3 major trends that Michigan football could break in 2023

Throughout the past two Michigan football seasons, the Wolverines have seen quite a bit of success. Michigan has won two-straight Big Ten titles, made the College Football Playoff twice, and has claimed two-straight victories over the Ohio State Buckeyes.

For the first time since the mid-1940s, Michigan football has finished top-3 in back-to-back years, and the only things that have evaded the Wolverines have been postseason accomplishments such as a Playoff win and a National title. While Michigan’s success has been excellent, things can always get better — here are three trends that the Wolverines could break in 2023.

3. Michigan football could win third-straight Big Ten title

Five head coaches have passed through Ann Arbor since the Wolverines last won three-straight Big Ten Championships. In fact, Michigan football lays claim to a National title (1997) more recently than it has three-peated as Big Ten Champs.

The last head coach to win three-straight Big Ten titles was Gary Moeller in 1990-92 during his short stint as the Wolverines’ head coach. Jim Harbaugh could become the sixth coach in Michigan football history to win three-straight conference titles this fall.

It will not be easy — Penn State, Ohio State, Michigan State, and the Big Ten West Champion stand in Michigan’s way — but it can be done.

2. Wolverines could end postseason drought

Since Jim Harbaugh arrived in Ann Arbor, the Wolverines have had a glaring issue on their hands: the inability to win postseason games. Since taking down No. 19 Florida in the 2016 Citrus Bowl (41-7), Michigan football remains winless in bowl games. As funny as it may seem, Jim Harbaugh and his Wolverines have more Big Ten Championships (2) than bowl wins (1) over the past ten years.

Aside from Brady Hoke’s 2012 Sugar Bowl win and Jim Harbaugh’s 2016 Citrus Bowl win, the Wolverines have not won a bowl game since Lloyd Carr’s final season as head coach in 2007.

An even bigger issue is that the Wolverines have now lost back-to-back College Football Playoff games, most recently, a 51-45 loss in the Fiesta Bowl to TCU. Michigan looks unprepared come bowl season, which needs to change this year.

1. Michigan football could win National title

An accomplishment that is more important than any other in college football is the National Championship. The last time a National title was brought home to Ann Arbor was when Lloyd Carr’s Wolverines accomplished the feat in 1997 — led by Heisman winner Charles Woodson, Michigan football finished the regular season 11-0 before defeating Washington State in the Rose Bowl to improve to 12-0 and win the AP championship.

Since then, Michigan football has been close yet unable to bring home another title. Last week, Michigan rising senior running back Blake Corum predicted that the Wolverines will break this drought in 2023-24 and bring home the program’s first National title in over 25 years. Only time will tell, though Michigan’s chances are looking good at this point in the offseason.

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