As the Michigan Wolverines solidified their game plan for the Wisconsin Badgers, head coach Sherrone Moore and his staff were also preparing to host a four-star prospect who was committed to their in-state rivals, the Michigan State Spartans.
Braylon Hodge, a four-star linebacker from the class of 2026, committed to the Spartans in June of this year, but will be in attendance for Michigan's Big Ten matchup against Wisconsin.
Hodge, who is actually a Colorado native, chose Michigan State over a slew of powerhouse teams, including the Wolverines, the Texas Longhorns, the Oregon Ducks, and more. Now, Michigan is putting in the work to change his mind.
So, while the game itself is the ultimate focus of the Wolverines' staff this weekend, they will also be trying to impress Hodge with everything that the Michigan football program can offer (which is quite a lot).
Braylon Hodge fall visits schedule
The young linebacker is actually scheduled to take quite a few visits this fall, despite his commitment to the Spartans. After this week, he will travel to Oregon, and in November, he will visit the Horns and the Missouri Tigers.
- October 4 - Michigan Wolverines (home game vs. Wisconsin)
- October 11 - Oregon Ducks (home game vs. No. 9 Indiana)
- November 8 - Missouri Tigers (home game vs. No. 8 Texas A&M)
- November 22 - Texas Longhorns (home game vs. Arkansas)
While Hodge is committed to the Spartans, a commitment doesn't mean quite as much as it did just a few years ago. With the absence of National Letters of Intent, a highly active transfer portal, and NIL deals luring players to other programs, prospects are committing and decommitting like never before.
When it comes to Hodge, the Wolverines are hoping a mix of everything above can entice him to flip his commitment in their direction.
Currently, Michigan claims the No. 11 recruiting class in the country and the No. 4 class in the Big Ten. Landing a blue-chip prospect like Hodge could be exactly what the team needs to break into the top-10 of the national rankings (or at least take a step in the direction of doing so).