Michigan lands Bauman and Earby via transfer portal

TVS News AI, editorially supervised, presents Michigan lands Bauman and Earby via transfer portal.

The 22nd Washtenaw County Circuit Court in Ann Arbor has on Tuesday (October 14, 2026) granted both former Boise State cornerback Jeremiah Earby and former Miami tight end Alex Bauman a temporary restraining order – thus clearing the way for their transfer to the Michigan Wolverines. The emergency motions had been filed by both players on September 25. As The Athletic reports, citing a source familiar with the situation, Earby and Bauman are now enrolled at the University of Michigan but have not yet signed.

What is known so far

Michigan, according to The Athletic, is holding several roster spots open so that Earby and Bauman can be accommodated immediately upon an official signing. A Wolverines spokesperson declined to comment because the contracts have not yet been signed. When exactly both can take the field for Michigan depends on the outcome of the next hearing: according to court documents, the preliminary injunction hearing is scheduled for November 4. The fact that the players had to go to court at all is related to a new NCAA eligibility rule that originally excluded players from the 2022 high school class – Earby and Bauman belong precisely to that class and are trying to obtain a fifth and final season of play.

Bauman lands in a stalled tight end group

Alex Bauman is 6 feet 5 (approximately 1.96 m) tall, weighs 250 pounds (around 113 kg) and thus brings the profile of a classic receiving tight end. He spent his first three college seasons at Tulane University; in 2024 he caught seven receiving touchdowns there – his best season to date. For the 2025 season, he transferred to the Miami Hurricanes and was part of the team that advanced to the national championship game. For the Hurricanes, he appeared as a pass catcher 18 times last season, accumulating 166 yards and one touchdown. In Ann Arbor, he lands with a tight end group that has produced little this season: three Wolverines tight ends stand at a combined nine catches for 65 yards – zero receiving touchdowns – after the team's bumpy 3-2 start. That the position has also made headlines off the field recently is shown by an incident from the previous week: senior Zack Marshall publicly apologized after leaked text messages became known in which he had criticized offensive coordinator Jason Beck's use of the tight ends. For you as a Michigan fan, this means: Bauman's signing is not just a roster issue but also a mood issue.

Earby: Boise State's mainstay to a top-3 defense

Jeremiah Earby began his college career at the University of California (Cal) before transferring to the Boise State Broncos for the past two seasons. In Boise, he was one of the team's most consistent defensive players: 94 total tackles, 15 pass deflections and five interceptions are on his record. With the Broncos, he reached the College Football Playoff in 2024. In Ann Arbor, one of the strongest defensive units in the country awaits: after five games, Michigan ranks 3rd nationally in total defense and 5th in passing yards allowed – 146.8 per game.

Next steps

Until the hearing on November 4, the status of both players remains legally provisional. On the field, the Wolverines continue this Saturday: after the bye week, Michigan hosts Penn State in Ann Arbor – and could look different roster-wise than recently.

Source: The Athletic