Postgame Notes: #14 Michigan 34, New Mexico 17
8/30/2025 11:21:00 PM | Football
• Today's announced attendance of 110,648 marks the 324th consecutive crowd of 100,000-plus at Michigan Stadium.
• Honorary captains for today's game were John Harris and Ethan White. White is a member of the U-M Marching Band Drumline and a senior at U-M who is battling cancer in the form of a Diffuse Midline Glioma (DMG) Brain Tumor. Harris is a Team One donor to the U-M Athletic Department and is the son of J. Ira and Nicki Harris, after whom the U-M Head Football Coach's position is endowed.
• In the first-ever meeting between these two programs, U-M's victory gives it a 1-0 all-time edge over the Lobos.
• The win gives the Wolverines an all-time record of 120-23-3 in season openers and a 102-15-2 mark at home in those contests.
• With tonight's victory, Michigan has won nine consecutive night games (local time) dating back to Week 3 of the 2023 season.
• Newly-elected captains include: Max Bredeson, Giovanni El-Hadi and Marlin Klein on offense, as well as Rod Moore, Ernest Hausmann and Derrick Moore on defense. Bredeson and Moore are two-time captains. Joe Taylor (offense) and TJ Guy (defense) are alternates.
• The following players made their collegiate debuts in today's game: Bryce Underwood (quarterback) on offense; Elijah Dotson (defensive back), Tevis Metcalf (defensive back), Jayden Sanders (defensive back), Chase Taylor (linebacker) and Jordan Young (defensive back) on defense; Lugard Edokpayi, Blake Frazier, Andrew Marsh (kick returner), Nate Marshall, Ben Roebuck and Deakon Tonielli on special teams.
• The following players made their first career starts in today's game: Channing Goodwin (wide receiver), Underwood (quarterback), Brandyn Hillman (defensive back), and Marsh (kick return).
• The following players earned their first starts at Michigan after previously earning starting positions at other institutions: Justice Haynes (running back), Donaven McCulley (wide receiver), TJ Metcalf (defensive back), Brady Norton (offensive line), Damon Payne (defensive line) and Beckham Sunderland (kickoffs).
• The following players made their Michigan debuts after previously playing at other institutions: Troy Bowles (linebacker), Lawrence Hattar (field goal protection) Haynes, McCulley, Metcalf, Norton, Payne, Sunderland and Tré Williams (defensive line).
• Among debut starters in tonight's game was freshman quarterback Bryce Underwood. Underwood became the first first-year signal caller for the Maize and Blue to start the season opener since 2009 and just the fourth in program history (Rick Leach, at Wisconsin, 1975; Chad Henne, vs. Miami (Ohio), 2004; Tate Forcier, vs. Western Michigan, 2009).
• Underwood set a new standard for freshman quarterbacks passing in their debut with 251 yards. Tate Forcier (179 yards, 2009) had the previous record. Chad Henne (142 yards, 2004) and Rick Leach (34 yards, 1975) make up the remainder of the list.
• Underwood's 251 yards were also the sixth most for any Michigan quarterback in their debut and the most since John O'Korn (270) in 2017.
• Haynes marched off 159 yards, a new program high (since 1970) for running backs making their Michigan debut. This yardage total and Haynes' three rushing touchdowns each mark personal career bests.
• Other U-M backs to reach 100-plus yards rushing in their team debuts since 1970 include Chris Evans (112 yards on 8 carries vs. Hawaii, 2016, as a freshman), Chris Perry (103 yards on 10 carries vs. Bowling Green, 2000, as a sophomore), and Walter Cross (104 yards on 10 carries vs. Syracuse, 1998, as a sophomore).
• Klein led Michigan pass catchers with career highs in receptions (six), receiving yards (93), and touchdowns (one).
• Klein scored his first career touchdown on a 15-yard pass from Underwood on his 17th career reception, matching his jersey number.
• Haynes' 56-yard run to open the scoring would have been the second-longest rushing play of the 2024 season, trailing only Kalel Mullings' 63-yard run against USC. The run was longer than any offensive touchdown play for U-M last season.
• Haynes also broke off a 59-yard rush during U-M's first drive of the fourth quarter and capped the effort with a one-yard touchdown rush one play later to move the Wolverines ahead by multiple touchdowns late.
• Michigan's offense tallied 452 total yards in the win, which marks its highest total since week three of the 2023 season against UNLV (492).
• Goodwin caught his first career pass for 39 yards during a late second-quarter touchdown drive.
• Kendrick Bell posted a career-long 30-yard reception during the Wolverines' first offensive drive of the second half.
• Guy intercepted his first career pass (no return) -- Michigan's first turnover forced of the season -- on the first play of a New Mexico second-quarter drive to set the Wolverines up with a field goal opportunity.
• Early in the fourth quarter, Hillman intercepted his first career pass (no return) during his first start.
• Michigan's third interception was another career first, made by Cole Sullivan in the fourth quarter of his fourth career game.
• Sullivan, Bowles, and Dominic Nichols each contributed a sack in the waning seconds of the contest -- a career first for each.
• Ernest Hausmann led the way for the Wolverines in tackles (eight), while Mason Curtis (seven), Hillman (five), Sullivan (five), and Jimmy Rolder (four) each contributed career-high marks in the victory.
• Dominic Zvada's 21-yard second-quarter field goal marked his first of the 2025 campaign following his 21-of-22 performance (one blocked) in 2024. Zvada converted on a second field goal in the quarter, a boot of 39 yards.
