The 2025 Michigan Wolverines football team was an American football team that represented the University of Michigan as a member of the Big Ten Conference during the 2025 NCAA Division I FBS football season. In their second and final year under head coach Sherrone Moore, the Wolverines compiled a 9–4 record and outscored opponents by a total of 331 to 224. Against ranked opponents, they lost to No. 18 Oklahoma in week 2 and No. 1 Ohio State in the final game of the regular season. It was Michigan's first loss to Ohio State since 2019 and drew 18.4 million viewers, the most of any regular-season game in 2025.
On December 10, the university announced that Sherrone Moore had been fired for cause, disclosing that he had an "inappropriate relationship with a staff member." Associate head coach Biff Poggi was named the interim head coach for the Citrus Bowl against Texas, which Michigan lost, 41–27.
The team's statistical leaders in 2025 included quarterback Bryce Underwood (2,428 passing yards and 17 total touchdowns), running back Jordan Marshall (932 rushing yards and 10 rushing touchdowns), wide receiver Andrew Marsh (45 receptions for 651 yards), linebacker Jimmy Rolder (73 total tackles, 47 solo tackles), and defensive end Derrick Moore (10 sacks).
The team played its home games at Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor, Michigan, drawing an average home attendance of 110,842–the highest in college football.
Schedule
Rankings
Game summaries vs New Mexico
On August 30, Michigan opened its season with a 34–17 victory over New Mexico before a crowd of 110,648 at Michigan Stadium. Michigan scored 14 points in the first quarter on two rushing touchdowns by Justice Haynes, from 56 yards, and five yards, respectively. Michigan extended its lead in the second quarter on a 21-yard field goal by Dominic Zvada. New Mexico scored ten points in the quarter on a nine-yard touchdown pass from DJ McKinney to Dorian Thomas and a 44-yard field goal by Luke Drzewiecki. Michigan scored the final points of the half on a 15-yard touchdown pass from Bryce Underwood to Marlin Klein. Michigan led, 24–10, at halftime. Michigan opened the scoring in the third quarter on a 39-yard field goal by Zvada. New Mexico responded with a three-yard touchdown pass from Jack Layne to Thomas. Michigan scored the only points of the fourth quarter on a one-yard touchdown run by Haynes.
This was the first ever meeting between the two programs. Freshman quarterback Bryce Underwood made the first start of his career. Underwood became the first freshman quarterback to start a season opener for Michigan since Tate Forcier in 2009. Underwood completed 21 of 31 passes, and set a Michigan record for a freshman quarterback in their debut with 251 yards, surpassing the previous record of 179 yards set by Forcier in 2009. Running back Justice Haynes recorded 16 carries for 159 yards and three touchdowns. Haynes' 159 yards set a new program high (since 1970) for running backs making their Michigan debut.
Statistics UNMMICH First downs 21 20 Plays–yards 76–267 63–452 Rushes–yards 28–50 32–201 Passing yards 217 251 Passing: comp–att–int 32–48–3 21–31–0 Turnovers 3 1 Time of possession 33:02 26:58 Team Category Player Statistics New Mexico Passing Jack Layne 31/47, 208 yards, TD, 3 INT Rushing Scottre Humphrey 10 carries, 33 yards Receiving Dorian Thomas 10 receptions, 71 yards, 2 TD Michigan Passing Bryce Underwood 21/31, 251 yards, TD Rushing Justice Haynes 16 carries, 159 yards, 3 TD Receiving Marlin Klein 6 receptions, 93 yards, TD
at No. 18 Oklahoma
On September 6, Michigan, ranked No. 15, lost to No. 18 Oklahoma, 24–13, before a crowd of 84,107 at Memorial Stadium in Norman, Oklahoma. On the opening possession of the game, Oklahoma drove 75 yards, including passes by John Mateer to Jaren Kanak for 31 yards, to Deion Burks for 21 yards, and for nine yards and a touchdown to Burks. At the end of the first quarter, Michigan's TJ Metcalf intercepted a Mateer pass, but Michigan was held to a three-and-out after the turnover. Halfway through the second quarter, Michigan drove 72 yards to the Oklahoma 14-yard line, from which point Dominic Zvada missed a 32-yard field goal attempt. After the missed field goal, Oklahoma drove 80 yards, scoring on a two-yard touchdown run by Mateer. Oklahoma led, 14–0, at halftime.
On the first play from scrimmage after halftime, Justice Haynes broke loose for a 75-yard touchdown run—Michigan's longest offensive play since Donovan Edwards' 85-yard rushing touchdown against Ohio State in 2022. After an exchange of punts, Oklahoma drove 51 yards on five plays, scoring on a ten-yard touchdown run by Mateer, extending their lead to 21–7. Midway in the third quarter, Oklahoma's Isaiah Sategna III fumbled a punt, and Cole Sullivan recovered the loose ball for Michigan at the Oklahoma 31-yard line. Michigan advanced the ball to the 24-yard line, settling for a 42-yard field goal by Zvada. Late in the third quarter, Michigan drove 60 yards, fueled by a 44-yard pass from Bryce Underwood to Donaven McCulley, but Michigan again settled for a 35-yard Zvada field goal, reducing Oklahoma's lead to 21–13. At the beginning of the fourth quarter, Oklahoma drove 51 yards to the Michigan 24-yard line, but Tate Sandell's field goal attempt failed. After a Michigan punt, Oklahoma sealed its victory with 78-yard drive that consumed eight-and-a-half minutes, ending with a 21-yard Sandell field goal with 1:44 remaining in the game.
In his first road game, Underwood completed nine of 24 passes (37.5%) for 142 yards. Excluding Haynes' 75-yard touchdown run, Michigan tallied only 71 rushing yards on 31 carries for an average of 2.3 yards per carry. McCulley led Michigan's receivers with three catches for 91 yards. For Oklahoma, Mateer completed 21 of 34 passes for 270 yards; Mateer also led the Sooners in rushing with 19 carries for 74 yards. Burks had seven receptions for 101 yards for the Sooners. Burks grew up in Inkster, Michigan, dreaming of playing for Michigan, but was never recruited by the Wolverines.
Statistics MICH OU First downs 12 22 Plays–yards 56–288 74–408 Rushes–yards 32–146 40–138 Passing yards 142 270 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 9–24–0 21–34–1 Turnovers 0 2 Time of possession 27:48 32:12 Team Category Player Statistics Michigan Passing Bryce Underwood 9/24, 142 yards Rushing Justice Haynes 19 carries, 125 yards, TD Receiving Donaven McCulley 3 receptions, 91 yards Oklahoma Passing John Mateer 21/34, 270 yards, TD, INT Rushing John Mateer 19 carries, 74 yards, 2 TD Receiving Deion Burks 7 receptions, 101 yards, TD
vs Central Michigan
On September 13, the Wolverines defeated Central Michigan 63–3, before a crowd of 110,740 at Michigan Stadium. Michigan scored 14 points in the first quarter via a two-yard touchdown run by Justice Haynes and a 32-yard touchdown pass from Bryce Underwood to Semaj Morgan. Michigan scored 21 points in the second quarter via a 20-yard touchdown run by Underwood, a 23-yard touchdown run by Andrew Marsh and a one-yard touchdown run by Jordan Marshall. Central Michigan finally got on the board via a 22-yard field goal by Cade Graham. Michigan led 35–3, at halftime. Michigan added 14 points in the third quarter via a four-yard touchdown run by Marshall and an 18-yard touchdown run by Underwood. Michigan extended their lead in the fourth quarter via a one-yard touchdown run by Bryson Kuzdzal and a one-yard touchdown run by Jasper Parker. None of Central Michigan's first five drives netted more than ten yards or lasted more than six plays. The Wolverines' defense held the Chippewas to 80 total first-half yards, their fewest allowed since limiting UNLV to 60 yards in 2023. Associate head coach Biff Poggi served as interim head coach during the game, as head coach Sherrone Moore was serving the first of a two-game self-imposed suspension for the University of Michigan football sign-stealing scandal.
Quarterback Bryce Underwood completed 16 of 25 passes for 235 yards, and rushed for 114 yards on nine carries, accounting for 339 yards of total offense and three touchdowns. His 114 rushing yards were the most by a Michigan quarterback since Devin Gardner ran for 121 yards against Penn State in 2013. Michigan recorded 616 total yards of offense, their most in a game since recording 660 total yards against Maryland in 2016. Their 63 points was their highest total since scoring the same number against Northern Illinois in 2021.
Statistics CMUMICH First downs 8 35 Plays–yards 53–139 80–616 Rushes–yards 33–79 55–381 Passing yards 60 235 Passing: comp–att–int 11–20–1 16–25–1 Turnovers 2 1 Time of possession 26:53 33:07 Team Category Player Statistics Central Michigan Passing Joe Labas 4/8, 36 yards, INT Rushing Angel H. Flores 9 carries, 76 yards Receiving Justin Ruffin Jr. 2 receptions, 23 yards Michigan Passing Bryce Underwood 16/25, 235 yards, TD, INT Rushing Bryce Underwood 9 carries, 117 yards, 2 TD Receiving Semaj Morgan 4 receptions, 69 yards, TD
at Nebraska
On September 20, Michigan defeated Nebraska, 30–27, before a crowd of 87,278 at Memorial Stadium in Lincoln, Nebraska. Biff Poggi served as interim head coach for the second consecutive game during the suspension of Sherrone Moore.
After the opening kickoff, Nebraska drove 70 yards to Michigan's five-yard line, but Michigan's defense held on fourth-and-two. After a three-and-out by the Michigan offense, Michigan's Hudson Hollenbeck punted for 24 yards, giving Nebraska possession at Michigan's 37-yard line; Kyle Cunanan missed a 44-yard field goal attempt for the Cornhuskers. On Michigan's second possession, the Wolverines drove 46 yards, ending in a 46-yard field goal by Dominic Zvada. With 1:23 remaining in the first quarter, Jyaire Hill tipped a Dylan Raiola pass which was intercepted by Cole Sullivan at Nebraska's 37-yard line. On the next play, Bryce Underwood ran 37 yards for a touchdown, and Michigan led, 10–0, at the end of the first quarter.
Early in the second quarter, Underwood was stripped of the ball after an eight-yard run, and Nebraska's DeShon Singleton recovered the loose ball at the Nebraska 48-yard line. The Cornhuskers drove to the Michigan 21-yard line, and Cunanan kicked a 39-yard field goal. After a Michigan three-and-out, Nebraska drove 63 yards, ending with a 26-yard touchdown pass from Raiola to Jacory Barney Jr. to tie the game. On the next play from scrimmage, Justice Haynes ran 75 yards for a touchdown with 1:51 remaining in the half. In the final two minutes, Nebraska drove to midfield, and Railoa completed a 52-yard Hail Mary pass to Jacory Jr., tying the game as time expired in the half.
On its second possession of the third quarter, Michigan drove 22 yards to Nebraska's 38-yard line, and Zvada kicked a career-long 56-yard field goal. After holding Nebraska to a three-and-out, Jordan Marshall led a two-play, 62-yard drive, with runs of eight and 54 yards, the latter for a touchdown.
Late in the third quarter, Michigan's defense held on a third-and 14 play, but an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty against Brandyn Hillman for taunting the Nebraska bench gave the Cornhuskers a first down. Nebraska then drove to the Michigan 20-yard line, and Cunanan kicked a 38-yard field on the first play of the fourth quarter. After an exchange of punts, the Wolverines drained the clock with a 16-play, 8:46 drive culminating with a 21-yard field goal by Zvada. Nebraska regained possession with 3:54 remaining and trailing by 10 points. Raiola led a 75-yard touchdown drive, ending with a short touchdown pass to Heinrich Haarberg. Nebraska attempted an onside kick, recovered for Michigan by Kendrick Bell.