A bold prediction for Michigan football season now 100 days out

It’s hard to believe but Michigan football is now 100 days away from opening the 2024 season. That first game on Aug. 31 against Fresno State will be the start of the Sherrone Moore era, as well as the beginning of the Wolverines national title defense.

The last time Michigan fooball was the defending national champs, things didn’t go well, at least to the start the season. The 1998 Wolverines, led by Tom Brady at quarterback, started 0-2. Yet, they rallied to win nine straight games and won a share of the Big Ten championship.

A loss to Ohio State cost the Wolverines a trip to the Rose Bowl, but it was still a successful season that finished 10-3. If Michigan played that season in an era of the 12-team playoff, there’s a good chance the Wolverines would have been selected.

That’s worth remembering because there are some similarities. That Michigan football team graduated Charles Woodson while this team lost J.J. McCarthy, Blake Corum, and Mike Sainristil, along with many other foundational pieces.

McCarthy might be the most difficult to replace but don’t discount Sainristil’s impact. Every time Michigan football needed a play — he made it. Not unlike Charles Woodson in his 1997 season.

One bold prediction for Michigan football in 2024

The good news for Michigan is that the cupboard isn’t bare. Far from it in fact as the Wolverines have four players who could be first-round picks, at a minimum. That doesn’t even include EA Sports College Fooball 25 cover athlete Donovan Edwards or a dude like Derrick Moore, who I believe has first-round potential.

Michigan football has a brutal schedule. In addition to Ohio State, the Wolverines will host Texas, another playoff team, and Oregon. There’s also a road-game rematch of the national championship game at Washington, as well as a trip to Columbus in November.

However, there’s a reason Michigan football is sixth in the ESPN SP+ rankings. The defense will be elite. The running game should be too and as long as the quarterback position can be above average, this should be a playoff team.

If Alex Orji turns into the next Jalen Milroe, then more championships are a possibility. Of course, that’s a huge hypothetical. But it’s not a crazy prediction to say Michigan football will be in the playoff hunt and for my money, the Wolverines will win 10 games and punch their ticket to the 12-team playoff.

It won’t be easy. But as long as Michigan wins 10 or even nine games, it should make the playoff and that would be a successful first season in my book for Sherrone Moore.

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