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Desmond Howard’s pick for national champs in trouble after loss in Week 1

Paul Harvey

By Paul Harvey

Published:

Week 1 was not kind to the preseason predictions of many college football analysts.

Unfortunately for Michigan fans, Week 1 also handed the Wolverines their first loss of the season and put a serious dent in their hopes to make the College Football Playoff. Additionally, it was a hit against ESPN analyst Desmond Howard’s pick to win the national championship this season.

Howard, who played for Michigan from 1989-91, had the Wolverines as his preseason prediction to win it all this season. The rest of Howard’s Playoff field was Alabama, Clemson, and West Virginia with the Wolverines taking down Alabama in the National Championship Game.

Howard’s other three picks all played well in the opening game of the season, but Michigan was rather disappointing in a loss to Notre Dame.

It should be noted that the Wolverines are absolutely still alive in the Playoff hunt moving forward. However, no two-loss team has ever made the Playoff, and Michigan’s schedule is still plenty tough the rest of the way.

Michigan will face Western Michigan and SMU before finishing the year with nine consecutive B1G matchups. In that streak are road games against Michigan State and Ohio State while also facing Wisconsin and Penn State at home. Simply put, the Wolverines have a lot of work to do if they have any hopes of competing for the B1G championship or a spot in the Playoff.

Paul Harvey

Paul is a lifelong fan and student of all things college football. He has been covering college football since 2017 and the B1G since 2018.