ANN ARBOR, Mich. — Michigan entered the game as a two-touchdown favorite, but you can typically throw records out the window when the Wolverines play the Spartans. That was the case on Saturday when Michigan played the two-win Michigan State Spartans.
Michigan State was better prepared and wanted the game more than the Wolverines. Michigan suffered one of its worst losses since the 2020 loss to Michigan State, as the Spartans came into Ann Arbor and upset the Wolverines, 15-6, on Saturday night.
Here are our four takeaways from the Wolverines’ loss.
Change is overdue
This can’t happen. Michigan is three years removed from winning a national title and this is where the Wolverines are. A loss against a two-win — now three-win — Michigan State team. The Wolverines have one of the worst offenses among Four Power teams, and the only reason the Wolverines have five wins is because of their defense.
Kyle Whittingham is likely on the brink of being one-and-done at Michigan — Saturday’s result isn’t in his favor. But if he does hope and want more time at Michigan, Whittingham will have to make those ‘difficult decisions’ he has talked about a few times.
The Wolverines have taken a major step backward with a lot of the same players Michigan won nine games with a year ago. It’s beyond apparent that things aren’t going to work. The Wolverines’ offense couldn’t move the ball against a bad Michigan State team.
Pathetic offensive display
It’s Game 9 of the season and nothing has changed with the Michigan offense. It’s uninspiring and doesn’t intimidate any opposing defense. The Wolverines made the two-win Spartans look like they had one of the best defenses in the country.
It was the third home game in a row that Michigan was shut out in the first half. According to Steve Clarkethe last time that happened was back in 1934. The Wolverines gained just 78 yards of total offense in the first half.
Michigan is on par with the 2008 offense in Rich Rodriguez’s first season as the head coach. That was a three-win team. The only difference has been that the Wolverines’ 2026 defense saved them in most of their wins.
Michigan gained a total of 192 yards in the game. Typically, this game is decided on which team runs the ball better, and Michigan State crushed the Wolverines on the ground, 110-54 yards. Oh, and the Wolverines turned the ball over four times.
The Kyle Whittingham era has been terrible and Jason Beck’s offensive game plan might be worse. The 28 points scored against Rutgers was an outlier and things won’t get any easier for Michigan with games against Oregon, UCLA, and Ohio State ahead. It doesn’t matter who is playing quarterback for Michigan — it’s a larger issue.
New week, more special teams disaster
When Sherrone Moore made the move to hire Kerry Coombs last season, which would be his final move before he was relieved of his coaching duties, Coombs was expected to make a major impact on the Wolverines’ special teams. The bowl game against Texas showed major improvement in a short period of time.
But the 2026 season has been a disaster. Every facet has been a disappointment and special teams reared its ugly head once again against Michigan State. The Wolverines made a kicking change after transfer Trey Butkowski had missed four of his last six kicks.
It was freshman Jacob Baggett who took over, and on his first attempt, he doinked a 26-yarder off the left upright. Punter Cameron Brown also continues to struggle. Coombs hasn’t lived up to expectations and the special teams are still a disaster.
Tommy Carr took a major step backward
Tommy Carr appeared to find his groove last week in the 28-21 win over Rutgers. He threw for 266 yards and ran for 54, and was the sole reason that the Wolverines’ offense scored that many points. After finding some confidence, Michigan came back to Ann Arbor and he looked like a true freshman with little experience.
Right from the start, Carr looked like he was pressing and threw an interception on his second attempt of the game. He had a couple of other throws that were high and uncatchable. He was almost picked off late in the second quarter after the Spartans made a field goal to go up 3-0. Michigan State did a good job of spying Carr and he wasn’t able to use his legs as he had in the last two games.
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