The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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16 THE WOLVERINE ❱ NOVEMBER 2026 ❱ INSIDE MICHIGAN ATHLETICS 2 Rushing touchdowns allowed by the Michigan defense in the first six games, compared to 7 pass- ing. The other score the Wolverines yielded was a kickoff return against Iowa. 2 Michigan women's bas- ketball players landed on the preseason All-Big Ten team in junior guards Olivia Olson, a unanimous selection, and Syla Swords. 5th Nationally is where Michigan checked in on ESPN's preseason top 25 for women's col- lege basketball. "Kim Barnes-Arico's 2024 recruiting class of [ju- niors] Olivia Olson, Syla Swords, Mila Holloway and Te'Yala Delfosse has lived up to expectations, delivering the program's first Elite Eight appear- ance as sophomores," ESPN's Charlie Creme wrote. "But the blowout loss to Texas illustrated that the Wolverines needed something else to take that next step. [Courtney] Ogden could be that player after having a significant increase in produc- tion from her sophomore to junior seasons (5.9 PPG to 12.9 PPG, with 51.3% field goal shooting) at Stanford. One more experienced scorer to take some pressure off Olson might be the missing piece to a Final Four appearance." 9 Contested catches combined between sophomore wide receivers JJ Buchanan (5) and ANDREW MARSH (4) in the first five outings, according to PFF. 12.8 Percent of Michigan's possessions in the first five games ended in turnovers. According to HudlIQ, the average for a college football team is 9.4 percent. As a result, the Wolverines have scored only 1.8 points per drive, lower than the national average of 2.2. 15 Points through six games for senior forward Jayden Perron (9 goals, 6 as- sists), leading NCAA hockey and earning him Big Ten First Star of the Week honors in back-to-back weeks. Perron scored his first career hat trick in a win over Alaska Anchorage Oct. 10. Junior forward Michael Hage, meanwhile, ranks second in the country with 14 points (11 assists, 3 goals). 15 Of the Wolverines' first 109 passing targets were to tight ends (13.8 per- cent), compared to 87 out of 328 (26.5 percent) for the entire 2025 season. BY THE NUMBERS BY CLAYTON SAYFIE 37.7 Percent pressure rate for the Michigan defense, rank- ing 24th in the FBS after Week 7 per Sports Info Solutions. The Wolverines were tied for 33rd in the land with 2.5 sacks per contest. 50 Tackles for senior linebacker Troy Bowles through six contests, leading the team by 16 stops. Graduate linebacker Nathaniel Staehling is second with 34. t103rd Nationally is where Michigan stood after Week 7 in aver- age turnover margin per game (-0.50), with 11 turnovers (114th) and 8 takeaways (52nd). PHOTO BY LON HORWEDEL