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LGHL TTUN: Taking a stab at predicting Michigan’s record in 2024
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TTUN: Taking a stab at predicting Michigan’s record in 2024
Brett Ludwiczak via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Set Number: X164476 TK1
How will the Wolverines follow up their national championship season?
From now until preseason camp starts in August, Land-Grant Holy Land will be writing articles around a different theme every week. This week is all about Ohio State’s rivals. Michigan is the defending national champion, but there has been a lot of change in Ann Arbor. What does that mean for the season, the Big Ten, and the Buckeyes? You can catch up on all of the Theme Week content here and all of our ”That Team Up North” articles here.
The last three years have not been kind to Ohio State fans who love to see failures on the football field from Michigan. The Wolverines beat Ohio State the last three seasons, won the Big Ten in each of those years, and made three straight College Football Playoffs. Then after beating Alabama at the Rose Bowl on the first day of 2024, Michigan easily took care of business in the title game against Washington to give Jim Harbaugh a national championship before he returned to the NFL coaching ranks.
Despite earning the national title back in January, the last few months of 2024 might not be nearly as fun for Michigan. With Harbaugh now coaching the Los Angeles Chargers, Sherrone Moore is officially the head coach of the Wolverines. While Moore did find success during his time as acting head coach during two separate Harbaugh suspensions in 2023, this year is going to be different for Moore since he is officially the guy in Ann Arbor. Last season Harbaugh was cooking up the game plans and Moore was serving up the meals on Saturdays. Now this year Moore is the chef.
Harbaugh also took defensive coordinator Jesse Minter with him to Los Angeles, meaning Moore had to fill both offensive and defensive coordinator positions. To fill his spot as offensive coordinator, Moore promoted Kirk Campbell, who spent last season as the team’s quarterbacks coach. On the defensive side, replacing Minter will be Wink Martindale, who has bounced around the NFL since 2004. Moore has not announced who will be taking over for Connor Stalions as the team’s director of sign stealing.
As if all that wasn’t enough for Moore to have on his plate, he’ll also have to figure out who will be the team’s starting quarterback after J.J. McCarthy declared for the 2024 NFL Draft and was taken in the first round by the Minnesota Vikings. Alex Orji, Jack Tuttle, Davis Warren, Jayden Denegal, and Jadyn Davis are all in the mix to take the snaps for the maize and blue this year. No matter who starts for Michigan, opponents can expect a steady diet of handoffs to running back Donovan Edwards.
Unlike recent seasons, the non-conference schedule for the Wolverines isn’t a total cakewalk. Actually this season, Michigan has a more challenging schedule outside of the Big Ten than Ohio State, who normally tests themselves before conference play but couldn’t really put any interesting non-conference games on their schedule in 2024. Then again, with the CFP expanding to 12 teams this year, this is going to be a season unlike any other for everybody.
Since we still have around a month until the start of the season, why not try and predict how Michigan’s season is going to play out? These win/loss predictions are a stab in the dark because this season is going to provide so much that we have never seen before. At least this will be an interesting exercise to look back on at the end of the season.
The Bulldogs suffered a huge loss a few weeks ago when head coach Jeff Tedford announced he was stepping down due to health concerns, leaving Tim Skipper as the team’s interim head coach. Last year Fresno State actually went to West Lafayette and beat Purdue in their season opener, and will return starting quarterback Mikey Keene. Despite Michigan having a number of holes to fill on both sides of the football, they should be too much for the Bulldogs. WIN
The only other time these two prestigious programs have met was back in the 2005 Rose Bowl, where Vince Young led the Longhorns to a thrilling 38-37 victory. Texas won’t have Vince Young in this one, but they’ll have Quinn Ewers, who should get a pair of gold pants from Ohio State if he is able to lead the Longhorns to victory in Ann Arbor.
In all seriousness, Texas will enter this game as the more complete team. Steve Sarkisian has the Longhorns headed in the right direction, as evidenced by Texas earning a spot in last year’s College Football Playoff before losing to Washington in the semifinal. The Wolverines will give a spirited effort in this one, it’s just the questions at quarterback and some of the departures on the defensive side of the football are going to be too much to overcome. LOSS
Do you really think Butch Jones and the Red Wolves are leaving Michigan with a victory? If so, I have some bridges to sell you. This will look a lot like 2022 when Arkansas State lost 45-12 to Ohio State in Columbus. WIN
Welcome to the Big Ten, USC. This will mark the first conference game for the Trojans, and they’ll have a little extra time to prepare for Michigan since they’ll be coming off a bye after starting the season with games against LSU and Utah State. I’m just not sure the week off is going to matter much since it’s not going to fix their defense, which was decimated by defensive coordinator Alex Grinch before he was fired last season.
Quarterback Miller Moss could put up some big numbers for the Trojans this year in Lincoln Riley’s offense. The problem for USC is they just aren’t as tough or as sound as Michigan. I look at the Trojans as the third-best of the four new Big Ten teams this year. This feels like a game where Edwards wears down the USC defense in the second half, much like he did to Ohio State two years ago in Columbus. WIN
Since 1986, Minnesota has only beaten Michigan twice in the 29 battles for the Little Brown Jug. P.J. Fleck hasn’t done anything to make me think he is going to snap a four-game losing streak against the Wolverines. Even if this contest was in Minneapolis I’d still be taking Michigan since they are undoubtedly the better team. Fleck needs more than a boat to row, he is going to need an armada. WIN
A week before Ohio State heads out to Oregon, Michigan will hit the road for the first time in 2024, traveling to Seattle for a title game rematch with Washington. There are tons of similarities between these teams since they’ll both be replacing their head coach, searching for a new quarterback, and trying to replace a number of key starters on both sides of the football.
Not only is Seattle a tough place to play, but the Huskies have landed some talented transfers, which include Mississippi State quarterback Will Rogers and Arizona running back Jonah Coleman. The Wolverines are likely a little better team, I’m just not convinced they can handle a long trip out west in a tough environment in their first road game of the season. Michigan drops a close one. LOSS
Even though they’ll be coming off a predicted loss, at least the Wolverines will have a bye week before hitting the road again, this time for a shorter trip to Champaign to take on Bret Bielema’s Fighting Illini. There’s no questioning that Bielema has done a great job since taking over as head coach of Illinois, the problem is his team doesn’t have the depth or talent that Michigan does. The Fighting Illini will provide some resistance before the Wolverines pull away a little in the second half. WIN
Even though this is a rivalry game, it doesn’t feel like it’ll be close. Michigan has won the last two meetings between the in-state foes by a combined score of 78-7. Sparty made a strong coaching hire by bringing in Jonathan Smith from Oregon State, it’s just the problem for Smith is Mel Tucker left the program in shambles and it is going to take some time to rebuild. While Michigan State has been able to pull some upsets of Michigan, this doesn’t feel like one of those years. WIN
The last time Oregon visited Michigan Stadium the Ducks trounced the Wolverines 39-7. Now I’m not saying Oregon is going to win this one by 32 points, but they are going to head back to Eugene with a victory. The Oregon offense is too explosive for a strong Michigan defense to contain, while Dan Lanning is assembling a defense that has a nasty streak. The Ducks show why they are seen as one of the favorites to not only make the College Football Playoff but win it all. LOSS
I know Curt Cignetti is a helluva football coach and Indiana made one of the best hires of the coaching carousel when they brought him to replace Tom Allen. While I have a ton of respect for Cignetti, that doesn’t mean I think he is going to upset Michigan in his first year in Bloomington. Ohio transfer quarterback Kurtis Rourke and the Hoosiers are going to have to play the game of their lives if they want to shock the Wolverines. WIN
Normally you could make a case for Michigan looking ahead to Ohio State in this spot. That likely won’t be the case this year since the Wolverines will come into this game off a bye week. Moore will have his team rested and ready to take care of business before turning their attention to the Buckeyes. David Braun has been a nice story for Northwestern after taking over for Pat Fitzgerald, but the Wildcats aren’t at the level of Michigan when it comes to depth and talent. WIN
Of course, being an Ohio State homer blog, it should be obvious what direction I’m leading with this. There is good reasoning for picking the Buckeyes to win, though. Michigan will be rebuilding a little bit after their national championship season, while Ohio State is putting everything into this year. Ryan Day knows he is in big trouble if he loses a fourth straight game to TTUN.
What will be interesting to see is if positioning for the College Football Playoff plays into the strategy for either team in this game. What if it looks like they are going to meet in the Big Ten Championship Game the following week? This is the new landscape of college football with an expanded playoff, which makes this year and next season so fascinating to watch because there is a lot more trial and error as teams adjust to the playoff being 12 teams.
Unlike Michigan’s revenge tour a few years ago, the Buckeyes do get their revenge on the Wolverines for the last three years. So many key players on defense came back to beat Michigan, while the Ohio State offense should be one of the best in the country with their collection of top-quality skill position players. LOSS
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Brett Ludwiczak via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Set Number: X164476 TK1
How will the Wolverines follow up their national championship season?
From now until preseason camp starts in August, Land-Grant Holy Land will be writing articles around a different theme every week. This week is all about Ohio State’s rivals. Michigan is the defending national champion, but there has been a lot of change in Ann Arbor. What does that mean for the season, the Big Ten, and the Buckeyes? You can catch up on all of the Theme Week content here and all of our ”That Team Up North” articles here.
The last three years have not been kind to Ohio State fans who love to see failures on the football field from Michigan. The Wolverines beat Ohio State the last three seasons, won the Big Ten in each of those years, and made three straight College Football Playoffs. Then after beating Alabama at the Rose Bowl on the first day of 2024, Michigan easily took care of business in the title game against Washington to give Jim Harbaugh a national championship before he returned to the NFL coaching ranks.
Despite earning the national title back in January, the last few months of 2024 might not be nearly as fun for Michigan. With Harbaugh now coaching the Los Angeles Chargers, Sherrone Moore is officially the head coach of the Wolverines. While Moore did find success during his time as acting head coach during two separate Harbaugh suspensions in 2023, this year is going to be different for Moore since he is officially the guy in Ann Arbor. Last season Harbaugh was cooking up the game plans and Moore was serving up the meals on Saturdays. Now this year Moore is the chef.
Harbaugh also took defensive coordinator Jesse Minter with him to Los Angeles, meaning Moore had to fill both offensive and defensive coordinator positions. To fill his spot as offensive coordinator, Moore promoted Kirk Campbell, who spent last season as the team’s quarterbacks coach. On the defensive side, replacing Minter will be Wink Martindale, who has bounced around the NFL since 2004. Moore has not announced who will be taking over for Connor Stalions as the team’s director of sign stealing.
As if all that wasn’t enough for Moore to have on his plate, he’ll also have to figure out who will be the team’s starting quarterback after J.J. McCarthy declared for the 2024 NFL Draft and was taken in the first round by the Minnesota Vikings. Alex Orji, Jack Tuttle, Davis Warren, Jayden Denegal, and Jadyn Davis are all in the mix to take the snaps for the maize and blue this year. No matter who starts for Michigan, opponents can expect a steady diet of handoffs to running back Donovan Edwards.
Unlike recent seasons, the non-conference schedule for the Wolverines isn’t a total cakewalk. Actually this season, Michigan has a more challenging schedule outside of the Big Ten than Ohio State, who normally tests themselves before conference play but couldn’t really put any interesting non-conference games on their schedule in 2024. Then again, with the CFP expanding to 12 teams this year, this is going to be a season unlike any other for everybody.
Since we still have around a month until the start of the season, why not try and predict how Michigan’s season is going to play out? These win/loss predictions are a stab in the dark because this season is going to provide so much that we have never seen before. At least this will be an interesting exercise to look back on at the end of the season.
Aug. 29 - Fresno State
The Bulldogs suffered a huge loss a few weeks ago when head coach Jeff Tedford announced he was stepping down due to health concerns, leaving Tim Skipper as the team’s interim head coach. Last year Fresno State actually went to West Lafayette and beat Purdue in their season opener, and will return starting quarterback Mikey Keene. Despite Michigan having a number of holes to fill on both sides of the football, they should be too much for the Bulldogs. WIN
Sept. 7 - Texas
The only other time these two prestigious programs have met was back in the 2005 Rose Bowl, where Vince Young led the Longhorns to a thrilling 38-37 victory. Texas won’t have Vince Young in this one, but they’ll have Quinn Ewers, who should get a pair of gold pants from Ohio State if he is able to lead the Longhorns to victory in Ann Arbor.
In all seriousness, Texas will enter this game as the more complete team. Steve Sarkisian has the Longhorns headed in the right direction, as evidenced by Texas earning a spot in last year’s College Football Playoff before losing to Washington in the semifinal. The Wolverines will give a spirited effort in this one, it’s just the questions at quarterback and some of the departures on the defensive side of the football are going to be too much to overcome. LOSS
Sept. 14 - Arkansas State
Do you really think Butch Jones and the Red Wolves are leaving Michigan with a victory? If so, I have some bridges to sell you. This will look a lot like 2022 when Arkansas State lost 45-12 to Ohio State in Columbus. WIN
Sept. 21 - USC
Welcome to the Big Ten, USC. This will mark the first conference game for the Trojans, and they’ll have a little extra time to prepare for Michigan since they’ll be coming off a bye after starting the season with games against LSU and Utah State. I’m just not sure the week off is going to matter much since it’s not going to fix their defense, which was decimated by defensive coordinator Alex Grinch before he was fired last season.
Quarterback Miller Moss could put up some big numbers for the Trojans this year in Lincoln Riley’s offense. The problem for USC is they just aren’t as tough or as sound as Michigan. I look at the Trojans as the third-best of the four new Big Ten teams this year. This feels like a game where Edwards wears down the USC defense in the second half, much like he did to Ohio State two years ago in Columbus. WIN
Sept. 28 - Minnesota
Since 1986, Minnesota has only beaten Michigan twice in the 29 battles for the Little Brown Jug. P.J. Fleck hasn’t done anything to make me think he is going to snap a four-game losing streak against the Wolverines. Even if this contest was in Minneapolis I’d still be taking Michigan since they are undoubtedly the better team. Fleck needs more than a boat to row, he is going to need an armada. WIN
Oct. 5 - at Washington
A week before Ohio State heads out to Oregon, Michigan will hit the road for the first time in 2024, traveling to Seattle for a title game rematch with Washington. There are tons of similarities between these teams since they’ll both be replacing their head coach, searching for a new quarterback, and trying to replace a number of key starters on both sides of the football.
Not only is Seattle a tough place to play, but the Huskies have landed some talented transfers, which include Mississippi State quarterback Will Rogers and Arizona running back Jonah Coleman. The Wolverines are likely a little better team, I’m just not convinced they can handle a long trip out west in a tough environment in their first road game of the season. Michigan drops a close one. LOSS
Oct. 19 - at Illinois
Even though they’ll be coming off a predicted loss, at least the Wolverines will have a bye week before hitting the road again, this time for a shorter trip to Champaign to take on Bret Bielema’s Fighting Illini. There’s no questioning that Bielema has done a great job since taking over as head coach of Illinois, the problem is his team doesn’t have the depth or talent that Michigan does. The Fighting Illini will provide some resistance before the Wolverines pull away a little in the second half. WIN
Oct. 26 - Michigan State
Even though this is a rivalry game, it doesn’t feel like it’ll be close. Michigan has won the last two meetings between the in-state foes by a combined score of 78-7. Sparty made a strong coaching hire by bringing in Jonathan Smith from Oregon State, it’s just the problem for Smith is Mel Tucker left the program in shambles and it is going to take some time to rebuild. While Michigan State has been able to pull some upsets of Michigan, this doesn’t feel like one of those years. WIN
Nov. 2 - Oregon
The last time Oregon visited Michigan Stadium the Ducks trounced the Wolverines 39-7. Now I’m not saying Oregon is going to win this one by 32 points, but they are going to head back to Eugene with a victory. The Oregon offense is too explosive for a strong Michigan defense to contain, while Dan Lanning is assembling a defense that has a nasty streak. The Ducks show why they are seen as one of the favorites to not only make the College Football Playoff but win it all. LOSS
Nov. 9 - at Indiana
I know Curt Cignetti is a helluva football coach and Indiana made one of the best hires of the coaching carousel when they brought him to replace Tom Allen. While I have a ton of respect for Cignetti, that doesn’t mean I think he is going to upset Michigan in his first year in Bloomington. Ohio transfer quarterback Kurtis Rourke and the Hoosiers are going to have to play the game of their lives if they want to shock the Wolverines. WIN
Nov. 23 - Northwestern
Normally you could make a case for Michigan looking ahead to Ohio State in this spot. That likely won’t be the case this year since the Wolverines will come into this game off a bye week. Moore will have his team rested and ready to take care of business before turning their attention to the Buckeyes. David Braun has been a nice story for Northwestern after taking over for Pat Fitzgerald, but the Wildcats aren’t at the level of Michigan when it comes to depth and talent. WIN
Nov. 30 - at Ohio State
Of course, being an Ohio State homer blog, it should be obvious what direction I’m leading with this. There is good reasoning for picking the Buckeyes to win, though. Michigan will be rebuilding a little bit after their national championship season, while Ohio State is putting everything into this year. Ryan Day knows he is in big trouble if he loses a fourth straight game to TTUN.
What will be interesting to see is if positioning for the College Football Playoff plays into the strategy for either team in this game. What if it looks like they are going to meet in the Big Ten Championship Game the following week? This is the new landscape of college football with an expanded playoff, which makes this year and next season so fascinating to watch because there is a lot more trial and error as teams adjust to the playoff being 12 teams.
Unlike Michigan’s revenge tour a few years ago, the Buckeyes do get their revenge on the Wolverines for the last three years. So many key players on defense came back to beat Michigan, while the Ohio State offense should be one of the best in the country with their collection of top-quality skill position players. LOSS
Predicted regular season record for Michigan: 8-4
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