Entering a much-needed bye week, Sherrone Moore and the Michigan Wolverines hope the time off will help Justice Haynes heal faster. However, the latest injury update suggests the program in Ann Arbor could be heading straight into a roadblock.
Haynes has become a key piece to the offensive puzzle in Michigan. The Alabama transfer leads the Wolverines in rushing yards and touchdowns, as he continues to strike fear into every defensive coordinator in college football. However, Haynes missed out on Michigan’s latest outing against the Purdue Boilermakers due to a foot injury.
Michigan managed to survive and hold its own without the star tailback, but the schedule is only getting tougher for Moore and the Wolverines. With a bye week on the horizon, the program in Ann Arbor has some extra time to help its standout recover from injury. However, a new report indicates Haynes is headed for surgery, casting even greater doubt on his return date in the NCAA.
“Michigan star running back Justice Haynes is set to undergo surgery to repair a foot injury,” as reported by CBS Sports insider Matt Zenitz. “Recovery timetable is TBD but the current hope is to get him back at some point this season.”
Justice Haynes during a game with the Michigan Wolverines
Patience is a virtue
As for the head coach, he delivered a brief statement when asked for a timeline on the half-back. “We’ll see. We’ll see exactly how long that’ll be,” Moore admitted about Haynes’ absence, via On3.
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Guaranteed
With 857 rushing yards through 7 games in the 2025 NCAA season, it’s easy to see how much of a factor Haynes is on Michigan’s offense. With the exception of his 51-yards and 0 touchdown outing against the USC Trojans, Haynes has registered 100-plus yards and at least one touchdown in every game this year.
Haynes averages 17.3 carries for 122.4 rushing yards and 1.4 touchdowns per game this season. While his absence is a significant loss, it only shines a brighter spotlight on Jordan Marshall. Against Purdue, the sophomore running back rushed for 185 yards and three touchdowns. The message was clear: when facing Moore’s Michigan, opposing teams must keep the run game in check, or they’re in for a very long day where they must pick their poison.
Still alive
Fans in Ann Arbor don’t have to be told twice to sing along to The Killers’ “Mr. Brightside”. Thus, it’s no surprise the football team in Michigan has no trouble finding the silver lining amid a stressful stretch of the college football season.
Ranked 21st in the nation and sitting near the top of the Big Ten standings with a 7-2, 5-1 record within the conference, the Wolverines have everything in front of them. Still, Michigan needs one of the two undefeated teams, Indiana (9-0, 6-0 Big Ten) or Ohio State (8-0, 5-0 in league play), to slip up in order to make the Big Ten Championship Game.
Home stretch of the season
The Wolverines will face the Buckeyes in the season finale during Rivalry Week. However, even a win in ‘The Game’ wouldn’t be enough to knock Ohio State from its spot in the title game if neither the Buckeyes nor the Hoosiers lose beforehand.
Sherrone Moore at Gaylord Family Oklahoma Memorial Stadium in Norman, Oklahoma.
Unfortunately for Michigan, No. 1 Ohio State and No. 2 Indiana aren’t scheduled to play each other this year, meaning both could go undefeated and secure their places in the Championship Game. Moreover, neither program has any other ranked matchups left on the schedule (aside from Ohio State’s game against Michigan in Ann Arbor).
Nevertheless, Michigan remains in contention for the College Football Playoffs, though it will likely enter as a lower seed, meaning it will have to hit the road in the first round.
