DETROIT — Nick Marsh won’t be coming back to Michigan State after exploring his options in the transfer portal. Instead, he’ll play for a budding Big Ten power in Indiana.

Marsh committed to the Hoosiers Sunday after a visit to Bloomington, Ind., on Saturday. The rising junior wideout led the Spartans in receiving each of his first two seasons with 100 career receptions for 1,311 yards and nine touchdowns. In 2025, he set career highs in receptions (59), yards (662) and touchdowns (six).

Marsh was one of the earliest Spartans to enter the portal after the firing of Jonathan Smith and hiring of Pat Fitzgerald within two days of the end of the season. He joins the Hoosiers as the Big Ten champions ready for a College Football Playoff semifinal bout with Oregon, who the Hoosiers beat 30-20 on the road Oct. 11.

Michigan State also made its first adds in the transfer portal Sunday: offensive tackle Ben Murawski, who played for left tackle for Connecticut this past season and also has experience at left guard; and cornerback Tyran Chappell, who was a standout for Houston Christian in 2025.

Murawski, a 6-foot-7 and 335-pound Pennsylvanian, was one of PFF’s highest-graded run blockers and played for an offensive line that allowed just 16 sacks on the season, 17th best among all Football Bowl Subdivision schools.

There have been 41 Michigan State players have entered the transfer portal since it opened Friday, the latest addition being reserve cornerback Anthony Pinnace III. A whopping 11 of those players were offensive linemen, including left tackle Stanton Ramil, guards Gavin Broscious and Kristian Phillips, and right tackle Ashton Lepo, who all started at least one game. Fitzgerald changed offensive line coaches from Jim Michalczik, who came in under Smith, to Nick Tabacca, a longtime Wake Forest assistant who coached MSU center Matt Gulbin there before the NFL draft prospect came to East Lansing in 2025.

“Nick Tabacca is an established coach who has consistently demonstrated the ability to get the most out of his players and build a cohesive and effective offensive line,” Fitzgerald said in a statement Friday. “He cultivated one of the best O-lines in the ACC during his time at Wake Forest and has coached numerous players who have gone on to the NFL.”

The Spartans did secure the return of 2024 FCS All-American right tackle Conner Moore, as well as reserve linemen Andrew Dennis and Antonio Johnson, who all publicly announced their returns.

Murawski was a second-team Group of Five All-American as selected by HERO Sports, one of six Huskies to make the cut as Jim Mora’s Huskies went 9-4 with a loss to Army in the Fenway Bowl. Mora left for Colorado State before that game, and UConn hired Toledo coach Jason Candle to lead the program.

For years, Michigan State’s offensive line has struggled to assert itself, especially in the past two years under Smith. In 2025, Michigan State allowed 37 sacks, 12th most in the FBS, and carved the way for just 122.8 rushing yards per game, ranking 109th in the country.

Behind the offensive line, Michigan State’s other big position loss to the portal was among its defensive backs, especially its corners. The Spartans lost 10 defensive backs to the portal, returning just two cornerbacks, NiJhay Burt and Dorian Davis, with game experience that added up to 18 snaps in 2025. Burt was a senior in 2025 but played just three games and has a redshirt year to use.

The addition of Chappell is a big one for the secondary. He had four interceptions and 11 passes defended for Houston Christian this past season as his team went 2-10 in the Football Bowl Subdivision’s Southland Conference despite his strong play. Chappell is a product of Denton, Texas, and Ryan High School, the same program as Chance Rucker, a redshirt sophomore who entered the portal this offseason.

Texas is a particularly strong recruiting zone for Fitzgerald. Of 428 freshmen recruits to his Northwestern program across 17 years, 44 came from Texas, third-most behind Illinois (108) and Ohio (62).

Chappell will be coached by Hank Poteat, the former Iowa State cornerbacks coach who joined Fitzgerald’s staff formally on Friday. He won a Super Bowl with New England in 2005 and has coached corners at the FBS level since 2011.

“He won a Super Bowl ring and knows what it takes to succeed at the highest level,” Fitzgerald said. “I’m looking forward to him bringing that mindset to our defense on a daily basis.”

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Rienk Mast hit the tiebreaking 3-pointer with 1:51 left and finished with 19 points to lead No. 13 Nebraska to a 58-56 victory over No. 9 Michigan State on Friday night.

Fans rushed the court at the final buzzer as the Cornhuskers (14-0, 3-0 Big Ten) won their 18th straight game since last season, the longest streak in the nation.

It was the lowest-scoring game of the season for both teams in what was the first ranked vs. ranked matchup in Lincoln since 1991. The game was hyped as a measuring stick for Nebraska, the only power-conference team to have never won an NCAA Tournament game. The Huskers met the moment.

What started as a slog quickly turned into a battle of bigs shooting 3-pointers. The 6-foot-10 Mast made five of his first seven from distance and finished 6 of 13. Michigan State’s 6-10 Jaxon Kohler made a career-high five on six attempts and finished with 19 points.

Pryce Sandfort had 13 points and Jamarques Lawrence added 12 for the Huskers. Jeremy Fears Jr. had 14 for the Spartans and Kur Teng, who started in place of Divine Ugochukwu (illness), added 12.

Michigan State was just 6 of 24 from the field in the second half and its 19 turnovers were its most since it committed the same number against Nebraska four years ago.

Mast’s last 3 was his only field goal of the second half and gave the Huskers the lead for good.

The Spartans had a chance to tie when Carson Cooper was fouled with 0.7 seconds left. But his first free throw bounced off the rim, and the Huskers came up with the rebound when he intentionally missed the second.

The Huskers are among six undefeated teams in Division I.

Up next

Michigan State: Hosts No. 24 Southern California on Monday.

Nebraska: Visits Ohio State on Monday.

— By ERIC OLSON, Associated Press

Michigan linebacker Cole Sullivan, one of the Wolverines’ top defensive players who led the team with three interceptions during the 2025 season, has entered his name in the NCAA transfer portal.

Sullivan joined the portal on Friday, and by his name is a do-not-contact emblem. Receiver Semaj Morgan, who played at West Bloomfield High, also entered his name in the portal, as did freshman cornerback Elijah Dotson, who had an interception this year, freshman offensive lineman Kaden Strayhorn, freshman running back Jasper Parker. Veteran defensive back Zeke Berry is entering his name in the portal, per several reports. Berry was a third-team All-Big Ten selection by the coaches in 2025.

This is typically the time for normal attrition as players decide to try new paths with other programs, but for Michigan, this is an additional time of transition with the coaching change to Kyle Whittingham. Whittingham coached the last 21 years at Utah and was hired by Michigan on Dec. 26. He met with each player individually while in Orlando for the bowl game.

Michigan general manager Sean Magee said in an email sent Thursday to players and parents that he knows the timing of Whittingham’s hire and the opening of the portal on Friday – it will be open 15 days – is challenging.

“We have begun engaging in conversations with many of your representatives and some of you directly,” Magee wrote in the email obtained by The Detroit News. “It is important that new staff has input and visibility on many of the program decisions that are going to be made.

“We are working our absolute best to try and accomplish all of this in a very short window. With 105+ on our roster, this will not be able to occur as quickly as we would have liked, but we promise to operate in good faith and transparency with each of you as we navigate this coaching transition.”

Sullivan said after Michigan’s 41-27 loss to Texas on Wednesday that he did not know what his football future holds.

“I had a great meeting with Coach Whittingham,” Sullivan said after the game. “I really like him and what he’s bringing to this team and this program. As far as my future is concerned, it’s hard to say. There are too many uncertainties at this point, but I love this university.”

Sullivan said he wanted to learn more about what defense new coordinator Jay Hill, officially announced on Friday as Michigan’s defensive coordinator, plans to install.

“Obviously, the scheme is one thing, and just the mentality of the staff,” Sullivan said. “That’s all I could really say right now. I’m really excited to meet everybody that’s coming and just see what they have to say, and hopefully we blend in a good way.”

Michigan quarterback Davis Warren, who started nine games in 2024, also is in the portal, along with quarterback Jadyn Davis. Both had previously announced their decisions.

ANN ARBOR (AP) — Morez Johnson Jr. scored a career-high 29 points, including 17 in the first half, and No. 2 Michigan beat No. 24 Southern California 96-66 on Friday night.

Roddy Gayle Jr. added 12 points for the Wolverines (13-0, 3-0 Big Ten), and Will Tschetter, Trey McKenney and L.J. Cason each scored 10.

Michigan is off to its best start since it won 17 straight games to start the 2018-19 season.

Jaden Brownell scored 16 points and Erza Ausar added 15 for the Trojans (12-2, 1-2), whose only previous loss was by eight points against Washington on Dec. 6. Chad Baker-Mazara, who came into the game averaging 21 points, was hampered by early foul trouble and finished with 12 points on 3-of-11 shooting.

Michigan starting guard Nimari Burnett was helped from the court with 16:25 left after falling during a battle under the basket. He went down to the floor and appeared to be bleeding above his eyebrow and holding his ankle. He sat on the bench the rest of the night.

The Wolverines bolted out to an 11-0 lead thanks to a defense that forced six early turnovers. USC got within five points twice in the first half and Michigan responded with a 32-19 run to build a 49-31 halftime advantage.

USC got no closer the rest of the way.

Up next

USC: At No. 9 Michigan State on Monday.

Michigan: Visits Penn State on Tuesday.

— By BOB TRIPI, Associated Press

Transfer portal roster churn is no anomaly in the college football world. But the sheer volume of players entering the portal should make this transfer season quite busy for Pat Fitzgerald and the Michigan State football team.

With the addition of Alex VanSumeren and Armorion Smith to its portal departure list, Michigan State now has 40 players who have entered or plan to enter the transfer portal, headlined by contributors like quarterback Aidan Chiles, tight end Michael Masunas, wide receiver Nick Marsh and cornerback Aydan West.

Fitzgerald, unsurprisingly, expected all this when he took the job. As early as his introductory press conference Dec. 2, Fitzgerald made clear that he knew he and his staff would need to go big in the transfer portal. To donors and other stakeholders, he likely discussed it even sooner.

Though he spent the past three seasons out of the college ranks since his 2023 firing after 17 years leading Northwestern, Fitzgerald isn’t oblivious to the changes in the sport. He spent the past three years studying the current landscape of college football, which gives him insight into the rapid change in recent years with tools like the portal, revenue share and NIL reshaping the sport’s conventions.

“I don’t see any dinosaurs walking outside here,” Fitzgerald said Dec. 2, standing inside the Tom Izzo Football Building. “So I’m going to make sure that we’re as fully, nimble, flexible as we can be.”

In conversations with other coaches and his own observations, Fitzgerald came away with some takeaways on the current football landscape. A big one was that a high number of transfers can hurt teams, and the rosters that maintain experience and depth tend to fare better than those that don’t. Against the guidance of that lesson, the current roster churn may leave Fitzgerald no choice.

“That might not be my choice here to start off with,” Fitzgerald said. “You got to double down on the right people, right? You got to double down, and you don’t want to ever have to paint yourself in a corner with the roster. But you also have to be nimble and flexible enough to take the right number of guys by each position to make sure you’ve got the competitive depth.”

In that regard, Fitzgerald faces a challenge. Of 46 Spartans to take at least 100 snaps in the 2025 season, just 10 remain on the roster as of Friday, including a few headliners like quarterback Alessio Milivojevic, defensive tackle Ben Roberts and offensive tackle Rustin Young. That 11 also includes safety Nikai Martinez, who appeared in four games last season as a senior but has a redshirt year to use.

Some of those absences are players seeking better opportunities. Some, like West, are those who want to play for a proven contender. Some players may have been told that the program’s new direction doesn’t include them. Those are common factors in transfer decisions everywhere, let alone a program amid a coaching change.

Many of the players entering the portal are those who have already been through this type of roster turnover, when Jonathan Smith took over Mel Tucker’s program after the latter’s scandalous firing. Smith added 24 transfers in his first season and 21 in his second, through the winter and spring windows. And even then, he struggled to cultivate depth across two seasons in which he went 5-19, 4-14 in Big Ten play. This year, the portal window is condensed into one two-week period, from Friday to Jan. 16, which means Fitzgerald will have to move quickly.

Again, none of this is unexpected. Fitzgerald outlined an early action plan that started with putting together an early signing period class, hiring his staff and then recruiting transfers to fill out the roster. Those first two steps are largely done. Now, he’s got a big shopping list to fulfill in the portal.

“That’s just a reality of college football,” Fitzgerald said. “And if young men decide that this is the right fit for them, then we’re going to evaluate them like I would to make sure that that’s going to happen, and we’ll add those pieces. And if some young men decide that maybe moving on is their best decision, I would support them wholeheartedly — without a doubt.”

Fitzgerald and his staff should have lots of players to look at to fill the roster. There were reportedly more than 1,000 names in the transfer portal within an hour of midnight Friday, and that number is expected to grow as players throw their names in at more reasonable hours of the day.

There are a number of position groups that will need extra attention. Only eight offensive linemen are on the roster right now, granted six played at least a snap and five started at least one game. Only two safeties, Martinez and Aveon Grose, have played more than 100 snaps and the only cornerback to factor into meaningful reps is Chance Rucker. There isn’t a punter on the roster right now — except for quarterback Alessio Milivojevic if Fitzgerald wants to get tricky.

So, expect Michigan State to get busy the next two weeks putting together the bulk of Fitzgerald’s first roster.

MSU transfer portal players

Quarterbacks: Aidan Chiles and Ryland Jessee

Wide receivers: Nick Marsh, Chrishon McCray, Evan Boyd and Shawn Foster

Tight ends: Michael Masunas and Wyatt Hook

Running back: Makhi Frazier

Offensive linemen: Stanton Ramil, Ashton Lepo, Gavin Broscious, Kristian Phillips, Rashawn Rogers, Cole Dellinger, Justin Bell, Payton Stewart, Mercer Luniewski, Cooper Terpstra and Charlton Luniewski

Linebackers: Darius Snow, Semaj Bridgeman, Aisea Moa and Marcellius Pulliam

Defensive linemen: Alex VanSumeren and Jalen Thompson

Edge rushers: David Santiago, Stone Chaney and Tyler Gillison

Defensive backs: Aydan West, Ade Willie, Chance Rucker, Justin Denson Jr., Jeremiah Hughes, George Mullins, Elisha West, Tracy Revels and Armorion Smith

Long snapper: Kaden Schickel

Kicker: Martin Connington

ORLANDO, Fla. – New Michigan head coach Kyle Whittingham, appearing on the UM radio network during the Citrus Bowl, where he’s in attendance, said he spent the last four days, since being formally introduced Sunday, interviewing every current player.

Whittingham said in total, he spent 24 hours talking to the players at the team hotel and added he has spoken with about 20 parents. Whittingham, who spent the last 21 seasons coaching Utah, was hired on Dec. 26. He arrived in Orlando Saturday night and watched the Michigan-Texas bowl game from a suite on Wednesday.

“It’s very apparent this team has a lot of character individuals,” Whittingham said during the radio broadcast.

He has not yet watched film of the players and planned to use this game to get a head start, but said he spent most of the first half on the phone with donors.

Whittingham said he will be in Ann Arbor on Friday and anticipates having most of his staff in place. He is retaining current Michigan running backs coach Tony Alford.

“We should be just about full force by this weekend. Might be short one or two,” Whittingham said, saying he needs to also hire analysts. “We should be full strength within a week.”

The transfer portal opens Jan. 2 for 15 days. Whittingham said roster retention is his priority, and when he arrives in Ann Arbor he plays to “lock” himself in the building to watch film. He will then turn his focus to the portal.

“We’re flying the airplane while we’re building it,” he said.

Whittingham was asked about Michigan’s rivalry games against Michigan State and Ohio State, with particular emphasis on the Buckeyes.

“It’s huge,” Whittingham said of the UM-OSU game. “A good friend of mine, Urban Meyer, has indoctrinated me with that.”

Jon Jansen, the UM radio analyst and former two-time captain, asked if that friendship with Meyer will change.

“We’ll find out,” Whittingham said. “He just called me an hour ago; I missed it. Maybe he called to break things off.”

What are their futures at Michigan?

Linebacker Cole Sullivan said he had a “great” meeting with Whittingham.

“I really, really like him and what he’s bringing to this team and this program,” Sullivan said.

Sullivan said that as far as his future, he wasn’t certain.

“There’s too many uncertainties at this point, but I love this university,” Sullivan said.

Bryson Kuzdzal, who led the team in rushing in the bowl game, said he’s planning on returning to Michigan.

“That’s where I want to be,” he said.

Kendrick Bell, who caught his first career touchdown in the Citrus Bowl, said his decision is made and he is “100%” returning.

“Michigan through and through,” Bell said.

Marshall didn’t feel he could play

Jordan Marshall, the team’s leading rusher, was still hampered by an injury to his right shoulder and decided Monday he didn’t think he could play.

“There’s these things where you’re medically cleared but nobody knows your body like you do,” interim head coach Biff Poggi said. “He was medically cleared but he just didn’t feel like he could go, and he’d been banged up for a while.

“He’s the type of player, his physicality is what makes him special, so if he doesn’t feel right, especially in the upper body, that’s hard.”

Quotable

Sullivan on saying goodbye to teammates and coaches: “I don’t know if it’s goodbye or see ya later. Hopefully, we cross paths again. It was an honor to be able to play with those guys. So grateful for them and everything they’ve poured into me.”

ORLANDO, Fla. – For the last six days since Michigan arrived here to prepare for the Citrus Bowl, the game felt like an afterthought.

After all, Michigan hired new coach Kyle Whittingham on Dec. 26, the day the team flew to Florida from Ann Arbor, and two days later he was formally introduced as the program’s 22nd head coach. His hiring dominated interviews and headlines, and, oh, yeah, there was a game coming up for a team that had faced many distractions since their previous coach, Sherrone Moore, was fired on Dec. 10 creating turmoil within the program.

Michigan and Texas both entered the Citrus Bowl with the goal of winning their 10th game at Camping World Stadium. But it was the Longhorns, with two previous wins against Michigan, who prevailed, with a 41-27 win in an entertaining, high-scoring game with Whittingham observing his new team from the press box suites.

The game featured two of the most hyped quarterbacks in the game, but it was Texas quarterback Arch Manning who had the spectacular performance. He threw for 221 yards and two touchdowns and rushed for 155 yards and two touchdowns, including a 60-yard run that converted on his counterpart Bryce Underwood’s second interception and put Texas up two scores, 38-27.

Underwood, Michigan’s freshman quarterback, had not had a touchdown pass in four of his last five games and had two against Texas, to Andrew Marsh and Kendrick Bell. He also rushed for 69 yards with one touchdown. But trumping all of that was his three interceptions, the third coming with 4:33 left that led to a Texas field goal and a 41-27 lead. He was picked off three times in the second half, including back-to-back fourth-quarter drives.

Michigan was short-handed in the run game with both of the Wolverines’ top rushers, Jordan Marshall and Justice Haynes, on the sideline, leaving the bulk of the job to Bryson Kuzdzal, who led the team with 82 yards on 20 carries. Haynes, who has been recovering from a foot injury suffered in the Michigan State game, was in street clothes, but Marshall, who suffered a right shoulder injury in Game 11 against Northwestern, was in uniform. And there were the opt-outs, including sack leader Derrick Moore and Jaishawn Barham.

The Wolverines regained the lead, 27-24, with 11 minutes left in the game with a 5-yard run by Underwood that was reviewed after it appeared he may have fumbled as the ball crossed the pylon.

But Texas had a strong reply and drove 75 yards on nine plays as Manning made a stunning pass to Kaliq Lockett for a 30-yard touchdown and the 31-27 lead with just less than seven minutes left.

Michigan built a 20-17 lead early in the second half on Dominic Zvada’s second field goal, this time from 31 yards, but Texas responded with a touchdown drive as Manning scored on a 23-yard run to give the Longhorns a 24-20 lead.

The Wolverines were driving on their next possession when Underwood was intercepted on a poor pass on third-and-17 at the Texas 25-yard line. But Michigan’s defense stepped up and forced a three-and-out.

Michigan had 192 total first-half yards while Texas had 233. Underwood was 12 of 18 for 112 yards and the TD passes to Bell and Marsh. He also ran for 49 yards on five carries. The Wolverines, who struggled finding any semblance of a pass rush against Ohio State in the final regular-season game, didn’t pressure Manning much in the first half. Manning was 14 of 23 for 147 yards and a score.

Texas made it 10-10 early in the second quarter on a 3-yard touchdown run, but Michigan, playing behind a reconfigured offensive line after center Greg Crippen left the game with injury, responded with an efficient drive.

With Crippen out, Jake Guarnera moved from right guard to center and freshman Kaden Strayhorn came in at right guard, shuffling a line that was already featuring a new starter at right tackle, Brady Norton for Andrew Sprague, and Nathan Efobi at left guard for Gio El-Hadi, who decided not to play in the bowl.

Michigan needed seven plays, with Underwood running four times, including a 33-yard gain to the Texas 4-yard line. Marsh, who switched to No. 3, his high school number, before the game, scored on a pass from Underwood give Michigan a 17-10 lead.

Texas tied the game 17-17 the next drive on a 17-yard touchdown pass from Manning to Jack Endries.

Michigan’s defense came up big on Texas’ final drive of the half. The Longhorns reached the UM 21-yard line and Manning looked to have another touchdown on a second-down throw but TJ Metcalf broke up the play in the end zone. On third down, the snap went over Manning’s head for a 12-yard loss. Michigan got the ball back with 48 seconds left and after reaching the Texas 27-yard line, Zvada missed a 45-yard field goal wide right as time expired. He made a 53-yarder in the first quarter.

The Wolverines took a 10-3 lead in the first quarter, scoring twice in 46 seconds, first on a 53-yard field goal from Zvada. On the ensuing kickoff, Texas’ Ryan Niblett was hit by Cole Sullivan, who forced a fumble that Metcalf recovered at the Longhorns’ 23-yard line.

On third-and-16, Underwood connected with Bell in the end zone, but it was officially ruled incomplete. The Michigan players, however, began to celebrate, throwing up their arms to signal a touchdown, after watching a replay on the videoboard. The call was overturned after the review showed Bell got his right toe down for the score and a 10-3 lead.

Texas opened the game a 43-yard field goal after having two 22-yard plays in the drive.

CHEROKEE, N.C. (AP) — Rashunda Jones scored eight of her 13 points in a decisive third quarter, Grace VanSlooten finished with a double-double, and No. 24 Michigan State beat No. 15 Mississippi 66-49 on Monday night in the Cherokee Invitational title game.

Michigan State led 26-20 at the break and scored the first four points of the third quarter. Ole Miss cut the deficit to 30-25, but the Spartans closed on a 17-7 run for a 49-32 advantage heading into the final quarter. Jones hit a pair of 3s and Kennedy Blair scored all of her seven points in the third quarter for the Spartans, who shot 69% (9 of 13) in the period.

VanSlooten finished with 16 points, 10 rebounds and three assists. Isaline Alexander added 12 points for Michigan State (11-1).

Cotie McMahon scored 13 points to lead led Ole Miss (12-2), which shot 33% (17 of 51) overall and missed 15 of its 17 shots from long range.

Michigan State routed Indiana State 115-66 and Ole Miss beat Old Dominion 86-57 in Sunday’s tournament games.

Up next

Michigan State: Hosts Rutgers on Sunday.

Ole Miss: Plays at home against Alcorn State on Sunday.

ANN ARBOR (AP) — Freshman Trey McKenney led a balanced attack with 17 points and No. 2 Michigan overwhelmed La Salle 102-50 on Sunday.

The Wolverines also had four other players in double figures as they reached the 100-point mark for the sixth time this season and the fifth time in the last six games.

Aday Mara had 14 points, 10 rebounds and four assists and Elliot Cadeau also scored 14 points. L.J. Cason contributed 13 points and Morez Johnson Jr. chipped in 10 as a dozen Wolverines scored.

Yaxel Lendeborg added eight points with six rebounds and a team-high five assists for the Wolverines (11-0), who are off to their best start since the 2020-21 season.

Jaeden Marshall led the Explorers (4-9) with 15 points. Josiah Harris added eight points for La Salle, which shot 28% from the field.

Cadeau had 13 points as the Wolverines led 54-33 at halftime.

La Salle took its last lead at 10-9 on an Edwin Daniel layup. Michigan then took command with a 22-2 run fueled by its defense. All but five of those points came off Explorers turnovers. McKenney had a pair of 3-pointers during that span and Lendeborg capped it with a layup after a Johnson Jr. steal and assist.

Michigan maintained a double-digit advantage the rest of the way as La Salle never crept closer than 12 points.

There has been just one previous meeting between Michigan and La Salle, which occurred at the 1975 Las Vegas Holiday Classic. The Wolverines secured an 86-71 victory.

Up next

La Salle: Hosts George Mason on Wednesday, Dec. 31

Michigan: Hosts McNeese State on Monday, Dec. 29.

CHEROKEE, N.C. (AP) — Emma Shumate scored 22 points, leading seven in double figures, and No. 24 Michigan State routed Indiana State 115-66 on Sunday at the Cherokee Invitational.

Shumate matched her career high in points and made a career-high seven 3-pointers. Kennedy Blair had 11 points and 10 rebounds. She came up a little shy of a triple-double, dishing out seven assists.

Isaline Alexander scored 15 points, Sara Sambolic 14, Jalyn Brown 13, Grace VanSlooten 12 and Rashunda Jones 10 for Michigan State (10-1).

Jayci Allen scored 13 and Kennedy Claybrooks 10 for the Sycamores (4-6).

VanSlooten scored all of her 12 points in the first quarter, all of them in a row as the Spartans turned a 3-2 lead into a 15-6 advantage. Michigan State scored the last nine points of the quarter and led 34-15 heading to the second. They were outscored 28-25 in the second quarter but led 59-43 at the half.

The Spartans scored the first 11 points of the third quarter on the way to a 28-11 advantage for the period. Six 3-pointers, four of them by Shumate, highlighted the fourth quarter.

Michigan State is 5-0 all-time against Indiana State.

Up next

On Monday’s day two of the event, Michigan State will play the winner of Sunday’s later game between Mississippi and Old Dominion. Indiana State draws the loser.

ANN ARBOR (AP) — Olivia Olson had 23 points and No. 6 Michigan rolled past Oakland 97-54 on Sunday.

Syla Swords had 18 points and Brooke Quarles Daniels scored 11. Te’Yala Delfosse and Ashley Sofilkanich had 10 points apiece. Mila Holloway had seven assists to surpass 200 for her career. The Wolverines (10-1) reached the 90-point mark for the sixth time this season.

Michigan scored 29 points off 27 Golden Grizzlies turnovers. Wolverines opponents are averaging 25.8 turnovers per game. The Wolverines also converted 21 offensive rebounds into 31 points and their reserves outscored Oakland’s bench 26-0.

Lianna Baxter led the Golden Grizzlies (3-9), who have lost five straight, with 14 points. Angie Smith had 13 points and eight rebounds and Makenzie Luehring also scored 13.

Olson and Swords combined for 25 first-half points as Michigan built a 54-27 halftime lead.

The Golden Grizzlies committed turnovers on their first three possessions. The Wolverines forced 15 turnovers before the break, converting them into 17 points. They also scored 18 points off 11 offensive rebounds.

Michigan has won nine straight against Oakland.

Up next

Oakland: Visits Robert Morris on Dec. 29.

Michigan: Visits Oregon on Dec. 29.

NEW YORK (AP) — Fernando Mendoza, the enthusiastic quarterback of No. 1 Indiana, won the Heisman Trophy on Saturday night, becoming the first Hoosier to win college football’s most prestigious award since its inception in 1935.

Mendoza claimed 2,362 points, including 643 first-place votes. He beat Vanderbilt quarterback Diego Pavia (1,435 points), Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love (719 points) and Ohio State quarterback Julian Sayin (432 points).

Mendoza’s Heisman win was emphatic. He finished first in all six Heisman regions, the first to do so since Caleb Williams in 2022. He was named on 95.16% of all ballots, tying him with Marcus Mariota in 2014 for the second highest in the award’s history and he received 84.6% of total possible points, which is the seventh highest in Heisman history.

“I haven’t seen the numbers yet,” said Mendoza, “but it’s such an honor to be mentioned with these guys (Pavia, Love and Sayin). It’s really a credit to our team. It’s a team award.”

Mendoza guided the Hoosiers to their first No. 1 ranking and the top seed in the 12-team College Football bracket, throwing for 2,980 yards and a national-best 33 touchdown passes while also running for six scores. Indiana, the last unbeaten team in major college football, will play a College Football Playoff quarterfinal game in the Rose Bowl on Jan. 1.

Mendoza, the Hoosiers’ first-year starter after transferring from California, is the triggerman for an offense that surpassed program records for touchdowns and points set during last season’s surprise run to the CFP.

A redshirt junior, the once lightly recruited Miami native is the second Heisman finalist in school history, joining 1989 runner-up Anthony Thompson. Mendoza is the seventh Indiana player to earn a top-10 finish in Heisman balloting and it marks another first in program history — having back-to-back players in the top 10. Hoosiers quarterback Kurtis Rourke was ninth last year.

With his teammates chanting “HeismanDoza” as he addressed the media, he said there felt like a realistic chance of winning the Heisman when the Hoosiers routed then No. 19 Illinois 63-10 on Sept. 20.

“At that point my boys (teammates) said we might make it to New York (for the award ceremony),” he said. “It was lighthearted at the time, but that’s when it started. “

Quarterbacks have won the Heisman four of the last five years, with two-way player Travis Hunter of Colorado ending the run last season.

Mendoza is the 43rd quarterback to win the Heisman and the second winner of Latin American descent to claim the trophy. Stanford’s Jim Plunkett was the first in 1970.

“Although I grew up in America, my four grandparents are all from Cuba,” he said. “I had the opportunity to go there and that was important to me. I credit the love to my grandparents and the Hispanic community.”

The Heisman Trophy presentation came after a number of accolades were already awarded. Mendoza was named The Associated Press player of the year earlier this week and picked up the Maxwell and Davey O’Brien awards Friday night while Love won the Doak Walker Award.

Mendoza and Pavia clearly exemplify the changing landscape of using the transfer portal in college football. Mendoza is the seventh transfer to win the award in the last nine years. Vanderbilt is Pavia’s third school.

Confident Commodore

Pavia finished second with 189 first-place votes. He threw for a school-record 3,192 yards and 27 touchdowns for the Commodores, who were pushing for a CFP berth all the way to the bracket announcement. He is the first Heisman finalist in Vanderbilt history.

Generously listed as 6 feet tall, Pavia led Vanderbilt to its first 10-win season along with six wins against Southeastern Conference foes. That includes four wins over ranked programs as Vandy reached No. 9, its highest ranking in The Associated Press Top 25 since 1937.

Pavia went from being unrecruited out of high school to junior college, New Mexico State and finally Vanderbilt in 2024 through the transfer portal.

Vandy next plays in the ReliaQuest Bowl against Iowa on Dec. 31.

Irish Love

The last running back to win the Heisman was Alabama’s Derrick Henry in 2015. Love put himself in the mix with an outstanding season for Notre Dame. He finished with 46 first-place votes.

The junior from St. Louis was fourth in the Bowl Subdivision in yards rushing (1,372), fifth in per-game average (114.3) and third with 18 rushing touchdowns for the Fighting Irish, who missed out on a CFP bid and opted not to play in a bowl game.

He was the first player in Notre Dame’s storied history to produce multiple TD runs of 90 or more yards, a 98-yarder against Indiana in the first round of last year’s playoffs and a 94-yarder against Boston College earlier this season.

Buckeyes’ leader

Sayin led the Buckeyes to a No. 1 ranking for most of the season, throwing for 3,329 yards while tying for second in the country with 31 TD passes ahead of their CFP quarterfinal at the Cotton Bowl on Dec. 31.

The sophomore from Carlsbad, California, arrived at Ohio State after initially committing to Alabama and entering the transfer portal following a coaching change. He played four games last season before winning the starting job. He led the Buckeyes to a 14-7 win in the opener against preseason No. 1 Texas and kept the team atop the AP Top 25 for 13 straight weeks, tying its second-longest run.

Sayin follows a strong lineage of Ohio State quarterbacks since coach Ryan Day arrived in 2017. Dwayne Haskins (2018), Justin Fields (2019), C.J. Stroud (2021), and Kyle McCord (2023) averaged 3,927 passing yards, 40 TDs, and six interceptions, along with a 68.9% completion rate during their first seasons.

COLLEGE PARK, Md. (AP) — Yaxel Lendeborg had 29 points, a career-best nine assists and eight rebounds, and No. 2 Michigan rallied from a nine-point deficit Saturday night to defeat Maryland 101-83.

Aday Mara scored 18 points for the Wolverines (10-0, 2-0 Big Ten), who overcame a halftime deficit for the second time this season and the first since they beat TCU on Nov. 14.

Michigan scored 100 points for the fourth time in five games.

Diggy Coit made eight 3-pointers and scored 31 points for the Terrapins (6-5, 0-2), who lost center Pharrel Payne to a right leg injury late in the first half and forward Solomon Washington to ejection after he picked up his second technical foul early in the second half.

Coit scored nine of Maryland’s first 10 points and 22 before the break, helping to prevent Michigan from opening a lead larger than six in the first half.

The Terps lost Payne, their leading scorer at 18.7 points a game, with 4:36 remaining before halftime. Yet Maryland stretched its lead from one to 50-45 at the midpoint, then expanded it to 56-47 on Elijah Saunders’ 3.

Washington, who had a first-half technical for celebrating a 3 in front of the Michigan bench, was called for a delay-of-game technical just after Saunders’ basket. His departure left the Terps without their two most experienced and imposing interior players.

Lendeborg took advantage, scoring the next eight points. Mara’s dunk with 14 minutes left made it 64-63 and gave the Wolverines the lead for good.

Elliot Cadeau’s layup with 21.2 seconds remaining got the Wolverines to 100 points for the fifth time this season.

Up next

Michigan hosts La Salle on Dec. 21.

Maryland visits No. 24 Virginia on Dec. 20.

— By PATRICK STEVENS, Associated Press

STATE COLLEGE, Pa. (AP) — Divine Ugochukwu scored a career-high 23 points and No. 9 Michigan State overcame a sloppy performance to beat Penn State 76-72 on Saturday.

Jaxon Kohler posted his fifth double-double of the season with 10 points and 12 rebounds while Carson Cooper added 10 points for the Spartans (9-1, 2-0 Big Ten), who committed a season-high 17 turnovers and trailed for long stretches in both halves.

They were able to bear down, however, and avoid a second-straight loss after falling to No. 4 Duke on Monday.

Freddie Dilione scored a career-high 22 points, Kayden Mingo added 11 and Ivan Juric had 10 for the Nittany Lions (8-3, 0-2), who led by as many as nine in the first half and then by three with five minutes left four days after getting blown out by Indiana 113-72.

But thanks to some timely shooting by Ugochukwu, who went 8 for 10 from the floor, including 5 for 5 from 3-point range, Michigan State quickly made up its 39-36 halftime deficit against a team that usually plays the Spartans tightly.

Seven of the last nine games in the series were decided by single-digits. With six lead changes, including four in the final 12 minutes, this one was trending that way until Ugochukwu got open early in the second half and again down the stretch.

The sophomore made the Spartans’ first three shots in the opening three minutes of the second, then sunk his fourth 3-pointer with 3:27 left to give Michigan State the lead for good.

Ugochukwu provided some cushion and made it 72-67 with his final deep make just over 2:30 later.

Dilione made a jumper and added a 3-pointer to get it back to a two-point game, but Ugochukwu nailed a pair of free throws with eight seconds left to seal the Spartans’ fifth-straight win against Penn State.

Up next

Michigan State hosts Toledo on Tuesday.

Penn State and Pitt play on Sunday, Dec. 21, at the GIANT Center in Hershey, Pennsylvania.

— By TRAVIS JOHNSON, Associated Press

BIG RAPIDS – Ferris State’s football program, built on strong play in the trenches, has a rich history with accomplished players being nominated for — and several times winning—  the Gene Upshaw Lineman of the Year Award.

Past Bulldog recipients of the prestigious award, which is given to the top lineman in NCAA Division II football, include Austin Edwards, in 2019; Dylan Pasquali, in 2021; and Caleb Murphy, in 2022.

This season, Ferris State offensive lineman Tim Anderson has become the latest Bulldog nominated for the award as one of eight 2025 national finalists, putting him on a short list for Friday’s announcement, when it was revealed that the Rochester Adams graduate was named this year’s winner.

Anderson, a 6-foot-6 senior, 305-pound senior, didn’t hesitate in his response when asked about becoming one of the final eight for the award.

“This means a lot, and I’m super thankful, but I know I wouldn’t be there without the other guys on our offensive line,” he said. “The only reason that I’ve gotten noticed is because all five guys on our offensive line are out there and playing dominant football. I hope this shows how good our offensive line is, because it’s not just me. It’s about everyone on our offensive line and everyone on our offense working together.”

That starting lineup for “The Nasty Boys,” the name that the offensive line has embraced, includes Tim’s twin, Bob Anderson, with Dayne Arnett, Jarvis Windom and Ben Przytula. Tim shared the pride he feels in the depth the unit has developed that has helped fuel the team’s scoring punch. The Bulldogs are the nation’s leading scoring offense, averaging 53.8 points and totaling 751 points this season through 14 games.

Ferris State’s offensive numbers have contributed to the announcement of Tim as a finalist for an award named in honor of the late Gene Upshaw, who was not only an All-Pro lineman for the Oakland Raiders but also later served as the executive director of the NFL Players Association for 25 years. A former standout offensive lineman at Texas A&I University (now Texas A&M Kingsville), Upshaw was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1987 in his first year of eligibility.

The Gene Upshaw Award is presented annually by the Manheim Touchdown Club.

The Bulldogs’ offensive line unit has been a big part of the Bulldogs’ offensive success.

Ferris State’s offense ranks third nationally in rushing offense, averaging 306.5 yards per game. That rushing offense also includes 63 touchdowns on 4,291 yards.

Anderson earned first-team All-Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference honors and was named the GLIAC Offensive Lineman of the Year. He further received Division II Conference Commissioners Association All-Super Region Three First-Team recognition for his gridiron play during the 2025 campaign.

Inside the Ewigleben Sports Complex walls, Anderson frequently walks past a large trophy case that includes replicas of the Gene Upshaw Award trophies won by Edwards, Pasquali and Murphy. Those honorees stand as a reminder.

“It means a lot to be in a program that has such a great history of linemen,” said Anderson, who was a decorated athlete during his prep days at Adams. “For us, being able to carry on that tradition is important. We’re thankful to be a part of it.”

During this playoff run, led by the strong line play, Ferris State scored 65 points against Northwood (Nov. 22), 56 against Ashland (Nov. 29) and 52 against Minnesota State (Dec. 6) in three wins.

The Bulldogs were scheduled to take on Newberry in the NCAA Division II National Semifinals on Saturday, Dec. 13, at Top Taggart Field.

EAST LANSING — In the aftermath of his team’s first loss of the season, a 66-60 loss to No. 4 Duke, Michigan State coach Tom Izzo just kept on coming back to one particular issue: free throw cutouts.

His Spartans work on them every practice. Non-negotiable. And yet there were multiple that Michigan State missed, including two that led to putbacks for Duke phenom Cameron Boozer as he and the Blue Devils rallied in the second half for a road win.

Free-throw cutouts may take the brunt of Izzo’s criticism, but they are just one of the details that went foul on Saturday. Poor closeouts early, missed layups late, a few untimely fouls (some, albeit, on questionable calls) left Michigan State battling its own minor mistakes. And against a Duke team that has the talent to repeat last year’s Final Four appearance, well, that won’t make the cut.

“This is what we’ve said all along: Our margin for error is slim,” Izzo said.

Michigan State has proven a lot nine games into the season. It’s gritty, feisty, with a deep lineup led by a talented frontcourt and a bulldog point guard. Its four returners — point guard Jeremy Fears Jr., forwards Coen Carr and Jaxon Kohler plus center Carson Cooper — provide a foundation from which a different cast of characters can step in and complete the picture against any sort of team. It got Michigan State three ranked wins before December, but against Duke the limitations showed.

The difference between the two teams showed in the second half. Down three at the break, Duke leaned on its star forward Boozer, who scored 16 in the second half alone, and 14 of the first 17 points his team scored that half. He took the game over, even as Michigan State tried to pull away with a pair of 3s from freshman Jordan Scott (one of those contributors who can step in depending on the night). Down five, Boozer slashed through the lane for a layup and banging a 3 in two possessions.

And Boozer had those two putbacks. Those pesky putbacks that drove Izzo wild.

“We know coming into these games that the margin for error is as close to zero as you possibly can (get),” Cooper said. “I think there was little lapses where we got a little relaxed. And that was on our scouting report, like three times, was never relax.”

Michigan State couldn’t relax, because for most of the game it was a one- or two-shot affair. On a night when its pace setter Fears shot 0-for-10, — even missing an uncontested layup at the final buzzer — its offense still found enough to stay close. But winning needed more. It needed perfection on an imperfect night.

There’s a sense of pressure that comes from Michigan State’s construction. When there is no player who can put an entire offense on its back, every bucket is hard-fought. Changes in tactics can really hurt. Like when Duke switched to zone down the stretch and pulled away. Poor shooting, especially at shooting guard, proved the Spartans’ great flaw.

These are the kind of experiences that also can steer this group in a higher direction. Pressure felt is pressure learned from, and while veterans on the team have a grasp on how to deal with it, there’s a sense that some new contributors have a ways to go.

“We do feel that pressure,” Kohler said. “I would say that for the young and new guys, they don’t quite understand it the way me, Coop, Fears and Coen understand it, because I don’t think they quite understand the impact that it has on a game that can be won or lost. And when that happens, the first person that we get on is ourselves.”

Mistakes happen in any human endeavor. Fighting them is the great challenge, a battle that Izzo has made a career contesting. Michigan State can get on itself for sloppy details, but hanging tough against a team like Duke isn’t all discouraging.

“It probably will be encouraging, like, in a few days,” Carr said. “But right now, it’s probably not the way we would be looking at it as of right now. … We were never not in the game. Just a lot of little things that we know we can fix. And that’s kind of, I guess, the good part about it.”

The margin for error is small, but it’s better than no margin at all.

ANN ARBOR — Ask any Michigan coach or player about forward Morez Johnson Jr., you’re bound to hear the same description.

Take a spin around the Crisler Center media room following Saturday’s smackdown of Rutgers in the Big Ten opener, for example. After Johnson poured in 22 points on 9-for-11 shooting from the floor in 24 minutes to go along with four rebounds, three steals and a blocked shot, guards L.J. Cason, Elliot Cadeau and Roddy Gayle Jr. all offered a similar assessment about their teammate.

“He’s just a dog,” Cadeau said. “He can guard all five positions. I think that’s what makes him different. We can put him on the point guard, and he’ll lock up a point guard.”

Across the room from Cadeau, Gayle and Cason echoed that sentiment.

“I feel like he’s our junkyard dog,” Gayle said. “You really can’t stop him. He’s just too physical, too forceful.”

Added Cason: “He’s just a dog on the boards. He plays hard and wants to win.”

It’s fitting that Cadeau, Cason and Gayle touched on different areas, considering all the different ways that Johnson impacts the game.

He’s the team’s enforcer on defense and, along with center Aday Mara, a vaunted rim protector. He’s a bully in the paint on offense who has no issue scoring over defenders or through contact. He’s a handful on the glass on both ends.

He’s a big reason why, entering play Sunday, the Wolverines lead the nation in 2-point defense (37.5%) and rank second in 2-point offense (64.9%) per KenPom, in addition to posting a plus-13 rebounding margin per game, a mark that’s tied for the fifth-best nationally.

Gayle can at least sympathize with what opponents have to go through with Johnson.

“I deal with it every day in practice, especially when we play games. Sometimes I’m at the four and it’s like, ‘What am I going to do?’” Gayle said. “I get a glimpse of what these other teams get to experience and when you piss him off, he’s a whole other animal.”

Throughout Michigan’s blazing 8-0 start, Johnson has been playing at a high level and Saturday was the latest demonstration.

He hounded the Scarlet Knights on the perimeter and in the paint. His defense generated offense, like when he turned a steal near midcourt into a fast-break layup. He ran the floor in transition. He finished at the basket on pick-and-rolls and through double-teams. At no point was he ever hunting his own shot.

“When you look at our good possessions in Vegas (at the Players Era tournament), a lot of times we got layups and dunks because of his seals, because of his screens, because of his rim runs,” coach Dusty May said. “He does a lot of extremely visible and invisible plays.”

On numerous occasions against Rutgers, Johnson got inside position and sealed off his defender, which led to easy buckets at rim. There were also several times he had to go up to grab a contested post entry pass that led to more paint points.

“He loves contact. I think that’s first and foremost,” May said. “He wins every catch. Our guys have a lot of confidence to throw him the ball, because if it’s a 50-50 ball, a 60-40 ball, a 70-30 ball and he’s at a disadvantage, he typically wins those catches and turns them into baskets.

“There’s trust that’s developed throughout the season … and Morez has certainly earned the trust of his teammates that he’s going to play the right way, play with efficiency.”

Given Johnson’s elite finishing inside — his 68.7% field goal percentage ranks fifth in the Big Ten — and improved free-throw shooting, it almost seems unfair when he’s knocking down 3-pointers.

Heading into the Rutgers contest, Johnson had attempted two 3-pointers all season after not attempting one last season at Illinois and missed both. Against Rutgers, he knocked down both of his 3-point tries from straightaway.

May noted the goal is to have all five guys on the court be capable of knocking down deep balls. And if Johnson adds a respectable 3-point shot to his arsenal, May added it can make teams “more skittish” toward helping at the rim, which can cause a “chain reaction” that opens driving lanes for others.

Yet, Johnson has already provided a noticeable ripple effect throughout the team with his fierce, nasty nature on the floor.

“I think our team has adopted his personality. We don’t have a rugged group by nature. We have some guys that have grown into being tough, rugged dudes,” May said last week. “But Morez, every single minute of every single day he brings a physicality and intensity, a serious approach to everything that he does.”

So far, Johnson has been doing it all — and perhaps even more than anyone May has ever coached before.

“(Assistant coach) Kyle Church and I have worked together for a million years. He said we’ve never had one of those. We’ve never had … a guy that impacts the game in so many ways,” May said. “And now, because of his work and the staff’s ability to help him get better, he’s playing well out of the short rolls, he’s adding to his game.

“The sky is the limit for Morez. … He does so much but he’s also so selfless.”

AUBURN HILLS (AP) — Ziare Wells led Oakland with 21 points, including the game-winning jump shot with 10 seconds remaining, and the Golden Grizzlies knocked off Toledo 98-97 on Saturday.

Oakland (5-5, 1-0 Horizon League) has won four straight since a 1-5 start.

Wells added five rebounds for the Golden Grizzlies. Brody Robinson scored 19 points while shooting 8 for 14, including 3 for 7 from beyond the arc and added six assists. Tuburu Niavalurua had 18 points and went 9 of 16 from the field.

“If you walk away from this basketball game thinking ‘Oh, my gosh, I don’t ever want to watch basketball’, something’s wrong with you,” OU coach Greg Kampe said. “That was an unbelievable basketball game played by 13-14 players that can really play basketball. Two great programs who let their players play. We beat a really well coached team today. We beat a really good team today.”

Saturday’s win was the 900th in Oakland’s program history.

Leroy Blyden Jr. led the Rockets (5-4) in scoring, finishing with 20 points. Jaylan Ouwinga added 16 points and seven rebounds for Toledo. Sonny Wilson also had 16 points and six assists.

Wells scored 10 points in the first half and Oakland went into the break trailing 48-45. Michael Houge scored 13 second-half points. Oakland outscored Toledo by four points over the final half.

___

The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.

ANN ARBOR (AP) — Morez Johnson Jr. scored 22 points on 9-of-11 shooting, and No. 3 Michigan won its fifth consecutive game by 25 or more points, beating Rutgers 101-60 on Saturday.

The Wolverines scored more than 100 points for the third consecutive game, a feat last accomplished during their 1989 national championship season.

Yaxel Lendenborg had 14 points and eight rebounds for the Wolverines (8-0, 1-0) in their Big Ten opener. Trey McKenney added 13 points, and Elliot Cadeau had 11 points and nine assists.

Michigan shot 60% from the field while making its case for the No. 1 spot in the AP poll after No. 1 Purdue lost earlier in the day. The Maize Rage student section did its lobbying with several “No. 1” chants late in the game.

Freshmen Harun Zrno and Kaden Powers led Rutgers (5-5, 0-2) with 13 points apiece. Zrno, a 21-year-old from Bosnia and Herzegovina, made his first career start.