The Michigan Wolverines were so close to achieving everything they hoped to achieve in 2016, but untimely errors and bad breaks got in the way. Now, Michigan must restart everything in 2017, losing a lot of players on defense and needing to turn to a lot of freshmen and underclassmen for production at a lot of defensive positions. If anyone can get a team to rally, though, it’s Jim Harbaugh, who has had a very busy offseason which included a trip to Rome. In the future, Michigan players will go to Paris. He is a dynamic recruiter and salesman, but now Harbaugh has to deliver on the field. He might not have his best team in 2017, but it’s a team which should be very competitive.
How Did They End 2016
The Wolverines were in very good shape heading into the final few games of 2016. They were unbeaten and had overcome tough challenges from Wisconsin and Michigan State. They crushed Penn State. They had everything to play for. Then came a brutal 13-11 loss at Iowa in which they had the ball inside the final 2:30 with a chance to run out the clock. However, they could not get a first down and Iowa gained one more possession, which it used to kick a game-winning field goal. The Michigan loss put Penn State into the Big Ten title hunt. Penn State had the head-to-head tiebreaker over Ohio State, but if Michigan had beaten Iowa, Penn State would not have been able to win a multi-team tiebreaker in the Big Ten East Division standings.
Michigan’s loss to Iowa was painful, but a win over Ohio State still would have given Michigan the Big Ten East title and a likely conference title, with a chance to make the College Football Playoff. The Wolverines took Ohio State to overtime on the road. They appeared to have stopped Ohio State on fourth down – or so they thought – in the overtime period, but the officials marked the ball at a first-down spot. Replay was inconclusive, but the call stood. Ohio State got the first down and eventually won to shatter Michigan’s dreams. Michigan then played an epic Orange Bowl game against Florida State but lost by one, 33-32. Michigan went 10-3, its three losses being by a combined nine points, with one loss being in overtime. The Wolverines were so close, but couldn’t complete enough big passes in any of their defeats.
Offseason Changes
Most of the defense had to be replaced, while quarterback coach Jedd Fisch went to UCLA. Michigan should be fine on offense with coordinator Tim Drevno remaining on staff. The defense is the big concern, with underclassmen needing to fill in all over the field. Getting these players up to speed in September, while rotating bodies to keep them fresh, will be huge priorities for Harbaugh this season.
Team X-Factor
The defensive front has to be able to overwhelm opposing offensive lines – otherwise, Michigan’s youth is likely to get exposed at other places. Jabrill Peppers and other defensive stars are now in the NFL. Michigan’s back seven won’t be nearly as good as it was in 2016, so the defensive front has to carry the workload for the defense as a whole.
What To Expect From The Wolverines This Year
It will be very hard to beat either Penn State on the road or Ohio State at home. In many ways, the key to a good season is to take care of the other 10 games and hope for an upset against one of the two big boys.
Record Last 5 Seasons
2016: 10-3
2015: 10-3
2014: 5-7
2013: 7-6
2012: 8-5
Schedule and Outlook
Michigan should beat Florida in the opener. Their job has gotten a little bit easier now that the Gators have suspended a handful of players. And if they do win that game, 10 wins look like a good bet. A road trip to Wisconsin will be tough and Ohio State is never easy (but they get to host that game this year), but if you’re going to bet on this team, over is a far better play than the under with nine wins being the total. Nine or 10 should be the final number.
Regular Season Win Total Prediction: Over 9
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