One of the unfortunate, if somewhat understandable, trends in today’s college football is that some players choose to sit out bowl games, or even the end of their regular season, when teams have fallen out of contention.

In most cases, this is because players are trying to protect their health and NFL Draft status. In more recent cases, players leave their current teams and declare an early intention to enter the transfer portal.

Michigan has several players expected to be early picks in the 2025 NFL Draft, including tight end Colston Loveland and defensive tackle Kenneth Grant. However, both juniors recently declared, in no uncertain terms, that they will finish the 2024 season on the field with the Wolverines.

“I mean, we’re going to play, as long as we’re healthy and feeling good, we’re going to play,” Loveland said. “Michigan has done so much for us — all our boys, our brothers, our family, our coaches, they’re still practicing and playing. So why shouldn’t we play? We got goals to reach as a team and individually as well. So as long as I am healthy, yes, I play.”

One player Michigan hopes to return this season is junior cornerback Will Johnson, who is also expected to be a first-round pick along with Loveland. Johnson has missed each of the past three games with a lower-body injury, but there is optimism the corner will return to action after the Wolverines’ second bye this weekend.

“I could see both sides, maybe if you had an injury or something,” Loveland told reporters Tuesday. “But I feel like for me and a lot of the guys here, if you’re healthy and can go out and play — we love the game of football. We’ve been blessed by God to be able to play this game. (Our) families just sacrifice so much . So why shouldn’t we play? That’s about where my head is at.”

Loveland’s comments echo the sentiment Grant gave reporters just over a week ago.

“No, I’m not sitting out,” Grant said on Nov. 6. “Definitely want to go out and put great things on film. I don’t really know my draft status right now. I guess first round, you could say. But I mean, I don’t really care about that.”

While Michigan’s 5-5 record doesn’t come close to meeting the standards and expectations this football program is holding itself to this season, it’s clear from the responses from Loveland and Grant that the team-first culture still exists in Ann Arbor.

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