Even with a changing of the guard with Kyle Whittingham taking over the Michigan football program, the Wolverines are somewhat flying under the radar. Despite all of the behind-the-scenes turmoil, the maize and blue managed to go 9-4 last season, which stands to reason: with more cohesion, could Michigan be better in 2026?

The schedule is brutal, but there’s a level of seriousness that Whittingham brings to the table. Considering the upgrade that new offensive coordinator Jason Beck should be, along with many of the transfers who have come in on that side of the ball, there’s a lot to like about the Wolverines’ offense.

ESPN had a roundtable discussion about some of the early storylines across college football, and one panelist, when talking about offensive players, demurred from the Dante Moore-Jeremiah Smith expectations and spoke up about Bryce Underwood and what he might bring to the table in his second year.

Lyles: I agree with all of the above, but I’ll add Michigan quarterback Bryce Underwood based on his potential. I am excited to see what new offensive coordinator Jason Beck is going to be able to do with him after seeing the success Beck had with Devon Dampier at both New Mexico and Utah. If he’s able to have similar success with the Wolverines, there’s no question Underwood will be one of the more impactful players this season.

DETROIT, MI – Widespread pushback ― and some support ― have rolled in one day after President Donald Trump first threatened to stymie opening the Gordie Howe International Bridge with a list of economic complaints about Canada.

In a post on his platform Truth Social Monday, Feb. 9, Trump suggested he block the new span, claiming the U.S. should own “at least half” of the bridge. He also demanded the country’s northern neighbor agree to trade deals more beneficial to the U.S., calling out Canada’s considering a deal with China.

Since the post, leaders on both sides of the border have sought to clarify details about the Gordie Howe Bridge, particularly the ownership stake the U.S. already has and how the cost of the multi-billion-dollar project has been covered.

“As a reminder, Canada financed the construction of the bridge, which was built by union construction workers from both sides of the border,” Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer said in a statement Tuesday, Feb. 10, “and it will be operated under a joint ownership agreement between Michigan and Canada.”

Still, Michigan House Speaker Matt Hall and other Republicans, including U.S. Senate candidate Mike Rogers and U.S. Rep. John James, defended Trump’s comments Tuesday.

In remarks to the Detroit News, the speaker said Canada “should treat us more fairly” with “better reciprocal trade deals” and that considering a deal with China was “really out of bounds.”

White House officials also continued to maintain Trump’s right to amend a permit for a new bridge between Canada and Michigan. Hours after Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney spoke with Trump early Tuesday, according to the Associated Press, Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters that Canadian controlling “what crosses” was “unacceptable to the president.”

Construction for the Gordie Howe Bridge began in 2018, and it’s expected to open to traffic, connecting Detroit and Windsor, Ontario, sometime this year. Canada will recoup its costs through tolls.

On Tuesday, the New York Times reported that Matthew Moroun, whose family owns the nearby Ambassador Bridge, met with U.S. Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick in Washington earlier on Monday before Lutnick called Trump.

The Moroun family has previously appealed to the Trump administration, CBC News reported, to stop the Gordie Howe Bridge in step with claims that it would infringe on an exclusive right to collect tolls. Despite his post Monday, Trump supported the bridge project in his first term.

Rick Snyder, a Republican and former Michigan governor, encouraged Trump challenge his advisors in a piece for the Detroit News Tuesday, adding only the Moroun family would benefit from a delay in the Gordie Howe span.

“The GHIB (Gordie Howe International Bridge) is a great deal for America that I hope you will be proud of,” wrote Snyder, who played a role in kicking off the project.

“We have some issues with Canada that should be negotiated. But picking this bridge as the leverage point doesn’t seem to make the most sense given your other tools. The bridge stoppage approach would primarily harm Americans.”

Michigan Democrats, in part, agreed, citing the bridge’s importance.

“This is the busiest trade crossing in North America,” Whitmer said. “The Gordie Howe International Bridge is all about jobs. It’s good for Michigan workers and it’s good for Michigan’s auto industry.

“… This project has been a tremendous example of bipartisan and international cooperation. It’s going to open one way or another, and the governor looks forward to attending the ribbon cutting.”

Congresswoman Debbie Dingell said Trump was “once again protecting the interests of your billionaire donor friends” instead of “for American workers and our economy.” In a statement, Michigan Democratic Party Chair Curtis Hertel said Trump’s “chaos” will yield “higher costs, fewer jobs, and greater uncertainty for our state’s auto industry.”

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A federal judge has dismissed the U.S. Department of Justice’s lawsuit against Michigan over the state’s refusal to give the department an unredacted list of registered voters, finding the state isn’t required by federal law to turn it over.

Last year, the Department of Justice requested unredacted voter data from virtually every state as part of President Donald Trump’s quest to root out noncitizen voters, which are extremely rare. The department requested a copy of Michigan’s voter roll in July, along with answers to a series of questions about its voter registration practices.

In September, Michigan provided a redacted version of the voter roll that withheld voters’ personally identifiable information, which the state said was necessary to avoid breaking state and federal law. The Department of Justice then sued Michigan for the complete data later that month.

However, on Tuesday, U.S. District Court Chief Judge Hala Y. Jarbou of the Western District of Michigan, a Trump nominee, dismissed the case. Jarbou wrote in her opinion that none of the three laws that the Department of Justice had used to justify its request — the Civil Rights Act of 1960, the National Voter Registration Act, and the Help America Vote Act — required the disclosure of the data.

Justice Department officials have argued that obtaining voter rolls is necessary in order for the department to make sure states are complying with federal requirements for how voter rolls should be maintained. Over the past year, the Department of Justice has sued 24 states, plus Washington, D.C., for not sharing their data. Federal judges have also so far dismissed the suits against California and Oregon.

A spokesperson for Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson, a Democrat, did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the ruling.

The Department of Justice also did not immediately respond to a request for comment, including a question about whether it would appeal the ruling.

Read more Votebeat coverage of the Justice Department’s lawsuits and requests seeking state voter rolls:

Nathaniel Rakich is Votebeat’s managing editor and is based in Washington, D.C. Contact Nathaniel at nrakich@votebeat.org.