Trevor Woods has covered Michigan Wolverines Football for Maize n Brew since 2016. You can find him on Twitter @WoodsFootball.
With Michigan sitting at 5-5 on the season they need just one more win to become bowl-eligible. The Wolverines play 4-6 Northwestern at Michigan Stadium on Saturday and close out the season against No. 2 Ohio State (9-1) the following week.
If Michigan is to make a bowl game it could be a preview of what the team will look like in 2025. Bowl games do not count towards redshirt status so there would be every reason to get a bunch of true freshmen into the game.
It wouldn't be just the bowl game itself that would aid these Michigan freshmen, it would be the extra month of practices leading up to a bowl. Yes, even with Michigan having a down season, a bowl berth still means something.
Here's a look at some true freshmen who could benefit from a Michigan bowl game.
Davis, a four-star recruit in the '24 class and the No. 9 overall quarterback hasn't played a snap this season despite Michigan ranking No. 128 in passing offense and trotting out three different starting quarterbacks. Why not see what the true freshman has to offer? Davis threw for 3,370 yards and 43 touchdowns as a senior.
Marshall was a four-star prospect from Cincinnati, Ohio, and rushed for 4,878 yards in high school with 80 total touchdowns, including 15 receiving.
Marshall hasn't notched a rushing carry this season and has returned seven kickoffs for 151 yards. That should change heading into bowl season and Marshall is likely to receive some playing time. After all, he's been compared to former Michigan running back Blake Corum, who greatly aided Michigan's championship run last season.
"He has a little bit of the Blake Corum mentality and skillset in him, so I'm super excited about him," Sherrone Moore said in July.
The three-star freshman is poised to make his season debut on Saturday against Northwestern. Sherrone Moore said Ka'apana will be "implemented in the game plan".
"Very shifty, great contact balance," Moore said. "He's small, but he's not little. And the dude plays with power. He plays strong, but he's super fast."
Goodwin, a three-star who had 14 touchdowns as a high school senior, has appeared in one game this season despite Sherrone Moore indicating in August that Goodwin would have a role in 2024.
"He's a playmaker. He's a dude that's probably going to help us this year in some way, shape, or form," Moore said in August.
Per PFF, Michigan's wideouts rank No. 106 this season with a grade of 63.9. There's no reason not to give Goodwin more opportunities.
With Colston Loveland headed to the NFL Draft there's a strong chance someone like Hansen will get more opportunities in a bowl game.
"He's just climbing and climbing," Sherrone Moore said on Inside Michigan Football on Tuesday. "He's got an opportunity to be special."
Hansen was a four-star prospect in the class of 2024 and has five catches this season for 59 yards with one touchdown.
Sprague, a four-star prospect and No. 7 overall offensive tackle in the 2024 class could be a key difference-maker for Michigan in years to come. Moore recently called the 6-foot-8, 305-pound lineman a player that'll impact Michigan "for a long time."
Nichols may have just been a three-star prospect but his high school production was as good and as eye-popping as anyone on Michigan's roster. As a senior, Nichols racked up 84 tackles and a single-season record of 15.5 sacks, a whooping 77 pressures, 15 pass breakups and one interception.
"He's showing flashes here and there and he's played, would be great for him," Moore said about Nichols potentially playing in a bowl game.
Nichols has one tackle this season.
Sullivan, a four-star prospect, has been a steady contributor on special teams this season but his time to shine as a linebacker could be soon approaching. This offseason fullback Max Bredeson said that Sullivan is a "great player" and a "steady riser" with some juice.
Sullivan has two tackles this season.
Cornerback Will Johnson hasn't played in a month and will be headed to the NFL after the season, which makes giving Edmond snaps in a bowl game all the more important. Sherrone Moore said the four-star corner "can be as good as anybody" with great ability and speed.
Edmond has one tackle this season.
Moore describes Curtis as a "tackling machine out there", The 6-foot-5, 200-pound four-star playmaker spent time this offseason at wideout and edge rusher but is now gaining traction as a safety. Curtis' mix of size and speed is intriguing and he could become a dangerous weapon on the back end of the defense with more time on task.