Following Michigan’s national championship in 2023, the Wolverines endured major struggles in 2024. For Michigan to follow up a perfect season with a five-loss season was pretty surprising, but not all the surprises this year were bad for the Wolverines.

Here are some of the biggest surprises from Michigan’s rough 2024 season.

Michigan didn’t solidify QB1 until Week 9

Since Week 3 of the 2022 season, J.J. McCarthy captained Michigan’s offense, leading it to two-straight College Football Playoff appearances and the first national championship since 1997. With McCarthy departing for the NFL after three seasons, it left a glaring vacancy.

Even with that, I don’t think anyone expected the quarterback woes to be as extreme and alarming as they ended up being. Electing to not pursue a quarterback in the portal resulted in a three-man competition between Jack Tuttle, Alex Orji, and Davis Warren, the latter of whom started the first three games of the season before being benched and not returning until the Week 9 game with Michigan State. It was a struggle, to say the least, prior to going back to Warren.

Upsetting No. 2 Ohio State

With an uninspiring 6-5 record, season-long quarterback issues and its best receiving option in Colston Loveland not available, expectations for the Wolverines to win this game were low. While Michigan’s 2024 season was withering, Ohio State’s campaign was thriving, coming into The Game with a 10-1 record and home field advantage.

Historically speaking, whoever won the rushing battle won The Game. In the three previous years, that was Michigan. So seeking a fourth straight win, the Wolverines did exactly that. Between that and the defense containing Ohio State to just 10 points, the Wolverines were able to pull off the win.

With one game — with one win — Michigan completely rewrote the narrative of its season. In the game that mattered most, the Wolverines surprised everyone, claiming a fourth straight win over Ryan Day and the Buckeyes.

Kalel Mullings has a breakout season

For the past two years, Blake Corum has been the focal point of the run game — and with good reason. In 2022 and 2023, Corum had a combined 2,708 yards and 45 touchdowns. With his departure, someone new would take over as RB1, and most people expected that to be Donovan Edwards.

Instead, Kalel Mullings took the spotlight after spending four years in the shadows. Originally a linebacker, it wasn’t until last season when Mullings started getting consistent reps at running back.

Mullings hasn’t just been Michigan’s top running back this season — he’s been its most impactful player on offense. With 948 yards, and a team-leading 12 touchdowns, he has been the main source of the offense in 2024.

Michigan flips Bryce Underwood, shows the impact of NIL

For most of the season, there wasn’t a lot to celebrate regarding Wolverine quarterbacks. But then Bryce Underwood gave Michigan plenty to celebrate.

Sure, rumors had been swirling about the Wolverines’ pursuit of Underwood — the No. 1 recruit in the 2025 class — but it still came as a shock when he flipped from LSU to Michigan. With the Wolverines’ troublesome quarterback issues, it became glaring Michigan needed to step it up for next year. Procuring Underwood goes above and beyond what was expected, though.

Beyond the impact Underwood’s commitment has for Michigan’s future on the field, it also has major implications for the future of the program as a whole. Over the last couple years, it has become clear NIL will play a key role in recruiting, but Underwood flipping to Michigan showed it at a magnified scale. The Wolverines enticing an incoming player with an alleged eight-figure NIL package was uncharted territory, and quite the happy surprise for the Michigan program.