Michigan starts 11-0
Michigan hasn’t started 11-0 since 2006, when it took down every team on its way to Columbus for the infamous No. 1 vs. No. 2 matchup.
We think history can repeat itself on that front.
Starting the season on the road at Washington is admittedly tough, but with all of the new things the Huskies have to endure — a new head coach, a new quarterback — Michigan should enter this game with more talent and more experience where it counts. If the Wolverines can survive in Seattle, they have a couple weeks to regroup before hosting Wisconsin and Penn State at home in back-to-back weeks. But Michigan hasn’t lost to either at home in the Jim Harbaugh era, and we like the maize and blue’s chances.
Playing at Minnesota poses a big challenge, and who knows what MSU will be with Mel Tucker leading the charge, but Michigan should be more talented and deeper than every team on its schedule not named Ohio State.
Should the offense look improved upon last year — which it should, in Josh Gattis’ second-year — and the defense get back to its capability, the Wolverines should be in every game. We can’t (won’t) predict that they’ll beat Ohio State until we’ve actually seen them do it, but there’s no reason to think that the maize and blue can’t overmatch most teams they face, even on bad days.