College Football: Hard Truths, Honest Reflection, and a Season-Defining Win for Michigan
Updated Oct. 18, 2025, 9:16 p.m. ET
ANN ARBOR, Mich. — The exact words spoken in the meeting rooms and on the practice fields here in Michigan this week, following an embarrassing and nationally televised road loss to unranked USC, are likely to remain a mystery to those outside the football program. However, the discussions continued to be referenced in the days that followed. ph366 Defensive tackle Damon Payne, for instance, mentioned that defensive coordinator Don “Wink” Martindale had questioned the defense’s manhood. Still, accounts of those discussions were shrouded in ambiguity, skillfully avoiding any public assignment of blame, even after Michigan secured a 24-7 victory against Washington, stabilizing their season’s trajectory.
Linebacker Cole Sullivan, who made a timely interception in the third quarter against Washington quarterback Demond Williams Jr., described Martindale’s message as a “gut check.” His teammate, linebacker Jimmy Rolder, who intercepted Williams again during the Huskies’ next possession, called it a “reality check.” Head coach Sherrone Moore, facing pressure from the Wolverines’ expectant fan base ahead of a crucial College Football Playoff bout, opted for the phrase “tough conversations.” He emphasized that “nobody else needs to hear what was said,” specifically referring to those not connected with Michigan.
However, for Moore and his large coaching staff, the tough conversations with players came along with moments of deep reflection as a promising season seemed to be at risk of derailing.
Moore, in just his second year as head coach, faced potential consequences given his record of 12-7 prior to Saturday’s clash with Washington. Other coaching staff, including Martindale, whose defense had been badly exposed by a walk-on running back from USC, and offensive coordinator Chip Lindsey, were under scrutiny as well. What transpired during Saturday’s game against the Huskies would serve as a referendum on both the players and coaches alike.
“In this position,” Moore said, “I’ve learned you’ve got to hold everyone accountable. I’ve got to hold myself accountable, the coaches accountable, and the players accountable 777pub. That’s just part of it. We talked about hardship plus commitment plus trust equals connection. And we wanted to stay connected.”
And connected they were, achieving a resounding victory over Washington, a team that previously suffered its only loss against No. 1 Ohio State okgames. After allowing 31 points and 489 total yards to the Trojans, Michigan’s defense roared back by intercepting Williams three times and diminishing his rushing impact to negative yardage on five carries www okbet create account.
The offense, which had dipped to 47th in yards per game and tied for 60th in scoring, bounced back brilliantly. Quarterback Bryce Underwood delivered the most efficient performance of his career, completing 21 of 27 passes for 230 yards, with 2 touchdowns and no interceptions. Tailback Jordan Marshall also had a standout day, carrying for a career-high 133 yards and scoring the go-ahead touchdown.
As a fourth-quarter field goal from kicker Dominic Zvada extended the Wolverines’ lead to an unassailable margin, throngs of maize and blue fans began exiting the stadium early. With this comprehensive victory over Washington, paired with a September win against Nebraska, Michigan now places itself in the Big Ten’s second tier, vying for a potential third or fourth College Football Playoff spot alongside the likely frontrunners Ohio State and Indiana.
There’s a strong case to be made for the Wolverines to be favored in their next four games: at Michigan State, against Purdue, at Northwestern, and at Maryland. This sets the stage for a possible five-game winning streak leading into their significant matchup against Ohio State to close the regular season. If Michigan heads into that game with a record of 9-2 overall and 7-1 in the Big Ten, a win could safely secure them a playoff berth.
Sullivan noted, “It was time. We were coming to a split in the road, you know, which way were we gonna go? We needed to bounce back big this week, and I thought we responded well.”
Some key aspects of Michigan’s performance against Washington suggest a replicable formula for the upcoming weeks, particularly with the competition likely easing after a challenging four-game gauntlet against Nebraska, Wisconsin, USC, and Washington.
- Despite being without starting tailback Justice Haynes and safeties Brandyn Hillman and Rod Moore due to injuries, Marshall managed to handle the highest number of carries of his career (25) while the second-string secondary limited the Huskies to just 209 passing yards.
- Freshman wide receiver Andrew Marsh emerged as another option for Underwood, catching five passes for 49 yards and a touchdown, including a spectacular one-handed grab. Several plays seemed specifically designed to get him involved.
- The run defense showed tremendous improvement, holding tailback Jonah Coleman to just 50 yards on 16 carries, demonstrating a powerful control at the line of scrimmage and limiting Washington to a mere 1.7 yards per rush.
- Three interceptions and a fourth-down stop highlighted Michigan’s impressive season in terms of turnovers, adding to their total of 11 takeaways by intercepting Williams more than once, which hadn’t happened in two years.
With these improvements in mind, if Michigan can maintain its upward trajectory after decisively defeating the Huskies in all aspects of the game, the next four games should present favorable opportunities for growth, preparation, and learning ahead of the annual Ohio State showdown. With another month of accountability, the Wolverines could be well-positioned to compete for a playoff spot.
Moore concluded with a simple reflection: “Our guys wanted it more. At the end of the day, that’s football. It’s pretty simple: You’ve got to want it more than them. And if you do that, you can come away with victories like that.”
What are your thoughts on Michigan’s pivotal win and their chances for the rest of the season?
