Colston Loveland injury update: Michigan TE's status vs. Ohio State comes into question

Michigan TE Colston Loveland’s status for Saturday’s rivalry game against Ohio State is coming into question. ESPN’s Pete Thamel reported an “increasing pessimism” about his chances of playing in The Game after suffering an injury against Northwestern.

Loveland missed the second half of last week’s game with an undisclosed injury and was limited in practice this week, Thamel reported. Michigan coach Sherrone Moore previously said he thought Loveland was trending in a “good direction,” but it’s looking like he could be in line to miss Saturday’s rivalry affair.

Loveland wouldn’t be the only notable absence for Michigan against Ohio State. Cornerback Will Johnson has missed time with a toe injury, and the expectation is he’ll be out for the matchup, as well.

Sources: There's increasing pessimism about the availability of Michigan TE Colston Loveland for the game at No. 2 Ohio State on Saturday. He did not play in the second half of the Northwestern game with an undisclosed injury and has been limited all week in practice. pic.twitter.com/1z4xZKaKSo

— Pete Thamel (@PeteThamel) November 29, 2024

Loveland is an important part of the Michigan offense and one of the nation’s top tight ends. He enters Week 14 as the Wolverines’ leading receiver, hauling in 56 receptions for 582 yards and five touchdowns – team-highs in all three categories. At the time of his injury against Northwestern, he had three catches for 22 yards.

Moore provided updates on both Colston Loveland and Will Johnson earlier this week. He didn’t provide many details, but indicated they were progressing well.

“Yeah, we’ll see,” Moore said. “I think, you know, Colston is trending in a good direction. We’ll get a better feel in the next couple days. Same thing with Will.”

Michigan rides a three-game winning streak over Ohio State into Saturday’s installment of The Game. This year, though, the two teams have taken different paths. The Wolverines have been up-and-down in their national championship follow-up, bringing a 6-5 record into the matchup in Columbus. The Buckeyes, meanwhile, rank No. 2 in the nation with an 11-1 record and can clinch a spot in the Big Ten Championship with a win.

Michigan and Ohio State’s rivalry is one of the best in college football, and the emotions run high. However, Moore downplayed the “emotional tax” of The Game ahead of kickoff.

“I don’t know about an emotional tax,” Moore said. “It’s fun. It’s everything you wanted it to be when you grow up as a kid. Whether you want to be a coach, be a player, this is what you want to do. You want to be in these types of games. It’s awesome to be a part of, it’s a lot of work. It’s something you think a lot of all year. It’s an exciting time for us to be in.”