The No. 9 Michigan Wolverines relied on solid play from their defense and a solid late-game drive from running back Kalel Mullings to secure a win over Fresno State on Saturday night at the Big House.

The close game meant the freshmen didn’t see much action on the field in the 2024 season opener. But we did see one true freshman get into the game.

• LB Cole Sullivan (1 game)

Sullivan was used on special teams in the game against Fresno State. While we didn’t see his impact on the field on defense, the coaching staff still gave him a chance to contribute in some way in Week 1, which is more than what his classmates can say thus far.

It’s no surprise that Sullivan will get some time on special teams. He made a bit of a name for himself in the spring and parlayed that into a great fall camp, by the sounds of it. He probably won’t get much time on defense this year, but he’s well-prepared for the future.

With next week’s game against No. 4 Texas, it will be surprising to see freshmen make big contributions. The team needed great play from its starters to pull off the win on Saturday night, so it will likely rely on the same contributors next weekend.

Considering the way things went against Fresno State, it would be surprising to see many, if any, new freshmen on the field on September 7.