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Of course, for Michigan football to win a national title, it has to get over a big problem named Ohio State.
The Wolverines had the look of a contender in 2016, but derailed with injuries at quarterback — the most important position — the maize and blue came a supposed inch or so short from getting into its first College Football Playoff. Two years later, Michigan was knocking on the doorstep yet again, but it seemed to take its rival down south lightly, and the Buckeyes eviscerated the Wolverines in a way they never had before.
ESPN put together a breakdown of what each of the Top 25 teams in college football have to do to raise that gold trophy. For Michigan, while Ohio State is one big component, the other is something that’s eluded the program in recent years: winning the tough road games.
If the Wolverines are going to have any shot at the title, the team needs to start winning big games on the road. Last season, Michigan lost at Wisconsin by 21 and at Penn State by seven. In 2018, Michigan opened the season by losing to Notre Dame on the road, then lost to host Ohio State to close out the season. It has been a problem under Jim Harbaugh, and it won’t get easier in 2020, as the team opens at Washington, plays at Michigan State and at Minnesota in back-to-back weeks and again closes out the season by traveling to Columbus to play Ohio State. Harbaugh is 0-5 against the Buckeyes as Michigan’s head coach, and if this team is going to have any shot at the playoff, Harbaugh will need his first win against the rival to come this season.
With likely top matchups on the road against Washington, Minnesota — and yes — Ohio State, it seems like an uphill battle for the maize and blue to pull off such a feat.
However, should Michigan win the three aforementioned, it would mean that the team is right where it needs to be to make a championship push.