Michigan’s 2026 season got off to about as dramatic a start as possible on Saturday night, as the Wolverines needed a 47-yard Hail Mary from Bryce Underwood to JJ Buchanan on the final play of the game to escape Western Michigan, 13-12.
It certainly wasn’t the debut Kyle Whittingham and his staff envisioned. Michigan was out-possessed by more than 20 minutes and struggled to move the football for most of the night after an impressive opening touchdown drive. The defense, meanwhile, kept the Wolverines
alive by holding the Broncos to 221 total yards and without a touchdown.
With Week 1 officially in the books, here’s a look at Michigan’s snap counts and grades from Pro Football Focus (PFF), along with a few that stood out the most.
Offensive snap counts
Bryce Underwood — 51
Blake Frazier — 51
Andrew Sprague — 51
Jake Guarnera — 51
JJ Buchanan — 47
Andrew Marsh — 44
Brady Norton — 40
Evan Link — 40
Jalen Hoffman — 37
Jordan Marshall — 35
Manuel Beigel — 26
Nathan Efobi — 22
Channing Goodwin — 20
Salesi Moa — 9
Savion Hiter — 9
Eli Owens — 8
Bryson Kuzdzal — 6
Zack Marshall — 5
Avery Gach — 4
Travis Johnson — 2
Mason Bonner — 2
Jaime Ffrench Jr. — 1
Top five offensive grades (minimum five snaps)
- WR JJ Buchanan — 88.9
- OL Manuel Beigel — 76.2
- OL Nathan Efobi — 69.0
- OL Brady Norton — 66.3
- OL Blake Frazier — 63.1
There isn’t much mystery surrounding Michigan’s highest-graded offensive player. JJ Buchanan was responsible for the two biggest catches of the night on Michigan’s final possession and was easily the Wolverines’ most productive pass-catcher from start to finish.
Buchanan finished with six receptions for 126 yards, including a 28-yard grab that put Michigan in position to attempt a Hail Mary and, of course, the 47-yard touchdown catch that won the game on the next play. PFF rewarded him with an 88.9 overall grade and an 87.3 receiving grade, both easily the best marks on Michigan’s offense.
Perhaps the more interesting takeaway comes from the other four names on this list, all of whom were offensive linemen. Manuel Beigel led the group at 76.2 while splitting time at guard with Nathan Efobi, who earned a strong 81.5 pass-blocking grade. Blake Frazier was even better in pass protection, earning an 88.6, while Brady Norton checked in at 78.3.
As a whole, Michigan earned an 84.1 pass-blocking grade, by far the best mark of any offensive category.
Bottom five offensive grades (minimum five snaps)
- Bryce Underwood — 35.8
- Channing Goodwin — 51.7
- Salesi Moa — 55.5
- Andrew Marsh — 58.1
- Zack Marshall — 58.2
Underwood ultimately delivered the throw that saved Michigan from what would have been a disastrous opening-night loss, but PFF wasn’t impressed with almost anything that came before it.
The sophomore earned a 35.8 overall grade and 31.4 passing grade, both the lowest marks on the offense. After starting the night 5-for-5 and leading Michigan down the field for a touchdown on its opening possession, Underwood and the offense struggled to find much of anything consistently. He finished 12-of-22 for 170 yards, one touchdown, and one interception while also losing a fumble late in the fourth quarter.
The discrepancy between Underwood’s passing grade and Michigan’s 84.1 pass-blocking grade is particularly notable. The protection generally held up well enough for Michigan to have at least some success through the air, but outside of Buchanan, the Wolverines never established much rhythm.
That extended to the rest of the receiving corps. Goodwin earned a 51.7 overall grade, while Moa and Marsh checked in at 55.5 and 58.1, respectively. Michigan’s passing game will need to be substantially better moving forward, especially with Oklahoma waiting in Week 2.
Defensive snap counts
Jyaire Hill — 65
Chris Bracy — 64
Troy Bowles — 60
Smith Snowden — 58
Dom Nichols — 55
Trey Pierce — 55
Rod Moore Jr. — 54
Nathaniel Staehling — 50
Enow Etta — 45
John Henry Daley — 43
Zeke Berry — 35
Chase Taylor — 35
Cam Brandt — 32
Jonah Lea’ea — 24
Aisea Moa — 22
Mason Curtis — 18
Shamari Earls — 16
Nate Marshall — 8
Nathaniel Owusu-Boateng — 6
Deyvid Palepale — 6
Bobby Kanka — 6
Jordan Young — 2
Top five defensive grades (minimum five snaps)
- Dom Nichols — 83.7
- John Henry Daley — 77.8
- Nathaniel Staehling — 75.7
- Enow Etta — 73.4
- Smith Snowden — 72.5
Michigan’s defense spent far too much time on the field Saturday night, but it was also the biggest reason the Wolverines were still within striking distance when the final seconds arrived.
Dom Nichols led the way with an 83.7 overall grade, including an 83.0 run-defense grade, 80.0 tackling grade, and 71.7 pass-rush grade. PFF credited him with four pressures, two sacks, and seven defensive stops, making him the most disruptive player on Michigan’s defense.
John Henry Daley also made a strong first impression, earning a 77.8 overall grade and a 75.6 pass-rush mark across 43 snaps. Nathaniel Staehling was another encouraging newcomer, grading at 75.7 overall and 79.1 against the run while recording six tackles and four assists according to PFF.
The defensive front was particularly impressive against Western Michigan’s rushing attack. Enow Etta earned an 81.5 run-defense grade, while Michigan finished with an 85.6 run-defense grade as a team.
Snowden rounded out the top five at 72.5 and earned a 76.0 coverage grade. He was targeted four times and allowed three receptions, but Michigan’s secondary as a whole did its job, limiting explosive plays and keeping Western Michigan out of the end zone.
Bottom five defensive grades (minimum five snaps)
- Nate Marshall — 48.8
- Chase Taylor — 56.0
- Bobby Kanka — 62.2
- Rod Moore Jr. — 63.1
- Deyvid Palepale — 63.4
There was considerably less to be concerned about on this side of the ball. Nate Marshall earned the lowest grade at 48.8 due to a 50% missed-tackle rate, but he was on the field for only 8 defensive snaps and still managed to register half a sack and half a TFL. Chase Taylor was the only other Wolverine to play at least five snaps and grade below 60.
One number that’s a bit of a surprise is Rod Moore’s 39.4 tackling grade. The veteran safety missed one tackle on three attempts, according to PFF, but otherwise held up reasonably well in his return, earning a 65.0 coverage grade across 54 snaps.
Overall, Michigan finished the night with an 82.1 overall defensive grade, with strong marks against the run (85.6), tackling (81.1), and in coverage (77.1). The pass rush wasn’t quite as dominant at 70.1, but the Wolverines still generated 14 pressures, including two sacks, four quarterback hits, and eight hurries.
Considering the defense was forced to play 69 snaps while Western Michigan possessed the ball for more than 40 minutes, it’s difficult to ask for much more from that group.
