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Not that long ago, all the glory and tradition associated with Michigan football appeared to be a thing of the past. The Wolverines had become a meddling program in the B1G that was simply fighting for bowl bids.
Two short years later, though, Michigan is back in the spotlight. Back-to-back 10-win seasons, high-ranking recruiting classes and one of the best coaches in the country has revived a program that was on the verge of self-destruction.
You’d think 10 wins would be enough in Ann Arbor, especially considering the suffering they endured during the Rich Rodriguez and Brady Hoke eras. But a B1G title and regular wins over Ohio State seem within reach. Ascending to that level seems like the next step to fully establishing Michigan as a national blueblood once again.
2016 record: 10-2* (7-2)
* Doesn’t include postseason
Coaching Situation
Michigan immediately ascended back to national relevance the second Jim Harbaugh returned to Ann Arbor. It’s been evident in his first two seasons, finishing with a 10-3 mark in 2015 and 2016.
Love him or hate him, the guy can coach. He inherited a program that was stumbling around the field and struggled to keep its head above water. In 2014, the Wolverines finished 5-7 and missed the postseason for the third time in seven years. Harbaugh immediately doubled the team’s win total in 2015 and had the Maize and Blue back in the B1G and College Football Playoff race the following year.
The energy, the tradition and the swagger has all been restored under Harbaugh, which is a good thing for college football. A once-defeated fan base has a reason to be optimistic again, as Michigan is clearly headed in a positive direction.
Despite all that, Harbaugh hasn’t finished better than third in the B1G East and is 0-2 against Ohio State. It’s only been two years, sure, but winning a divisional title and knocking off the Buckeyes is of the utmost importance in Ann Arbor.
Harbaugh has resurrected the program, but until he beats Ohio State, he’s going to have his doubters.
Quarterback Situation
The Michigan coaching staff is taking its time to announce a starter for the Week 1 clash with Florida, but if the job goes to anyone other than Wilton Speight it’ll be a bit of a surprise.
Speight was one of the top passers in the B1G last season, throwing for 2,538 yards and 18 touchdowns with a 61.6 completion percentage. He was 9-3 as the starter last year, but an injury suffered against Iowa bothered him in the final two games against Ohio State and Florida State. Outside of a few games, most of what we saw from Speight last fall was pretty good.
He’s already been complimented as one of the B1G’s purest passers and pegged as the best decision-maker in the conference. But Speight’s role is going to change slightly this fall. He’ll be asked to do more with less, which will truly test his abilities as a quarterback and a leader.
What we’ve seen from Speight so far is promising, but he’s going to have to take that next step for Michigan to be a contender this season.
Strengths & Weaknesses
In case it wasn’t obvious, Michigan’s youth and inexperience is going to be its biggest hurdle this season. Young guns are going to flood the field for the Wolverines, several of which are going to be thrown into the fire.
Most of those youngsters have plenty of talent, there’s no question about that. It’s just raw and undeveloped. At least it was coming into the offseason. The ability to progress and adapt quickly is going to be crucial for Michigan’s success this year. Fortunately, they’re learning from the “best developmental coach in America,” according to Joel Klatt.
The Wolverines have some great talent returning, including Speight, running back Chris Evans and defensive end Rashan Gary. And incoming freshmen like wide receiver Donovan Peoples-Jones and defensive lineman Aubrey Solomon will probably have immediate roles.
Michigan’s defensive line should be pretty solid as well, which is essential to winning games in the B1G.
Game-by-Game Predicitons
Week 1: vs. Florida* (W)
Without Antonio Callaway in the mix, Florida’s offense doesn’t have enough weapons, even against a really young and inexperienced Michigan defense.
Week 2: vs. Cincinnati (W)
Michigan has the advantage in every category. The Bearcats are going to struggle to make it to halftime.
Week 3: vs. Air Force (W)
This could actually be a sneaky-good matchup in Week 3. Air Force has the ability to put points on the board but the talent differential is just too much to overcome.
Week 4: at Purdue (W)
A new offensive scheme implemented by Jeff Brohm might make the Boilermakers more competitive but Purdue still has a long way to go before it’s a legitimate opponent to any of the bluebloods in the conference.
Week 5: Bye
Week 6: vs. Michigan State (W)
Despite Michigan State’s disastrous season, the Spartans actually played Michigan fairly well. This game might be competitive again this season, but the Wolverines will make it two-straight over their in-state rival.
Week 7: at Indiana (L)
Upsets happen. The Hoosiers have been close to knocking off the Wolverines each of the last two years. They finally have the firepower to end a 30-year losing streak.
Week 8: at Penn State (L)
Michigan isn’t going to have much of an answer for Trace McSorley, Saquon Barkley or the rest of the Nittany Lions offense. Penn State’s athleticism and experience offensively is too much.
Week 9: vs. Rutgers (W)
It’s probably not going to be 78-0 again, but this one is still going to be pretty lopsided.
Week 10: vs. Minnesota (W)
Minnesota is a bit of a wildcard heading into the season with expectations all over the place. They’ve got some talent and could give the Wolverines a run for their money.
Week 11: at Maryland (W)
D.J. Durkin still needs a year or two to get some of those really good recruiting class settled in. Once that happens, the Terrapins can become a contender in the East. That isn’t going to happen this year, though.
Week 12: at Wisconsin (L)
Much like last year’s game in Ann Arbor, this could be another low-scoring affair. With the game in Madison, give the edge to the Badgers.
Week 13: vs. Ohio State (W)
This game is more important than any Harbaugh has coached in at Michigan. He has the troops prepared and the Wolverines finally notch a win over Urban Meyer.
2017 Projections: 9-3 (6-3)
Final Standings: 3rd, B1G East
#GoBlue
Michigan is still a team with a lot of upside and a plethora of talent on its roster. The unknown is how quickly the younger players develop and how quickly they adjust to the college game.
Can the Wolverines still be a contender in the East? Of course. But a realistic shot of winning the division is probably a year away. Then again, nobody expected Harbaugh to win 10 games in his first year in Ann Arbor, so it’s certainly possible.
Michigan seems like a team built to play a spoiler role. It’s hard to develop consistency from a young and inexperienced group, especially with the weekly grind of a college football schedule. But on any given Saturday, this is a group that can beat just about anyone in the country.
2017 may not be the best year for Harbaugh record-wise, but this is going to be a really fun team to watch every week.
Dustin grew up in the heart of Big Ten country and has been in sports media since 2010. He has been covering Big Ten football since 2014. You can follow him on Twitter: @SchutteCFB