Season Review: 2025 Michigan Football

1/7/2026 10:00:00 AM | Football

By: Dave Ablauf, Chad Shepard

• Team Captains: Max Bredeson, Giovanni El-Hadi, Ernest Hausmann, Marlin Klein, Derrick Moore, Rod Moore
• Record:: 9-4, 7-2 Big Ten Conference (T4th)
• Postseason: Cheez-It Citrus Bowl (41-27 Loss vs. Texas)

The 2025 season included nine wins for the University of Michigan Football program, completed with a postseason trip to Orlando, Fla., and the Cheez-It Citrus Bowl. The Wolverines pieced together a five-game conference win streak that included rivalry/trophy-game victories over Northwestern and Michigan State.

The team saw 21 athletes gain some form of All-Big Ten recognition, including first-team pick Derrick Moore and three second-team honorees.

Team Highlights

• Offensive Line, Run Game Produce Despite Changes: Despite a rotating cast, U-M got the job done in the run game this year. Michigan's offensive line employed six different starting combinations and was still named a semifinalist unit for the Joe Moore Award. U-M finished the season ranked 14th nationally with an average of 210.2 rushing yards per game and had at least 200-plus rushing yards four times. The Wolverines recorded 12 separate 100-yard rushing performances during the 2025 season: six from Justice Haynes, four from Jordan Marshall and one each from Bryson Kuzdzal and Bryce Underwood. U-M had 13 such performances in 2022 (Corum, eight; Edwards, five), but the last time before 2025 that U-M had four different players record at least 100 yards rushing in a game was 1998 (Thomas, three; Williams, two, Cross and Fargas, one each).

• Paun Bunyan Trophy Stays in Ann Arbor: Playing in a hostile road environment in East Lansing, the Wolverines won their rivalry matchup with the Spartans by a 31-20 decision. It was U-M's fourth straight win in the series, matching the longest since 2002-07 (six straight). Jimmy Rolder recovered an early fumble forced by Brandyn Hillman and both Haynes (152 yards) and Marshall (110 yards) went over the 100-yard rushing mark while U-M totaled 276 yards on the ground. It was Michigan's first game since the 1994 matchup with MSU in which both backs rushed for more than 100 yards.

• Walk-Off Win at Wrigley: Dominic Zvada helped Michigan retain the George Jewett Trophy in a 24-22 win over Northwestern at historic Wrigley Field in Chicago, Ill. Zvada's 31-yarder as time expired was the first game-ending attempt of his career and proved to be the difference for the Maize and Blue. The game also featured two late defensive stands from the Wolverines (both three-and-outs in the final eight minutes) and a historic freshman receiving performance from Andrew Marsh to set up the win.

Individual Highlights

• Derrick Moore Climbs All-Time Sack List: Edge rusher Moore posted a career-high and team-leading 10.0 sacks across 12 regular-season games during his senior season. Moore had three straight games with multiple sacks (2.0 against Washington, at Michigan State, against Purdue), becoming the first U-M defender with multiple sacks across a three-game stretch since LaMarr Woodley in 2006. Moore finished with 21.0 sacks in his career, fifth all-time at Michigan, and led the Big Ten with sacks in league play this year.

• Underwood, Marsh Combine for New Freshman WR Records: Marsh had a receiving performance for the record books against Northwestern at Wrigley Field. He made 12 catches for 189 yards, setting single-game receiving records among U-M freshmen (since at least 1979). On the season, Marsh and quarterback Underwood connected for 45 receptions, 651 yards and four touchdowns. Marsh finished the year as the single-season freshman record-holder in yards and ranked second in catches (49, Martavious Odoms, 2008) and third in touchdowns (seven, Anthony Carter, 1976; five, Mario Mannighan, 2005). Underwood finished the year with 17 all-purpose touchdowns (11 passing) and 2,428 passing yards, the second-highest total by a freshman starter at U-M (2,743 yards, Chad Henne, 2004).

• Haynes, Marshall Among Nation's Best: Both of U-M's lead backs produced season stat lines that would mean a good year for most players. Combined, the duo showed itself to be one of the nation's premier backfields as they totaled almost 1,800 rushing yards and 20 rushing touchdowns. Haynes (121 carries, 857 yards, 10 touchdowns) led the Big Ten in rushing and ranked third nationally in yards per game (130.8) at the time of his initial injury at USC; Marshall (150 carries, 932 yards, 10 touchdowns) ranked second in rushing during league play before missing the game at Maryland. They each recorded four runs of 50-plus yards, tied for the third-highest individual totals nationally.

• Kuzdzal Steps Up: Kuzdzal made his first career start at an important point in U-M's season, drawing the nod at Maryland (Nov. 22). Entering the game, he had 25 career carries, but against the Terps, Kuzdzal parlayed 20 rush attempts into 100 yards and scored three touchdowns. The third back to start a game for U-M in 2025, Kuzdzal also became the third back to score three touchdowns in a game last year, marking the first season a Big Ten team has had three or more single-game, three-touchdown scorers (rushing), according to Big Ten Network.

• Zvada Sets Career Record: Zvada converted a 53-yard field goal against Texas in the Cheez-It Citrus Bowl (Dec. 31), breaking his tie with Jake Moody (17) for the most 40-plus yard field goal conversions in a career at Michigan. Zvada's 18th make (10 in 2024, eight in 2025) also gave him nine career conversions of 50-plus yards, also a career record at Michigan (next: three tied with four each). At the close of his U-M career, Zvada is the most prolific distance field-goal kicker in program history.

Honors and Awards

Derrick
Moore

Jordan
Marshall

Jimmy
Rolder

Jake
Guarnera

National Awards
Jason Witten Collegiate Man of the Year Semifinalist: Ernest Hausmann
Sporting News Midseason All-American: Justice Haynes
247Sports and On3 Freshman All-American: Andrew Marsh
Earl Campbell Tyler Rose Award Player of the Week Honorable Mention (Northwestern): Andrew Marsh
East-West Shrine Bowl Breakout Defensive Player of the Week (Washington): Derrick Moore
Butkus Award Semifinalist: Jimmy Rolder
Patrick Mannelly Award Semifinalist: Greg Tarr
Shaun Alexander Award Player of the Week (Central Michigan): Bryce Underwood
Lou Groza Award Star of the Week (Nebraska): Dominic Zvada
Joe Moore Award Midseason Honor Roll, Semifinalist: Offensive Line

All-Big Ten Conference (Coaches)
Defense
First Team: Derrick Moore (edge)
Second Team: Jimmy Rolder (linebacker)
Third Team: Rayshaun Benny (interior), Zeke Berry (defensive back)
Honorable Mention: Jaishawn Barham (edge), Ernest Hausmann (linebacker), Jyaire Hill (defensive back), Brandyn Hillman (defensive back), TJ Metcalf (defensive back)

Special Teams
Honorable Mention: Dominic Zvada (kicker)

Offense
Third Team: Max Bredeson (tight end), Giovanni El-Hadi (guard), Justice Haynes, Jordan Marshall (running back)
Honorable Mention: Jake Guarnera (guard), Marlin Klein (tight end), Andrew Marsh (wide receiver), Andrew Sprague (tackle)

All-Big Ten Conference (Media)
Defense
Second Team: Zeke Berry (defensive back), Derrick Moore (edge), Jimmy Rolder (linebacker)
Third Team: Rayshaun Benny (interior), Ernest Hausmann (linebacker)
Honorable Mention: Jaishawn Barham (edge), Jyaire Hill (defensive back), Brandyn Hillman (defensive back), Trey Pierce (interior)

Special Teams
Third Team: Greg Tarr (long snapper)

Offense
Second Team: Jordan Marshall (running back)
Honorable Mention: Max Bredeson (tight end), Greg Crippen (center), Giovanni El-Hadi (guard), Jake Guarnera (guard), Justice Haynes (running back), Marlin Klein (tight end), Andrew Marsh (wide receiver), Andrew Sprague (tackle)

Other Big Ten Awards
Sportsmanship Award: Cole Sullivan

College Sports Communicators Academic All-District
Jake Guarnera

Academic All-Big Ten
Nico Andrighetto, Sr., Communications and Media
Brooks Bahr, Jr., Communications and Media
Jaishawn Barham, Sr., General Studies
Adam Bazzi, So., Business Administration
Manuel Beigel, So., LSA Undeclared
Evan Boutorwick, Sr., Movement Science
Cameron Brandt, Jr., Biopsychology, Cognition and Neuroscience
C.J. Charleston, Gr., Social Work
Jeffrey Chukwu, So., LSA Undeclared
Greg Crippen, Gr., Real Estate Development
Jadyn Davis, So., LSA Undeclared
Lugard Edokpayi, So., LSA Undeclared
Logan Forbes, Sr., Sport Management
Blake Frazier, So., Business Administration
Jake Guarnera, So., Business Administration
Luke Hamilton, So., LSA Undeclared
Ted Hammond, So., Business Administration
Hogan Hansen, So., LSA Undeclared
Hudson Hollenbeck, Sr., Sport Management
Ike Iwunnah, Gr., Social Work
James Kavouklis, Sr., Communication and Media
Marlin Klein, Sr., General Studies
Evan Link, Jr., Mechanical Engineering
Jeremiah Lowe, So., LSA Undeclared
Jordan Marshall, So., LSA Undeclared
Zack Marshall, Jr., Business Administration
Semaj Morgan, Jr., General Studies
Peyton O'Leary, Gr., Real Estate Development Certificate
Jacob Oden, So., LSA Undeclared
Brady Prieskorn, So., LSA Undeclared
Crandall Quinn, Jr., Business Administration
Max Reyes, Sr., Business Administration
Ben Roebuck, So., LSA Undeclared
Jimmy Rolder, Sr., Business Administration
Kaleb Schlecht, Jr., Sport Management
Andrew Sprague, So., LSA Undeclared
Shomari Stone, Sr., Political Science
Cole Sullivan, So., LSA Undeclared
Dan Taraboi, Sr., Communication and Media
Greg Tarr, Gr., Master of Management
Joe Taylor, Gr., Social Work
Davis Warren, Gr., Social Work
John Weidenbach, Jr., Economics
Bryce Wilcox, Sr., Communication and Media

Big Ten Player of the Week
Offensive: Justice Haynes (Oct. 27), Jordan Marshall (Nov. 3)
Defensive: Jimmy Rolder (Oct. 27)
Special Teams: Dominic Zvada (Sept. 22)
Freshman: Bryce Underwood (Sept. 15), Andrew Marsh (Nov. 17)