Two games that will define Michigan football in 2023

Now that we know Jim Harbaugh is staying put as the head coach of Michigan football, we can start to turn our attention to the future. Right now, the Wolverines are coming off of back-to-back Big Ten Championships and top-3 finishes, and in 2023, we could see the best Michigan team Jim Harbaugh has ever assembled.

Returning starters make Michigan football dangerous in 2023

Right now, the Wolverines are looking like a force on both sides of the ball. As far as we know, Michigan football will retain its entire coaching staff, including the most important coaches: head coach, offensive coordinator(s), and defensive coordinator. On top of that, U-M returns its starting quarterback — rising junior JJ McCarthy — much of its receiving corps, its elite running back duo, much of its top-ranked offensive line, and more.

With nearly all of Michigan’s draft eligible players staying put, not to mention its incredible transfer class, the Wolverines are in great shape to make a run at a National Championship in 2023.

Michigan has an elite transfer class

As many Michigan football fans know by now, the Wolverines have a stacked transfer class on its way into Ann Arbor this fall. Michigan has pulled seven players from the portal in 2022-23 — six have Power Five experience, and all but two are 247 Sports 4-star transfers.

A month or so ago, Michigan’s class was rated No. 1 overall in the nation; however, since the season ended and other player-needy teams (such as LSU and Colorado) have picked up on the transfer trail, the Wolverines’ class is down to No. 9 nationally. That being said, its seven players are all still committed and ready to make an impact this season.

Michigan’s class includes three offensive linemen, a quarterback, a tight end, a linebacker, and a defensive end; these players should all fit in nicely with Jim Harbaugh’s football ideology.

Two games that will define Michigan football this year

Right now, Michigan football seems to have a clear-cut path to a third-straight Big Ten Championship. The Wolverines’ non-conference schedule is pretty easy, and Michigan’s only true road test is at Penn State in mid-November. Additionally, Michigan gets Ohio State in the Big House to end the season.

Here is Michigan’s 2023 slate:

• 9/2, East Carolina
• 9/9, UNLV
• 9/16, Bowling Green
• 9/23, Rutgers
• 9/30, at Nebraska
• 10/7, at Minnesota
• 10/14, at Indiana
• 10/21, at Michigan State
• 11/4, Purdue
• 11/11, at Penn State
• 11/18, at Maryland
• 11/25, Ohio State

While there could be another team or two that sneaks into the top-25, I suspect that the only preseason ranked teams that Michigan football will face are Penn State and Ohio State; in fact, those two games will define the Big Ten football season in 2023.

Penn State is coming off of an 11-2 Rose Bowl-winning season in 2022; however, in mid-October that same Penn State team got routed by Michigan, 41-17. Still, the Nittany Lions are incredibly young, and so far have used the portal well to reload from last season. If Michigan loses a game this fall, I wouldn’t be surprised if it was at one of the toughest places to win a football game: Beaver Stadium in State College, PA.

Since Lloyd Carr retired, Michigan football was two wins at Beaver Stadium: 2015 and 2021. Both of those Michigan teams went on to finish in the top-11, meanwhile, both of those Penn State teams finished 7-6 and unranked.

Additionally, per usual, Michigan will face off against Ohio State in the final game of the year; also known as ‘The Game.’ This one doesn’t need too much analysis; as we all know, Michigan vs. Ohio State will likely be the game that decides who wins the Big Ten and heads to the College Football Playoff.

If the Wolverines can escape these two games with a 2-0 record, I see another 12-0 season and Big Ten Championship — if not more — on its way to Ann Arbor.

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