A New Chapter for the Wolverines
Michigan football has already rewritten expectations once, having captured a national championship just a few years ago, and the program is now looking to repeat that success under new leadership.
The Wolverines’ 2023 slate is among the most demanding in the nation, featuring marquee matchups against Indiana, Oregon, and Ohio State, all of which are projected as top playoff contenders.
Adding to the intrigue, the team opens the season against Oklahoma and later hosts Iowa, a schedule that ESPN’s analytics rank as the No. 16 toughest in the country.
While the Wolverines enjoy a favorable win probability in most contests, according to the Football Power Index, the committee will scrutinize any defeats against the so‑called Big Three, a group that has so far left Michigan winless.
A two‑loss record could still be enough if the losses are offset by victories over other ranked opponents, but the résumé would be weighed against teams that schedule softer opponents in the SEC.
Coach Kyle Whittingham inherits a young roster, and his ability to engineer strategic upsets will be pivotal in turning early skepticism into a credible playoff narrative.
The Numbers Behind the Optimism
ESPN’s Football Power Index gives Michigan a better than even chance of winning the majority of its games, yet the model flags the Big Three as the only matchups where a loss would dramatically reduce the team’s playoff odds.