Michigan’s Heisman Sleeper Is Already in the Backfield
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Bryce Underwood may be the name receiving most of the attention in Ann Arbor, but Michigan could have another player capable of making a run at the Heisman Trophy. Jordan Marshall enters the 2026 season as one of the most overlooked stars in college football, and if the junior running back builds on what he showed last season, it may not be long before the rest of the country knows his name.
Jordan Marshall Took Over and Never Gave It Back
Marshall quietly put together an impressive 2025 campaign, rushing for 932 yards and 10 touchdowns on 150 carries while averaging 6.2 yards per carry, according to his ESPN game log. He finished only 68 yards short of becoming Michigan’s first 1,000-yard rusher since Blake Corum in 2023.
His production climbed as the season went on. From Oct. 11 through Nov. 15, Marshall ran for 638 yards and seven touchdowns on 98 carries across five games, a stretch that included four straight 100-yard nights against Washington, Michigan State, Purdue and Northwestern.
That late-season surge is what makes the Heisman conversation more than a preseason fantasy. The argument is simple: if Marshall can turn his 932-yard season into a 1,200- or 1,300-yard campaign while Michigan competes for the Big Ten and College Football Playoff, his name will become increasingly difficult for voters to ignore.
The Backfield Belongs to Him Now
Marshall did not open 2025 as Michigan’s lead back. He started the year behind Justice Haynes and took the job when Haynes needed foot surgery, then refused to give it back, posting a career-high 185 rushing yards and three touchdowns against Purdue on Nov. 1. Haynes has since moved on to Georgia Tech, leaving Marshall as the clear No. 1 in Ann Arbor.
His teammates noticed. Marshall was voted a team captain in August alongside Underwood, safety Rod Moore and defensive lineman Trey Pierce. He and Underwood became the first Michigan players in modern program history named captain before their senior season.
Whittingham’s Offense Has to Feed Him
The biggest question is whether Michigan’s new-look offense can create even more opportunities for him. Kyle Whittingham takes over as head coach after 21 seasons at Utah, bringing a reputation for physical football and a strong running game. Michigan has traditionally leaned heavily on its ground attack, and the Wolverines finished 2025 averaging 210.2 rushing yards per game, 14th nationally. If the offensive line holds up and consistently creates space, Marshall could see the kind of workload a national award push requires.
He also benefits from having a dangerous quarterback alongside him. Underwood threw for 2,428 yards and 11 touchdowns as a freshman while completing 60.3% of his passes, numbers that also came with nine interceptions and plenty of room to grow. If he takes a real second-year leap, defenses will have to devote more attention to the passing game, and that space shows up on the ground.
A Schedule Built for a Heisman Case
The schedule could give Marshall a national stage, too. No. 16 Michigan opens at home against Western Michigan on Saturday night before hosting Oklahoma on Sept. 12, and the Big Ten slate brings Penn State, Indiana, Oregon and Ohio State. Those games give him chance after chance to build a résumé against high-level competition in front of a national audience.
Michigan has not had a Heisman Trophy winner since Charles Woodson captured the award in 1997. For years, the Wolverines have produced stars capable of competing for college football’s biggest individual honor, but none have finished the job since Woodson.
Health is the one variable Marshall cannot control. He left November’s Northwestern win with a shoulder injury and did not record a carry in Michigan’s Citrus Bowl loss to Texas. But the path is there. If he stays healthy, carries the load he has earned and keeps producing at the rate he showed late last season, Michigan may have something it has been waiting nearly three decades to see again: a Heisman candidate carrying the Wolverines toward the top of college football.
The country may not be talking about Jordan Marshall yet. If he gets his way, it won’t stay that way for long.
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