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Michigan plans to go for the bundle this season: Heisman candidates, 3rd straight victory over Ohio State, College Football Playoff berth, national title.
That’s all that’s left after 2 straight B1G titles and Playoff berths. Jim Harbaugh and company aren’t shying away from great expectations — they’re professing them.
Here are 10 bold predictions that the Wolverines surely believe they can make come true:
2 backs rush for 1,000+ yards
Last year’s numbers: Blake Corum 1,463 rushing yards, Donovan Edwards 991.
If Corum is fully recovered from his late-season injury, he’s right back to being a Heisman candidate. And Edwards proved more than ready for prime time with 216 yards against Ohio State among his 5 100-yard games in 2022.
A mere 9 yards short of the 2×1,000 accomplishment last year, Corum and Edwards will become Michigan’s 1st RB duo to achieve the feat since 1975 (Rob Lytle, Gordon Bell). QB Denard Robinson and RB Fitzgerald Toussaint both hit the 1K mark in 2011.
JJ goes for 3,000
JJ McCarthy came up 281 passing yards short of 3,000 last season despite not starting the opener and despite Michigan throwing the ball on only 38.1% of its offensive plays.
Michigan again has a bunch of easy wins on the schedule, so McCarthy’s rank of 8th in attempts in the B1G might not bump up substantially. But with Jim Harbaugh talking about opening up the passing game a bit and WRs Roman Wilson and Cornelius Johnson back for their senior seasons, McCarthy should be a lock for 3,000. He’d be the 4th Wolverines QB to hit the mark, the most recent being Shea Patterson in 2019. John Navarre (3,331 in 2003) holds the UM record.
A September to remember
No, the games will not be close or interesting as Michigan opens with 3 non-con cupcakes and then Rutgers, all at home. Even the trip to new-look Nebraska to close out September should be smooth sailing.
Starting the season at No. 2 in the polls, Michigan will be in the national spotlight as Corum and McCarthy reprise their Heisman campaigns. The stats and the margins of victory will be stupefying.
Moore Moore Moore
The revamped offensive line also will bask in the early season spotlight, and Sherrone Moore’s men will go on mauling opponents all season long. Even with several new starters, the group will road-grade its way to a 3rd straight Joe Moore Award as the nation’s best offensive line.
Returning guards Zak Zinter and Trevor Keegan might lead the unit this time around, and Stanford transfer Drake Nugent seems to have the edge at center. The tackle spots are still being contested, with returnees (Karsen Barnhart, Trente Jones) battling incoming transfers (LaDarius Henderson from Arizona State, Myles Hinton from Stanford).
“It’ll go through camp,” Harbaugh said recently of the tackle competition. “I envision starting 2 tackles one game and 2 tackles the second game. It’s just that close. It’s just that good, really.”
Jim Harbaugh restrains himself
Michigan’s 9th-year head coach will stop short of directly thumbing his nose at the NCAA over its investigation of alleged recruiting and practice violations from the 2020 pandemic-altered season. He’ll limit himself to subtle taunts and digs while assembling alibis and a stellar defense team — just in case he wants to return in 2024 to defend the national title. (Yes, that’s foreshadowing.)
Just short of perfect
Though favored by oddsmakers week in and week out, the Wolverines will throw 1 clunker into the mix. At Penn State on Nov. 11 looks like the most likely time for an upset. The Nittany Lions have won 5 of 7 over UM at Beaver Stadium, and they’ll be hellbent on revenge after last year’s 41-17 pasting in Ann Arbor.
Moody blues
Whether it’s Penn State or some other B1G team keeping Michigan short of perfection, the loss will be narrow and probably involve 1 or 2 missed FGs. Without prolific kicker Jake Moody for the first time since 2017, Michigan probably can’t count on hitting 82% of field goals and 100% of PATs. Louisville transfer James Turner might be almost as automatic, but that’s a high bar.
Owning Ohio
Ohio State fans can be insufferable, so don’t feel bad about turning the tables after the Wolverines close the regular season with a 3rd straight 2-TD+ beatdown of the Buckeyes.
Michigan will have the more experienced and talented quarterback, and it’ll be playing at home in front of a crowd approaching or surpassing the record 115,109 that watched a 41-30 victory over Notre Dame in 2013. If the weather is nasty for the noon kickoff on Nov. 25, all the better.
Regardless, the result will confirm that Ryan Day’s team just can’t finish, its finesse no match for Michigan’s raw power. Let’s say 42-24 this time. When the clock hits all zeros with McCarthy taking a knee, Day instantly will have the hottest seat temperature ever recorded for a coach averaging 11 wins through 5 seasons.
3rd straight CFP appearance
One loss isn’t going to keep Michigan from a 3rd straight Playoff appearance, despite their non-con schedule being garbage again this year. The cred from the past 2 years and a 3rd straight win over a talent-laden Ohio State team will boost the Wolverines to at least the No. 3 seed.
National champs
Sorry, Michigan fans, you’ll have to settle for 14-1 with your school’s 1st national championship since 1997. The good news is, the Wolverines might get the chance to avenge their regular-season loss to Penn State in the CFP (depending on the seedings and how good I am at bold predictions).
There’s really no way to boldly pick a final tally for the Wolverines without saying national title, given their 2 straight CFP berths and one of the most experienced quarterbacks among the teams most likely to make the final four. And the looming NCAA investigation of Jim Harbaugh just puts another chip on the program’s shoulder.
Exactly how UM takes down Georgia, should they meet, I don’t know. Maybe that QB experience thing factors in. Maybe the B1G is so overdue for a natty that it just has to happen.
One way or another, it will.
Luke Glusco is a Penn State graduate and veteran journalist. He covers Penn State and occasionally writes about other Big Ten programs and topics. He also serves as the primary copy editor for Saturday Tradition.