5 early bold predictions for Michigan football in 2022

2. Michigan will get its Sparty revenge but will have problems in The Horseshoe

The good news is Michigan will bring back the Paul Bunyan Trophy to Ann Arbor for the first time in three years. Mel Tucker may have a great program in East Lansing, but too bad Kenneth Walker III does not play for Sparty anymore. This one will be close, but Michigan should come out on top, despite not taking care of business in the early part of their rivalry game following its bye week.

Conversely, there is next to no way the Wolverines are beating Ohio State in back-to-back years, especially with this game being in The Horseshoe. Ryan Day’s team will be out for blood with national championship aspirations on the line. Michigan could be thinking playoff as well, possibly as an undefeated team heading into this game. However, C.J. Stroud might win the Heisman here.

Once again, this game between the Wolverines and Buckeyes will decide who gets to Indianapolis.

1. Another double-digit win season and a New Year’s Six bowl game for Michigan

Not to say this is the new standard for Michigan football, but the Wolverines need to go 9-3 annually under Harbaugh, contend for Big Ten championships and get the benefit of the doubt to make a New Year’s Six bowl. Some years they will have a team that can beat Ohio State, but in those others, Michigan needs to rattle off about six conference wins to keep all the haters at bay.

In terms of a record prediction, Michigan is more likely to go 10-2 than 11-1. Assuming a loss to Ohio State, Michigan will need to take two of three between Iowa, Michigan State and Penn State. Should they beat Sparty, it comes down to those two other games in question. They win both, maybe they make the playoff? If they drop one, then Michigan is probably going to the Rose Bowl.

10.5 regular-season wins feels like the right number to wager on if you are into that sort of thing.

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