka, 141 yards). That duo also produced three rushing touchdowns (two by Wheatley).
• The offensive line utilized its fifth different starting combination in eight games this season. Blake Frazier made his first career start, lining up at left tackle.
• The line has paved the way for 21 rushing touchdowns while allowing only 10 sacks.
• The offense has produced 37 plays of 20-plus yards (22 passing, 15 rushing), including five in tonight’s contest.
• Haynes and Marshall each rushed for more than 100 yards in the win, marking the second time this season two Wolverines have surpassed the 100-yard mark on the ground.
• Michigan got off the field effectively, holding the Spartans to 5-of-16 on third-down conversions.
• Linebacker Jimmy Rolder recovered a fumble early in the first quarter, the first of his career. It’s his second career turnover after recording his first interception last weekend against Washington. Rolder finished with a career-high 10 tackles.
• The fumble Rolder recovered was forced by defensive back Brandyn Hillman, the first of his career.
• The U-M defense has forced at least one turnover in every game this season and has generated multiple takeaways in five of eight contests.
• Edge rusher Derrick Moore tallied two sacks for the second consecutive game.
• Opponents have combined to score only four field goals and four touchdowns in fourth quarters this season. U-M has allowed just seven touchdowns and four field goals across seven second halves.
• Punter Hudson Hollenbeck drilled a 67-yard punt in the third quarter — his longest of the year and the first 60-plus-yard punt since the ReliaQuest Bowl against Alabama last season.
