Position grades for Michigan Football’s loss to Texas in Citrus Bowl
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The Michigan Wolverines suffered a 41-27 loss to the Texas Longhorns in the 2025 Citrus Bowl on New Year’s Eve. Here is how each position group performed as the 2025 season came to a disappointing end for Michigan.
Quarterback: C
Bryce Underwood had an up-and-down showing in the season-ending loss to Texas, which was a microcosm of his freshman year. For every great play that he made — recording three touchdowns and 276 total yards — he would make a costly mistake. He threw three picks down the stretch of the game. Michigan could have won, but Underwood just isn’t consistent enough yet.
Running backs: B-
Justice Haynes and Jordan Marshall were both sidelined again, so Bryson Kuzdzal was the starting running back. He got off to a slow start but found a rhythm later on, finishing with 82 yards on 20 attempts, highlighted by a pair of fourth-down conversions in the second half. Micah Ka’apana also had 20 yards on three carries.
Wide receivers: C
Five different wide receivers recorded at least one reception, as Donaven McCulley compiled a team-high 54 yards on four receptions, while Andrew Marsh and Kendrick Bell both had a touchdown catch. Marsh was heavily involved in the offense early on but he was completely shut down in the second half, finishing with just three catches for 10 yards.
Tight ends: B
The tight ends played a major role in the game plan, as Marlin Klein posted four catches for 39 yards and Hogan Hansen recorded three receptions for 31 yards. Playing in place of the injured Max Bredeson, Jalen Hoffman also provided a few key blocks in the run game — helping spring a fourth-down conversion by Kuzdzal and a touchdown run by Underwood.
Offensive line: C+
The offensive line had a new-look with right guard Kaden Strayhorn and right tackle Brady Norton moving into the starting lineup, along with Jake Guarnera shifting to center. Blake Frazier and Nathan Efobi played relatively well on the left side, but Norton and Strayhorn were inconsistent, allowing multiple pressures and each picking up a holding penalty.
Defensive line: C-
The defensive line made several big plays in the early stages, as Tre Williams came up with a tackle for loss while Damon Payne Jr. and Rayshaun Benny combined for a third-down tackle to force a punt. The second half was not nearly as good though, as Michigan’s defensive front allowed 235 rushing yards and 7.1 yards per carry.
Linebackers: C+
Cole Sullivan was all over the field in the first half, coming up with seven total tackles, one forced fumble and one pass deflection, but he wasn’t as productive after halftime. Meanwhile, Jimmy Rolder struggled, allowing a touchdown pass in the first half and getting out of position as Arch Manning ran past the defense for a game-sealing 60-yard touchdown.
Secondary: C+
There were several defensive backs that made an impact, as TJ Metcalf tied for a team-high seven tackles, Jordan Young totaled six tackles, and Jaden Mangham had four tackles and a tackle for loss. The Wolverines committed too many critical miscues, though, as Zeke Berry had a costly pass interference and Jyaire Hill was beat for a go-ahead touchdown in the fourth quarter.
Special teams: B-
Surprisingly, the special teams unit actually played solid. Hudson Hollenbeck averaged 48.0 yards per punt on two attempts before exiting with an injury, and Dominic Zvada made 2-of-3 field goals with a long of 53. Zvada set a school-record with his 18th career field goal of 40+ yards. Marsh also made a much-needed impact in the return game, totaling 143 return yards.
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