Michigan’s Week 2 win over No. 11 Oklahoma was supposed to be a statement, and on the scoreboard, it was exactly that — the Wolverines ground out a 17-10 victory that vaulted them back into the national rankings. But just as the celebration began to settle, Monday morning brought fresh concern. During his weekly press conference, head coach Kyle Whittingham delivered injury updates that left Michigan fans with a mix of relief and renewed worry heading into the non-conference finale against UTEP.
Andrew Babalola Suffers Another Setback, Status Uncertain
The headline news out of Monday’s presser was not good. Whittingham confirmed that sophomore offensive lineman Andrew Babalola has suffered a setback and, in the coach’s own words, “will not be available in the near future, unfortunately.” According to ESPN’s Adam Rittenberg and On3’s Pete Nakos, there is currently no timetable for his return, with some reports indicating he could be sidelined for the majority of the remaining season.
Andrew Babalola’s Unique Path to Michigan
Babalola’s story stands out even among a roster full of elite recruits. He didn’t begin playing football until his junior year of high school, having spent his early athletic career fully focused on basketball. Despite that unusually late start, Babalola developed into a consensus five-star recruit and the nation’s No. 28 overall prospect in the 2025 class — the No. 1 overall recruit out of Kansas and the No. 8-ranked offensive tackle nationally. He drew serious interest from programs like Alabama, Georgia, and Oklahoma before ultimately committing to Michigan in October 2024 and officially signing two months later. He enrolled early specifically to fast-track his development within the program.
That development has been anything but smooth, however. Babalola tore his ACL during fall camp in late August 2025, wiping out his entire freshman season before he ever took a competitive snap. He returned to practice this fall camp and appeared to be building real momentum, entering a genuine competition with Blake Frazier for the starting left tackle job. On August 21, Whittingham described an injury issue as “minor” and suggested Babalola would only be out a few additional days. That timeline has clearly not held — whatever the original diagnosis, Monday’s update makes clear the setback is more serious than what was initially suggested.
Blake Frazier Takes Over at Left Tackle
With Babalola’s timeline now indefinite, Blake Frazier has taken firm hold of the starting left tackle job, and he’s started both of Michigan’s first two games there in 2026. Frazier isn’t new to significant playing time — he made eight starts across multiple offensive line spots during the 2025 season, giving Michigan at least some continuity at the position even without its most hyped young tackle in the lineup.
Why Losing Andrew Babalola Hurts Michigan’s Depth
Even though Babalola hadn’t recorded a single snap yet this season, his absence still represents a real depth concern for a Michigan team that wants to be physical up front and consistent in the run game. Compounding the issue, backup lineman Ace Hamilton is already out for the entire season with a separate lower-leg injury, meaning Michigan has now lost two potential contributors from its offensive line room before Big Ten play has even started. For a program that prides itself on winning in the trenches, that reduced margin for error is a real concern heading into a tougher stretch of the schedule.
Michigan’s Offensive Line Has Been a Work in Progress All Season
Even beyond the injury news, Michigan’s offensive line hasn’t put together a fully clean performance through two games. In the Week 1 win over Western Michigan, the line struggled to generate any consistent push in the run game, and quarterback Bryce Underwood faced persistent pressure that forced him out of the pocket throughout the game. Things improved somewhat against Oklahoma — Michigan ran for 152 total yards — but much of that production was tied to Underwood’s individual playmaking ability rather than clean, consistent running lanes. The line still allowed two sacks and six total tackles for loss against the Sooners, numbers that show real room for improvement remains.
UTEP is unlikely to present the same level of challenge Oklahoma did, but after Michigan’s uneven Week 1 performance against Western Michigan, Whittingham has already learned not to take any opponent for granted.
Good News: Carter Meadows Set to Make His Michigan Debut
Amid the tougher news, Whittingham did offer Michigan fans a genuine positive update. Edge rusher Carter Meadows, who missed Michigan’s first two games with an undisclosed injury, is expected to be available when the Wolverines host UTEP Saturday. Meadows returned to practice last week, and his return to the field would mark his long-awaited collegiate debut after sitting out the start of the season.
Evan Link Is Not Benched, Whittingham Clarifies
Whittingham also addressed lingering questions about guard Evan Link, who started Michigan’s season opener at left guard but was sidelined for the Oklahoma game due to an undisclosed injury. With Link out, senior Nathan Efobi stepped into the starting lineup at left guard and, by all accounts, played well in his place.
Whittingham made clear the change wasn’t performance-related. “We shuffled the lineup due to injury — not due to anything other than that,” Whittingham told reporters, adding that Michigan expects to have Link back this week against UTEP barring any unforeseen setback. Whittingham also praised Efobi’s effort, energy, and passion in Link’s absence, noting the offensive line’s overall energy level looked markedly different than it had in Week 1. Whittingham left the door open for a possible rotation between Link and Efobi at left guard going forward, calling the exact plan “to be determined,” while confirming Brady Norton will remain in place at right guard regardless.
What’s Next for Michigan’s Offensive Line
With Michigan now 2-0 and back in the national rankings, the coaching staff has no time to dwell on the injury news and will simply continue working through it. The Wolverines’ non-conference finale against UTEP this Saturday represents a valuable opportunity for the offensive line to continue building continuity and chemistry before Big Ten play begins in earnest. While the loss of Andrew Babalola may not be crippling on its own, it undeniably shrinks Michigan’s margin for error up front — making it that much more important for Frazier, Link, Efobi, and the rest of the line to find consistency before facing tougher competition in conference play.
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