Advertise on podcast: Hail Yes! A Detroit Free Press Podcast About University of Michigan Sports

In a Detroit Free Press and Lansing State Journal collaboration, the "Hail Yes!" and "Spartan Speak" podcasts join to preview Michigan vs. Michigan State. Freep's assistant sports editor Andrew Birkle, U-M sports reporter Tony Garcia, MSU sports writer Chris Solari and Lansing State Journal columnist Graham Couch answered listener questions live. Read all about the Michigan Wolverines by heading to our website at freep.com/sports.

It wasn't pretty, but Michigan basketball picked up arguably its biggest win of the season against No. 5 Nebraska on Tuesday. The Wolverines trailed for much of the game, but down the stretch in the second half, they tightened up their defense and made all the big plays as the Cornhuskers went cold. Their "reward" for the big win? Oh, just a matchup against rival Michigan State in East Lansing. Tony and Andrew sit down to discuss Michigan's massive victory over the Cornhuskers and how it put the Wolverines on a great track for the rest of the season. What did we learn from the win? And by getting Yaxel Lendeborg more involved, can Michigan get even better?  Then the guys talk about the much-anticipated Michigan vs. Michigan State game. According to the advanced analytics, this game is a true 50-50 toss up. But do the guys think one of the teams has an edge? Tony and Andrew go through the lineups and discuss who has the advantage at each position.  Read all about the Michigan Wolverines by heading to our website at freep.com/sports.

On the heels of a successful West Coast trip and another impressive double-digit win over Indiana, Tony and Andrew are back on the mics to recap it all. The guys begin by breaking down Michigan’s insane defensive pressure at the start of the game against Indiana and the Wolverines rediscovering their fastball after an uncharacteristic four-game stretch. They also talk about Yaxel Lendeborg playing through a calf injury and the physical and mental struggles that can come with that. Then after a quick break, Tony grades Michigan football’s transfer portal moves under Kyle Whittingham for the offense, defense and special teams, with a clear (and maybe unexpected) winner. Read all about the Michigan Wolverines by heading to our website at freep.com/sports.

It's safe to say that Michigan football had a tumultuous start to the offseason after losing to Ohio State, but since new coach Kyle Whittingham was introduced on Dec. 28 things have actually ... started to calm down. It's a sign of the competency that Whittingham was brought to Michigan for. Yes, the Wolverines have had some attrition via the transfer portal and declarations for the NFL draft, but overall, Michigan has held onto many of its most important players while adding some key talent from Whittingham's former team among other portal commits. Andrew and Tony open the show by discussing the last few weeks for Michigan, and Tony names the five portal additions and subtractions that Michigan fans should know.  Then after the break, the guys discuss Michigan basketball finally coming back to Earth with its first loss of the season to Wisconsin and preview the Wolverines' trip to the West Coast for games against Washington and Oregon.  Read all about the Michigan Wolverines by heading to our website at freep.com/sports. 

The holidays are here, but the news surrounding Michigan football isn't slowing down. Interim Michigan football coach Bigg Poggi held a press conference this week to discuss his desire to take over the role full time and made it clear things have to change. Tony and Andrew discuss why Poggi is becoming a more and more realistic candidate as well as why some of Poggi's comments rang a little hollow.  After a quick break, the guys discuss Tony's big new story that pulls back the curtain on Michigan's crumbling culture under Sherrone Moore. How did things get so bad, and the biggest questions going forward.  Last but not least, the guys have a quick conversation about the Michigan hoops team, which continues to just decimate its competition. Read all about the Michigan Wolverines by heading to our website at freep.com/sports. 

After a week unlike any other for Michigan athletics, Andrew and Tony get on the mics to discuss Sherrone Moore’s firing, detainment, arrest and the charges he now faces and what it means for Michigan going forward. Plus, how does this impact Michigan athletics as a whole? And is Warde Manuel’s job official in danger? Then, the guys discuss some of the top candidates for the job, from Kalen DeBoer to Kenny Dillingham, and why the timing makes this a difficult hire. 

After a stunning day for Michigan athletics in which head coach Sherrone Moore was fired and then later arrested in an alleged assault investigation, Free Press' Tony Garcia and Shawn Windsor talk outside the Washtenaw County Jail about what it all means.  Read all about the Michigan Wolverines by heading to our website at freep.com/sports. 

Tony and Andrew are back to discuss what went wrong for Michigan football in its 27-9 loss to the Buckeyes. Does this mean Michigan needs to reinvent itself under Sherrone Moore after losing its three biggest games this year? And what would that look like? Then the guys talk about freshman quarterback Bryce Underwood and why his growth seemed to stunt in the second half of the season. Is this another sign that Michigan needs to evolve offensively? Plus, Tony breaks down Michigan's 2026 recruiting class and some of the big names the Wolverines were able to land to help them sit just outside the top-10 nationally in another really solid class for Moore.  And last but not least, the guys had to talk about Michigan basketball's routing of San Diego State, Auburn and Gonzaga in the Players Era Festival in Las Vegas, where the Wolverines put together about as impressive of a three-game stretch as possible. Just how sustainable is it? Read all about the Michigan Wolverines by heading to our website at freep.com/sports. 

We've been talking about it for weeks and it's finally here. Michigan, fighting for its College Football Playoff life, hosting undefeated Ohio State in Ann Arbor. Tony and Andrew open the show by talking about Michigan's impressive beat down of Maryland in Week 13 and why there were some more positive signs that Michigan will be able to move the ball against the Buckeyes (at least more than most teams).  Then the guys dive into "The Game" and why the stakes literally couldn't be higher this year for a variety of reasons. And last but not least, Tony and Andrew make their predictions for the season finale and determine what Michigan must do to pull off another upset. Read all about the Michigan Wolverines by heading to our website at freep.com/sports. 

Another week, another too-close-for-comfort win for Michigan football. And even still, the Wolverines are right on track for an epic clash against Ohio State to determine the College Football Playoff. Michigan turned the ball over five times and needed a last second field goal to beat Northwestern, but it still goes in the win column, much like the ugly Purdue game the week before or the MSU one the week before that. Tony and Andrew open the show by discussing why this Michigan football team is hard to understand, before talking about some real positives from the win over Northwestern (looking at you, Andrew Marsh). Then the guys quickly discuss the Maryland matchup and what's at stake.  After the break (22:51) the guys dive into Michigan football's threat of conference independence from Michigan Board of Regents member Jordan Acker. If the private equity-Big Ten deal goes through, is Michigan football really a candidate to become the next Notre Dame? Read all about the Michigan Wolverines by heading to our website at freep.com/sports. 

The first order of business for Michigan football during its bye week was to get healthy, but not far behind that was to hit a hard reset for star freshman quarterback Bryce Underwood. The two games before the bye week against Michigan State and Purdue were not pretty for Michigan's passing attack and the week off presented an opportunity for a reboot. Will it be enough to carry the Wolverines to a victory over Northwestern?  Tony and Andrew discuss what should be a fun game at Wrigley Field and make their predictions for the game and for the big games across the country.  Read all about the Michigan Wolverines by heading to our website at freep.com/sports. 

The most glorious (and tiring) part of the college sports season is upon us, as Michigan football is in the meat of its season and the basketball team's regular season slate has started. Michigan basketball's season opener against Oakland was so impressive, Tony and Andrew had to start the show by breaking it down. Michigan smashed Oakland, 121-78, and had its highest scoring first half in school history as just about everyone was clicking on all cylinders in the blowout victory. So just how good can this Michigan hoops team be? The guys break that down and get into the X's and O's of how Michigan was able to look so dominant.  In the second half of the show, Tony and Andrew take a big-picture look at Michigan football's first nine games the season by looking backwards and looking forwards. What's the biggest question answered by the team in the first nine games? And what is the biggest question this team still has to answer? Read all about the Michigan Wolverines by heading to our website at freep.com/sports. 

Michigan football just keeps taking care of business as its path to the College Football Playoff continues to solidify. Tony and Andrew open the show by discussing Michigan's win over Michigan State and how the Wolverines were able to beat the Spartans while not playing their best. Freshman quarterback Bryce Underwood didn't even crack 100 yards against MSU but the Wolverines still comfortably won. Is that cause for concern long-term? Then the guys discuss how more and more, it's looking like Michigan's entire season is going to come down to the final week of the season when they host Ohio State at the Big House. Tony and Andrew also preview the Purdue game and make predictions for the game before a quick look at the Michigan basketball program who is 1-1 in the exhibition slate. Are the expectations around this Michigan team the highest they've been in a decade? Read all about the Michigan Wolverines by heading to our website at freep.com/sports. 

The boys from the Spartan Speak podcast, Graham Couch and Chris Solari, joined Andrew Birkle and Tony Garcia for a special crossover episode of 'Hail Yes!' and 'Spartan Speak' to preview this weekend's Michigan State-Michigan football game. Read all about the Michigan Wolverines by heading to our website at freep.com/sports. 

Oh how quickly things can change. Just a week ago, Tony and Andrew were discussing a Michigan team that looked flat and overmatched on the road against USC. One game later, and the discussion is entirely different. Michigan played one of its most complete games under Sherrone Moore against Washington in Week 8, beating the Huskies 24-7 at the Big House. The guys open the show by discussing Michigan's impressive showing over Washington and how the Wolverines are playing entering the rivalry game vs. MSU. Plus, what years can you compare this year's matchup to? And do the Wolverines have anything to worry about with MSU? Then in the second half of the show, the guys make predictions for the big game and discuss why the narrative around this year's rivalry game is so weird, before making picks for some huge games around the country this week.  Last but not least, Tony shares a boots-on-the-ground report from Michigan's exhibition loss to Cincinnati and talks about what went wrong. Read all about the Michigan Wolverines by heading to our website at freep.com/sports.