INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. — It was nearly a dream season for Michigan football in 2021, with a near-perfect regular season record, save for the one blemish coming against in-state rival MSU. But the Wolverines beat Ohio State for the first time since 2011, advanced to the Big Ten Championship game, and took down Iowa to win their first conference title since 2004.
Some teams had more success than others. Rutgers, Nebraska, and Penn State took the maize and blue to the brink. Northwestern and Indiana had run-of-the-mill losses. Wisconsin, Maryland, Ohio State, and Iowa got taken to the woodshed.
At Big Ten media days this week, WolverinesWire spoke to every Big Ten head coach that faced Michigan (except Nebraska’s Scott Frost, who was scheduled at an odd time the first morning) to ask either what made Michigan different in 2021, with the exception of Rutgers’ Greg Schiano (we asked what made them moderately successful) and MSU’s Mel Tucker (we asked why the Spartans were successful).
Here’s what each of the nine had to say.