Michigan head coach Sherrone Moore is back on the sidelines Saturday as the Wolverines face Wisconsin, marking his first game after serving a two-game suspension connected to the sign-stealing scandal. The return clearly meant a lot to him.
“It means everything, it’s like Christmas morning,” Moore told FOX’s Jenny Taft before kickoff. “I just open up the best present in the world. So let’s go, let it rip.”
"It's like Christmas morning."
— FOX College Football (@CFBONFOX) October 4, 2025
Sherrone Moore is happy to be back on the Michigan sideline 〽️❤️@JennyTaft | @UMichFootball pic.twitter.com/hHqLuJcuTa
No. 20 Michigan (3-1, 1-0 Big Ten) opened the homecoming matchup on defense after choosing to kick off. Wisconsin (2-2, 0-1 Big Ten) entered the contest shorthanded, starting former third-string quarterback Hunter Simmons due to multiple injuries.
The Wolverines returned from a bye week that followed a narrow road win over Nebraska. Moore said the break came at the right time, helping several players recover from early-season wear and tear.
“The first thing we try to do is just get healthy, and I think we did that,” he said. “We got a lot of guys that were dealing with little things and banged up... you felt that pop, you felt that energy to them.”
Moore also praised freshman quarterback Bryce Underwood, noting his steady progress and growing confidence.
“The kid just is constantly working, constantly striving to get better,” Moore said. “We’re going to let him play, and play free, and play loose, and have fun.”
Michigan entered the game as a 17½-point favorite, according to BetMGM, while Wisconsin looked to bounce back from consecutive losses to No. 19 Alabama and Maryland.
Sherrone Moore was HYPED running out on to the field 😤@UMichFootball pic.twitter.com/tNM7gl1FwB
— FOX College Football (@CFBONFOX) October 4, 2025
Both teams were coming off bye weeks, but the Wolverines had momentum on their side and the emotional lift of their head coach’s return.
Associate coach Biff Poggi, who led the team during Moore’s suspension, resumed his regular duties as Michigan aimed to build on its early Big Ten success at the Big House.