College football is just around the corner! In just a few weeks, the Michigan Wolverines will take on Fresno State under the lights of the Big House, ushering in a new era of football in Ann Arbor.
Of course, there’s still a lot to figure out between now and then, but let’s have some fun today by going game by game and predicting how Sherrone Moore’s first regular season as head coach will turn out.
Week 1: Fresno State
The Wolverines will be a little rusty coming out of the gates. Some will say it’s a hangover from the national championship, others believe it’s because all the new players on the team need more time to settle in. Ultimately, Michigan is getting the job done and starting the season off on the right foot.
Result: Michigan wins, 35-17 (1-0)
Week 2: Texas
This is arguably the biggest matchup of the first half of the entire college football season, and it won’t disappoint fans of the sport. It will live up to the hype, as neither team will lead by more than a touchdown the entire game. But at the end of the day, the Longhorns will win on a last-second field goal and stun the maize and blue fans, marking Michigan’s first regular-season loss since 2021.
Result: Texas wins, 27-24 (1-1)
Week 3: Arkansas State
Michigan is back on track after losing to Texas and easily beats Arkansas State at home. It shouldn’t be that close, with a four-touchdown lead likely at halftime.
Result: Michigan wins, 42-10 (2-1)
Week 4: USC
The Trojans enter the Big Ten breaking in a new defensive coordinator after ranking 116th in total defense (432.8 yards per game) in 2023. It will take some time for USC to adjust to the Big Ten, so I think the Wolverines open the conference season with a win.
Result: Michigan wins, 31-21 (3-1)
Week 5: Minnesota
PJ Fleck will row his boat right into the Big House and put up a tougher fight than some expect. The Gophers have eight returning starters on a defense that has steadily improved over the past few years. The Wolverines get the win and keep the Little Brown Jug, but it’s a closer game than most fans would hope.
Result: Michigan wins, 28-17 (4-1)
Week 6: @ Washington
Michigan’s first road game of the season is in early October, it’s a rematch for the national championship, and even though Washington usually has a loud crowd, Michigan should be able to win this game pretty easily. Washington – like Michigan – has lost a lot, but the Huskies didn’t have the depth the Wolverines had last season. New head coach Jedd Fisch could make UW a formidable opponent, but I don’t think that will happen in 2024.
Result: Michigan wins, 34-20 (5-1)
Week 7: Bye
Week 8: @ Illinois
The Wolverines are well rested heading into their matchup with Illinois, a team that gave them trouble in their last game of 2022. This is a whole different story, though, and Michigan will easily win this game in a lower-scoring matchup. In my opinion, Bret Bielema’s spot will get a little hotter after this fall.
Result: Michigan wins, 30-13 (6-1)
Week 9: Michigan State
Jonathan Smith has the Spartans on a winning path, and they could be impressive in the years to come. But that won’t be the case in 2024 – the Wolverines will “welcome” MSU to the Big House and kick their butts for the third year in a row.
Result: Michigan wins, 45-14 (7-1)
Week 10: Oregon
Heisman candidate Dillon Gabriel is expected to lead the Ducks to the Big Ten Championship Game in their first year in the conference. They have the talent and the coaching to do it, so this will be a really tough matchup for Michigan. Although the defense is stingy enough for the team to keep up, the Ducks leave the Big House and head west with a big win.
Result: Oregon wins, 30-24 (7-2)
Week 11: @ Indiana
The Wolverines have lost to the Hoosiers once in my lifetime (2020) and I don’t expect that number to go up this year. Curt Cignetti is an incredible personality — check him out at Big Ten Media Day for GOLD content — but Indiana is such a difficult place to win. I don’t see the Hoosiers having much success this fall.
Result: Michigan wins, 34-10 (8-2)
Week 12: Bye
Week 13: Northwest
The week leading up to the game is always a worry for me personally. It’s the most treacherous of treacherous games, and Northwestern, under new full-time head coach David Braun, will have his guys ready to pull off a surprise at the Big House. While the Wildcats can still hang in there for a while, Michigan puts them to sleep with a two-touchdown fourth quarter.
Result: Michigan wins, 31-17 (9-2)
Week 14: @ Ohio State
With a reported budget of $20 million, the Buckeyes have poached two great players from their respective schools: safety Caleb Downs (Alabama) and running back Quinshon Judkins (Ole Miss). However, they have failed to properly fill the most important position in all of sports: quarterback. Will Howard is not the answer Ohio State is looking for after Ryan Day ran Kyle McCord out of town, and that will prove itself in this game. The Wolverines intercept Howard twice and force a fumble on him, giving Columbus its fourth straight win in the rivalry while Denzel Burke and Co. don’t have a single pair of gold pants in their college careers.
Result: Michigan wins, 27-24 (10-2)
How do you think the regular season will unfold? Let us know in the comments below!
