What we learned in Michigan football’s wild win over Northwestern
What we learned from Michigan football’s walk-off win over middling Northwestern at Wrigley Field in Chicago, Saturday, Nov. 15, 2025.
COLLEGE PARK, Md. − It looks to be a true game time decision for Michigan football running back Jordan Marshall.
Marshall, the Wolverines’ bulldozing ball carrier who’s taken the lead role since Justice Haynes suffered a foot injury against Michigan State, has been listed as questionable for U-M’s penultimate game of the season against Maryland (4:00 p.m., Big Ten Network).
The redshirt freshman injured his shoulder in the second half of the Wolverines’ 24-22 victory over Northwestern after he’d run 19 times for 142 yards and two touchdowns. He was replaced by Bryson Kuzdzal, who ran 15 times for 55 yards.
Marshall has been a workhorse for U-M this season, starting slowly the first month, but he’s been the team’s best overall player on offense for the past month. He’s run for more than 100 yards and had at least one touchdown in each of the past four games, totaling 570 yards and seven touchdowns during that span.
If he’s unable to go, it will be a heavy diet of Kuzdzal and true freshman Jasper Parker in the back field.
Ernest Hausmann a surprising scratch
Michigan football has been banged up at the linebacker spot and now has added a new name to the list.
Ernest Hausmann, the team’s leading tackler, has been ruled out. The senior, captain and green dot linebacker has 68 tackles this season (44 solo), 5½ for loss, four quarterback hurries and a sack. He’s now the fourth key player in the linebacker room to miss time at some point, joining Cole Sullivan, Jimmy Rolder and Jaishawn Barham. They all are good to go vs. the Terps.
The Wolverines will also be without wide receiver Semaj Morgan. The junior has struggled this season with drops and an inability to make plays in the special teams game. He fumbled last week against Northwestern and coach Sherrone Moore said on Monday, Nov. 17 that Andrew Marsh would take over punt return duties moving forward.
Michigan will also be without special teams ace Joe Taylor. He set the record for most snaps on the unit in program history last week at Wrigley Field.
The other injuries were all largely expected: Evan Link (lower body) remains out as does Rod Moore (knee) and it’s unclear if either will be able to return in time for Ohio State. Same goes for Haynes (foot) and Hogan Hansen (undisclosed).
Tony Garcia is the Wolverines beat writer for the Detroit Free Press. Email him at apgarcia@freepress.com and follow him on X at @RealTonyGarcia.
