Two third place finishes and a fourth. That’s all Jim Harbaugh has been able to muster in the Big Ten East since joining the Michigan Wolverines in 2015. However, this team seems different.
Unfortunately, this uber-talented squad will have arguably the toughest schedule in the nation which features road games against rivals Michigan State, Notre Dame and Ohio State and also battles with Northwestern away from home, Wisconsin and Penn State in Ann Arbor. To say there are eight “sure-wins” on the schedule would be a blatant lie.
Michigan does have the talent to overcome the brutal schedule and, believe it or not, Harbaugh is still an elite head coach.
The defense, led by Don Brown, will be scary again and it’ll likely finish the season ranked No. 1 in the Big Ten in most categories. Eight starters return, the defensive backfield is crazy-good, the defensive line is loaded and the linebackers boast two potential All-Americans.
The question mark is geared more toward the offense. Will Ole Miss transfer Shea Patterson solve the Wolverines’ offensive woes? It’s possible, but the offensive line must improve from a horrid 2017.
Tarik Black and Donovan Peoples-Jones can be a deadly wide receiver duo and Karan Higdon and Chris Evans are a strong backfield pair.