The Michigan Wolverines head to East Lansing to face the Michigan State Spartans later tonight. MSU has dropped four games in a row and are going nowhere fast, but there are still a few players to keep
an eye on if you’re a Michigan fan:
QB Aidan Chiles
In a game like this, the quarterback is the most important piece. When Jonathan Smith took over in East Lansing, there was a lot of hype around the quarterback that came with him from Oregon State — Aidan Chiles.
Chiles was off to a hot start early in the season with seven total touchdowns through the first three weeks. But those games were against Western Michigan, 1-6 Boston College and FCS Youngstown State. But things changed against conference competition, as he is completing less than 60 percent of his passes and has had two games throwing less than 100 yards in Big Ten play. The offensive line has struggled to keep him upright all season, allowing 18 sacks through seven games, including 10 in conference play.
It’s not just the line’s fault though. Chiles has dual-threat abilities, but like most young quarterbacks, he holds onto the ball for too long as pocket’s collapse. Here’s an example of that against Boston College.
At the same time, there are moments where Chiles does something exceptional with his feet under pressure. There have been multiple sacks and tackles for losses the Wolverines have missed this year because they couldn’t finish the play. That’s where Chiles thrives — here’s a clip from that same game that shows that off.
Simply put, Michigan must generate pressure and finish plays. Chiles is among college football’s worst quarterbacks when he is feeling the heat, which is why so many Big Ten teams have slowed him down and made things difficult on this offense. If Michigan can’t wrap up and bring Chiles down, he will undoubtedly make plays with his legs.
The Wolverine to watch for me is Jaishawn Barham. He has consistently brought pressure, but he has had issues tackling throughout his career. Now that he has become a full-time edge rusher, we’re starting to see that pop up again. He has a shot to have a career performance in this game if he shores that up.
WR Nick Marsh
Chiles has a special receiver at his disposal in 6-foot-3 sophomore Nick Marsh. The Detroit native scored a touchdown against the Wolverines last season, so they have already seen what kind of impact he can have. He leads the team with 36 receptions and five touchdowns this year.
Big Ten defenses made it their goal to takeaway Marsh in the pass game. Against USC and Nebraska, the Spartan’s first two conference opponents, Marsh totaled just six catches for 69 yards. MSU has since responded by force feeding him the ball, as Marsh had 77 receiving yards on seven catches against UCLA, a game in which MSU had only 166 passing yards and 16 completions. He made it two weeks in a row with a touchdown against Indiana last week, where he racked up another seven receptions for 64 yards.
The Wolverines were without Rod Moore and Brandyn Hillman last week, and while Mason Curtis and others stepped up, Michigan would love to have them back to help slow down Marsh alongside guys like Jyaire Hill and Zeke Berry.
LB Jordan Hall
Although the Spartan defense has disappointed this season, one of their best players is linebacker Jordan Hall. He’s a three-year starter and is the anchor of this defense, but he has really showcased his development this year and has turned into one of the better linebackers in the conference.
Hall leads the team with 51 tackles this season and was Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week for his 15-tackle performance against Boston College, where he also forced a fumble. Tack on an interception and two sacks on the season, and Hall has had a really impressive 2025 so far.
He will need to be at his best against Michigan. The Spartan defense is 121st in points per game allowed, 87th in yards allowed per game and 126th in third down defense. He is the type of player that needs to step up to turn that around.
The Wolverines been mediocre on third down this year, ranking 65th in college football by converting 40.5 percent of third downs. They need to get into those third-and-manageable situations to ensure their young quarterback can take advantage of a bad defense on the road in a hostile environment.
