Wolverines Ups & Downs: Who Stood Out In Win Over Wisconsin?

It took until the second half for the Michigan offense to really get rolling, but in the end, the Wolverines took care of Wisconsin by a score of 24-10.

Many people expected the Wolverines to dominate the struggling Badgers from start to finish, but that wasn’t the case. Both offenses were stagnant for the first 30 minutes, and Michigan only took a three-point lead into halftime. 

But in the second half, the Wolverines defense remained strong and the offense woke up, leading to a much more convincing performance to end the game.

Here are four ‘Ups’ and two ‘Downs’ from Michigan’s win over Wisconsin…

McCulley finally had his breakout performance that many people have been waiting for. He hauled in a season-high six receptions for 112 yards and his first touchdown of the season. Michigan’s wide receiver room has struggled this season, and no true No. 1 target has emerged. McCulley’s performance, particularly in the second half, made a solid case for him to slide into that role.

With a little over five minutes left in the third quarter, McCulley hauled in a massive 33-yard catch down the left sideline before scoring a 29-yard touchdown two plays later. For a team that has struggled to maintain a consistent passing attack, this sequence from McCulley — and his performance as a whole — is quite encouraging.

Moore returned from a knee injury two weeks ago against Nebraska after a year and a half of recovery. Saturday, Moore collected his first interception since his return. While the interception was an important play within the confines of the game, its impact extends beyond just the outcome on the field.

Moore has been a team captain for the last two seasons, and is a veteran presence on the field and in the locker room. The entire team has been pulling for Moore since his injury, and his return was a moral win for everyone involved. Now, his first interception back from injury keeps the good vibes rolling.

For the third time this season, Zvada has misfired on a kick that everyone expects him to make — this time, it was a 27-yard chip shot. This one wasn’t solely Zvada’s fault. The snap came in low, and senior punter Hudson Hollenbeck had to take extra time to get the ball set. This small hitch may have cost the Wolverines three points.

Regardless of his missed kicks, Michigan is going to continue rolling with Zvada. When he’s right, he’s one of the best kickers in the country, and the Wolverines are going to have to count on him to return to that form.

Head coach Sherrone Moore was quite impressed with Marsh’s practices during the bye week, enough so that Marsh earned himself a start. He took advantage of the opportunity, catching all four of his targets for 80 yards.

If Marsh can continue this production, he will be a major addition to a wide receiver room looking for answers. He and freshman quarterback Bryce Underwood appeared to be on the same page today, which is a major plus for both the rest of the 2025 season and beyond. A fellow freshman, Marsh and Underwood’s connection could be one that grows and develops over the course of several years.

Through the air, Underwood had his best game of the season. He completed 19 of 28 passes for 270 yards and a touchdown. Underwood didn’t use his legs too much, and it appeared as though Michigan was making a concerted effort to utilize his arm talent more.

It wasn’t a perfect passing performance, but he is showing steady improvement over his freshman season. Underwood has proven that he can be a threat running the ball, so if he can truly dial it in as a passer, he’ll be incredibly difficult to stop.

Morgan’s numbers on the day weren’t bad, bringing in five of his seven targets for 44 yards, but drops remain a looming problem for him. He dropped a potential first down pass on a third-and-9 in the first quarter, and very nearly dropped the ball in the third quarter before gaining 19 yards, fumbling the ball, then recovering it again.

Morgan has a lot of upside. He’s an experienced player and is extremely shifty, but his drops sometimes hold him back from being a reliable target. Morgan can certainly still be a high-impact player, but the small mistakes will have to be mitigated.

Junior running back Justice Haynes had yet another 100-yard rushing day along with two touchdowns, continuing his dominance this season…Senior edge rusher Derrick Moore picked up a sack and consistently generated pressure in the backfield…Senior linebacker Jimmy Rolder had another solid game, picking up a team-leading seven tackles, several coming in big spots…Sophomore running back Jordan Marshall continues to be solid even on low volume, picking up 44 yards on nine attempts.