There is no doubt Michigan football is one of the hottest college football programs in the country. The Wolverines have won back-to-back Big Ten championships and have made two straight College Football Playoff appearances.
A few short years ago people were calling for Jim Harbaugh to lose his job after going 2-4 in 2020 and going winless against Ohio State in the five years he had been the head man. But the chips fell the right way in 2021 and 2022 and Harbaugh led the maize and blue to dominating wins against the Buckeyes.
While Michigan made it to the playoffs twice in a row, the Wolverines fell flat on their faces in the semifinals both years. The maize and blue absorbed a thumping by Georgia in 2021 and had too many miscues against TCU to recover last season.
So what does Michigan need to do in 2023 to get over the playoff hump? “College Football GameDay” host and college football analyst Kirk Herbstreit talked with On3’s J.D. PicKell about what Michigan needs to do this season. Herbstreit doesn’t think the Wolverines are too far off. In fact, Michigan was just a few plays away from getting to the national championship last season.
“You know when I hear ‘over the hump’ — I think they should’ve been in the national championship last year,” Herbstreit told On3’s J.D. PicKell at the On3 NIL Elite Series. “I mean, I respect TCU, but let’s face it. I think you and I and everybody that watched that game, we were impressed with what we saw from TCU that game and the way they made so many explosive plays. But I think going into it, I think if we thought about (it), Michigan was going to win the game. So to think, ‘What do they have to do to get over the hump?’ I would’ve said that after they lost to Georgia (in 2021) and the fashion in which they did. But against TCU, man, I just feel like just a couple plays here or there. So I don’t think they change a whole lot of anything.”
Michigan returns a dominating defense along with just about every offensive playmaker from the 2022 team. The Wolverines return offensive coordinator Sherrone Morre, quarterback J.J. McCarthy, Blake Corum and Donovan Edwards at running back, and the majority of the reigning Joe Moore Award offensive line. Both Cornelius Johnson and Roman Wilson are back to lead the talented wide receiving room. With the Wolverines returning so much talent and having Ohio State at home in 2023, Herbstreit told PicKell he believes the maize and blue has a real shot this season.
“You mentioned the one-two punch in the backfield, the way they’ve recruited in recent years, they’ve got great skill on the outside, they’re always going to have linemen. And then, J.J. is, I think, proving himself to be a guy that you can win a lot of games with. So I think they’re in a great spot,” Herbstreit said. “They get Ohio State at home. Jim, I feel like, has taken his program to the highest level that it’s been at since he’s been in Ann Arbor. If they can stay healthy, they’re going to have a real shot this year.”
Michigan kicks off the season on Sept. 2 at noon ET streaming on Peacock.
[lawrence-auto-related count=4]