College football week 1: 5 bold predictions sure to come true

4. Michigan routs Notre Dame

As is often the case to start a new college football season, there are marquee matchups throughout the country that everyone will want to tune into. However, the most intriguing of the bunch is surely the Michigan Wolverines heading to South Bend for a date to renew an age-old rivalry with the Notre Dame Fighting Irish. With the teams being ranked 14th and 12th, respectively, entering the year, there are high hopes that we’re going to see a wonderful matchup between two quality teams.

However, I don’t think that’s how things will play out. We’ve been waiting for three seasons now for head coach Jim Harbaugh to elevate Michigan to the heights where they once were, namely contending for national titles. He’s not been able to get that done to this point, though. But with new quarterback Shea Patterson massively upgrading the quarterback position, this is the year where the excuses run out and their potential is the highest it’s ever been.

There are questions about this Notre Dame team, particularly on offense. Even though they return Brandon Wimbush, there are big changes on the offensive line in addition to at virtually every starting skill position. And putting that up against a stout Wolverines defense could be a baptism by fire in the worst way to start the season.

When you then pair that with a Michigan offense that, even with Notre Dame’s defense being an elite group, should be majorly improved, I think the recipe is there for the Wolverines to not just pull out a big win to start the year, but to do so by a wide margin.