Three Storylines I'm Watching Most As Michigan Football Hosts Rival Michigan State

Last weekend, Michigan football picked up its fifth win of the season and second win in conference play, taking down Rutgers 28-21 on the road on Halloween afternoon.

Now, the Wolverines are set to host in-state rival Michigan State on Saturday at 7:30 p.m. The Spartans enter the weekend on a six-game losing streak and have yet to find a way to win a game in Big Ten play.

Here are three storylines I am watching most as the Wolverines look to pick up their second consecutive win.

Can Michigan Win Big

This is a battle of two teams who have felt underwhelming thus far in 2026. But as frustrating as Michigan has been, MSU has been worse. The Spartans have yet to defeat a Power Four opponent, only winning games over Toledo and Eastern Michigan.

Michigan State also has one of the worst offenses statistically in the country, ranking 133rd in the nation in total offense (291.4 yards per game). MSU also ranks 125th in turnover margin out of 138 programs, struggling to take care of the ball while also not being able to turn teams over.

With an opponent like this, playing at home with a 7:30 p.m. kickoff, the Wolverines have a chance to win big. Outside of UTEP, all of the Wolverines' wins were in one-possession games. Even against a bad Rutgers team, the Maize and Blue only won by seven.

Now is the perfect opportunity to not play down to the opponents' level and take care of business from start to finish. There is no reason Michigan shouldn't win by double digits.

More Savion?

Michigan's run game all year has been underwhelming.

Last week against the Scarlet Knights, we saw promise from freshman Savion Hiter, who finished the game with a team-best 76 yards on the ground.

Jordan Marshall, who had All-American upside heading into the season, has not had a good year. Last week, he finished with six yards on five carries.

If we get another good Hiter game, we may officially have a new RB1 in the backfield. For Wolverine fans, hopefully the freshman can get going, as it has been frustrating watching the Wolverines struggle to not be able to run the ball like years previous.

Defensive Injuries and Do They Remain Elite

Michigan's defense has been great nearly all season. However, heading into this game, there are some key players on the injury report.

John Henry Daley, Dom Nichols and Rod Moore are all listed as questionable. Seeing if they suit up and if they look 100% healthy will be important down this final stretch of games for the Maize and Blue.

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Today's best reads

• Dom Nichols, John Henry Daley Headline Good Michigan Injury News, O-Line Has Bad News
• Injury report: Michigan Football Has 3 Starters as 'Game Time Decisions' vs. Rutgers
• Pat Fitzgerald Makes Bold Prediction Ahead of Michigan's Matchup against His Spartans
• 5 Most Important Michigan Wolverines in Showdown with Michigan State
• Michigan Wolverines Stock Report: 3 Players Rising, 3 Falling After Road Win Over Rutgers

This article was originally published on www.si.com/college/michigan as Three storylines I'm Watching Most as Michigan Football Hosts Rival Michigan State.