At long last, college football is back! Michigan kicks off its 2026 football season tomorrow at 7:30pm ET on NBC against Western Michigan. With a new coaching staff led by Kyle Whittingham and plenty of new and returning talent, optimism is high around the program. The schedule, however, is one of the most difficult in the nation, with the Wolverines set to face six preseason top-25 teams and four of the top 10. If you missed it, I previewed what to expect from both the offense and defense earlier in the week; now it’s time for some predictions!
1. Michigan leads the Big Ten in rushing yards
Everything is in place for the Wolverines to be elite at running the football this season. Jordan Marshall ran for just shy of 1,000 yards while splitting carries with Justice Haynes and missing time last year. Freshman Savion Hiter was a five-star recruit and the number one running back in the country. Bryce Underwood flashed as a runner last season, even with poor utilization of his skillset. Most importantly, new offensive coordinator Jason Beck knows how to maximize the running game. Utah ranked second in the nation with 266.3 yards per game on the ground last season. With a strong offensive line to lead the way, Michigan is going to dominate on the ground.
2. John Henry Daley leads an elite pass rush unit
Michigan has a tradition of reloading an elite pass rush year after year. All-American John Henry Daley joins a unit with great upside. Coaches and players have raved about Dominic Nichols throughout fall camp. Kyle Whittingham called sophomore Nate Marshall “one of the best pass rushers on the team, if not the best pure pass rusher.” Veteran Cameron Brandt is in the mix as well. Oh, and don’t forget about five-star freshman Carter Meadows either. Michigan is loaded with edge rushers who can flat-out get to the quarterback. I expect this unit to wreak constant havoc and establish itself as one of the best in the country.
3. Nobody breaks out at tight end for the second season in a row
Injuries ravaged the tight end room in 2025. Marlin Klein, now with the Houston Texans, led the way with 24 catches for 248 yards. Of the returnees, Zach Marshall made the most impact with 199 yards on 16 receptions. Marshall, Hogan Hansen, and Deakon Tonielli are multi-year veterans of the program now. With the influx of talent at wide receiver, the tight ends likely won’t be expected to be major producers in the passing game. There is talent, but health concerns and a lack of a clear number one option lead me to think it will be tight end by committee once again.
4. The offensive line is a finalist for the Joe Moore Award
The new coaching staff did an excellent job retaining talent from the 2025 roster, and arguably no position did a better job than the offensive line. Center Jake Guarnera is an All-American candidate. He and right tackle Andrew Sprague initially entered the transfer portal but elected to return to Ann Arbor. At tackle, the aforementioned Sprague is a returning starter, as is Blake Frazier on the left side. Both are high-upside players that should benefit immensely from new offensive line coach Jim Harding’s presence.
The strengths of the starting guards Evan Link and Nathan Efobi are more in question, but both have the physical tools to be quality starters. Former five-star tackle Andrew Babalola is still dealing with injuries, but might be the best lineman on the roster once fully healthy. The offensive line is an experienced group and is in line for a jump in 2026 to among the best in the country.
5. Bryce Underwood shows significant improvement as a passer as the season goes on
Bryce Underwood’s struggles as a passer in 2025 are well-documented. Poor footwork, decision-making, and timing resulted in a disappointing freshman season for the former number one overall recruit. To be fair to Underwood, he was not exactly put in the best situation to succeed. The coaching staff turned out to be a dysfunctional mess; he did not even have a dedicated QB coach, the offensive line was inconsistent in pass protection, and the wide receivers struggled with drops.
The 2026 offense is a complete 180 from a year ago. An infusion of talent at wide receiver and a better line will give Underwood the weapons he needs to succeed, as will Jason Beck’s offensive system. Koy Detmer Jr. is a well-regarded QB coach, and all rumblings out of fall camp suggest that Underwood is making real strides. Beck will use Underwood’s skills as a runner much more effectively than a year ago as well. He has all of the physical talent in the world to succeed, and I believe that shows through in 2026.
6. Depth concerns at linebacker and corner cost the defense
The top of the depth chart at corner is among the best in the Big Ten. Jyaire Hill, Smith Snowden, and Zeke Berry are experienced starters with NFL talent. Sophomore Shamari Earls is a breakout star in-waiting. Beyond that, there is a grand total of two defensive tackles between the rest of the corners on the roster. If healthy, cornerback is a strength, but one or two injuries would be cause for major concern.
Linebacker is the biggest question mark on the defense. The top three linebackers from a season ago are gone. Nathaniel Staehling, the North Dakota State transfer, brings plenty of experience from the FCS level. Troy Bowles is the top returnee from 2025, when he was LB4 on the depth chart. Chase Taylor and Nate Owusu-Boateng are talented, but unproven. Jay Hill needs a couple of guys to emerge as trustworthy starters, but who that will be remains a major question mark.
7. Michigan gets its best production from wide receivers in years, but none reach 1,000 yards
It’s no secret that wide receiver has been a weakness in Ann Arbor for years. The new coaching staff came in and immediately revamped the room behind standout Andrew Marsh. In came three highly-regarded transfers in JJ Buchanan, Salesi Moa, and Jamie Ffrench, as well as four-star freshman Travis Johnson. Andrew Marsh broke out from October onward a season ago, finishing with 651 yards on 45 receptions.
Channing Goodwin earned the third receiver spot out of camp, a surprise given the new talent at receiver and his quiet campaign last year. The battle for playing time behind Marsh and Buchanan certainly won’t be settled after week one. Regardless of who wins out for targets, it is clear the talent at depth at wide receiver is better than it has been in years. With a lot of mouths to feed, nobody will reach 1,000 yards, but the overall production will be much improved.
8. Predicting Michigan’s statistical leaders
Passing: Bryce Underwood (duh!)
Rushing: Jordan Marshall
Receiving: Andrew Marsh
Sacks: John Henry Daley
Interceptions: Smith Snowden
Best freshman: Savion Hiter
Breakout player on offense: Bryce Underwood
Breakout player on defense: Nate Marshall
Team MVP: Bryce Underwood
9. Michigan finishes the regular season with a 9-3 record
Michigan has the talent to contend with anyone. The schedule is brutal; Oregon, Indiana, and Ohio State project to be the best three teams in the Big 10 and Michigan gets two of them on the road in its final three games. Add in a week two nonconference showdown against Oklahoma, and that is four games against preseason top-10 teams. Penn State (#18) and Iowa (#22) are not pushovers either.
A new coaching staff always raises questions about performance in year one. Installing a new offense and defense and talent gelling together takes time, a luxury Michigan doesn’t have given the schedule. If that process goes smoothly (and quickly), the 2026 Wolverines have the talent to contend for the Big 10 title. More likely, however, they are a season away from being at the top. For 2026, I predict they beat one of Oklahoma or Indiana at home and fall on the road in Eugene and Columbus to finish 9-3. More than respectable in year one of Kyle Whittingham.
10. A 9-3 team makes the College Football Playoff for the first time, and Michigan has the best case
Since the College Football Playoff expanded to 12 teams in 2024, 10-2 has been the cutoff to make the field as an at-large. At some point, that is due to change. Scheduling disparities in the mega conference era are at an all-time high. Look at Penn State as an example. The Nittany Lions do not play Oregon, OSU, or Indiana and do not play a Power Four team in the nonconference. Is a 10-2 Penn State, with a much weaker schedule, more deserving of a playoff spot than a 9-3 Michigan that faced one of the most difficult roads in the country? I would argue no.
This hypothetical extends beyond Michigan’s schedule. Oklahoma plays a brutal slate as well, which puts the winner of the week two clash at Michigan Stadium on the path to the CFP. I believe 2026 is the year a 9-3 team makes the expanded playoff for the first time, and 9-3 Michigan becomes that team.
Photo via MGoBlog
