Rose Bowl Michigan Football Injury Intel On Drake Nugent

LOS ANGELES — Today, other reporters and I heard from transfer center Drake Nugent, a star offensive lineman for the Wolverines who finished among the top centers in college football this fall, ahead of Monday’s Rose Bowl matchup. After suffering an ankle injury against Ohio State, Nugent has been rehabbing and should be ready to go for the College Football Playoff semi-final against Alabama next week. Here’s the latest Michigan football injury scoop on Nugent.

Nov 25, 2023; Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA; Michigan Wolverines offensive lineman Drake Nugent (60) prepares to snap the ball during the NCAA football game against the Michigan Wolverines at Michigan Stadium. Ohio State lost 30-24.

Michigan football injury report: Drake Nugent feeling better ahead of the Rose Bowl

Finding someone to fill the massive shoes of ex-Michigan football center Olu Oluwatimi was a tall task for the Wolverines, though Jim Harbaugh managed to grab one of the top centers in college football from the transfer portal: ex-Stanford captain Drake Nugent.

This fall, Nugent was a Rimington finalist (best center) en route to a 13-0 campaign, a Big Ten title, and a College Football Playoff berth for the Wolverines. While it was clear that he was trying to play through injury against Iowa in the conference championship game earlier this month, Drake Nugent explained on Friday that he is feeling much better.

“Yeah, I was a little banged up (for the Big Ten title game); I feel good now though,” Drake Nugent told me. “The four weeks (of rest) were much needed.”

While it sounds like Nugent is healed up, Michigan football will still be without Zak Zinter — an All-American guard and arguably the team’s best offensive lineman right now — for the Rose Bowl against Alabama. Of course, Zinter got season-ending surgery following a scary injury against Ohio State in late November, though remains a key part of the Wolverines’ playoff run as the team looks to win the program’s first Rose Bowl title since the 1997 season.

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