Michigan will have to play No. 1-ranked Oregon without top cornerback Will Johnson but might get another key defender back for the game. The Wolverines' defensive line could be in line to have senior interior lineman Rayshaun Benny return from injury.
The team has been “optimistic” in the week leading up to Week 10 that Benny will be available, per Matt Zenitz of CBS Sports. Zenitz pointed out that Benny is the fourth-highest-graded interior defensive lineman in college football by PFF.
Benny, a senior from Detroit, has not played since the team's Week 6 loss to Washington. He has missed the last two games with an undisclosed injury. Benny spent most of the 2024 offseason rehabbing a broken fibula he suffered in the 2024 Rose Bowl when Michigan topped Alabama to qualify for the National Championship Game.
Despite his statistical excellence, Benny has not surpassed second on the depth chart behind star defensive tackles Mason Graham and Kenneth Grant. His talent would likely make him a starter on nearly any other team in the country but with both Graham and Grant projected as first-round picks in the 2025 NFL Draft, he has been limited to being an elite rotational piece up front.
Michigan defense faces tough test against Oregon
Without arguably their best player in Johnson, the Michigan defense will be forced to attempt to limit the explosive Oregon offense with their limited available players. Oregon, 8-0, boasts an offense that has yet to be stopped by any team and has topped 30 points in seven straight games.
In his sixth year of college football, Dillon Gabriel is leading the Ducks with 2,371 passing yards, 18 touchdowns and five interceptions through eight games. He has added five touchdowns on the ground to make him a top-five Heisman Trophy candidate in the final weeks of the season.
Junior running back Jordan James has also shined throughout the year with 800 rushing yards on 136 carries to average 5.9 yards per attempt. He has reached the end zone eight times, tying receiver Tez Johnson for the team lead.
Oregon is coming off a stellar 38-9 win over No. 20-ranked Illinois in a game that marked their second straight outing limiting their opponents to single digits on the scoreboard. Gabriel accounted for 291 passing yards and three touchdowns in the game, tying his third-highest yard total in a single game on the year.
Follow Us
Subscribe
