2021 Michigan Wolverines football

Michigan football schedule: ranking the games from the easiest to the hardest in the 2021 college football season.

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Michigan Football Schedule Ranking

12. Northern Illinois, Sept. 18

It comes one week after dealing with Washington and should be the warm-up for the Big Ten opener against Rutgers.

11. Western Michigan, Sept. 4

The Broncos are dangerous, but the season-opener – and the first of two games against MAC teams – has to be a must-win … or else.

10. Rutgers, Sept. 25

The Wolverines kickoff Big Ten play at the Big House in a rematch of last season’s triple-overtime thriller.

9. Nebraska, Oct. 9

Only the fifth conference match-up between the two bluebloods, it’s the first meeting in Lincoln since 2012.

8. Maryland, Nov. 20

Nebraska should be the tougher game, but this is a potential trap game on the road a week before dealing with Ohio State.

7. Washington, Sept. 11

The marquee match-up of the Michigan non-conference schedule, it’s a moment to make a big national statement against a Washington squad good enough to contend for a Pac-12 title.

6. at Michigan State, Oct. 30

Ohio State might be the bigger national rival for Michigan, but this is every bit as nasty. It’s an absolute must-win for Jim Harbaugh after losing to the Spartans last year.

5. Northwestern, October 23

Michigan’s six-game win streak in the series will be tested by defending Big Ten East champs.

4. Indiana, Nov. 6

It’s part of the November gauntlet that also includes Penn State and Ohio State. It’s a brutal sandwich between road trips to Michigan State and after to Happy Valley.

3. at Penn State, Nov. 13

Call this an elimination game in the Big Ten East race – assuming both are still alive for it come mid-November. At the very least, this has to be for second place in the division.

2. at Wisconsin, Oct. 2

The Badgers have had Michigan’s number over the last few seasons – the jet-sweep worked over and over and over again last year in Ann Arbor. Washington is one early measuring stick, and this is the other before a rough finishing kick.

1. Ohio State, Nov. 27

In case you haven’t heard, Michigan has had problems against Ohio State in the Jim Harbaugh era. It’s a home game, but that hasn’t mattered much for the Wolverines lately in the series.

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– CFN 2021 Michigan Preview

Breaking down and analyzing the 2021 Michigan Wolverines football schedule with the best and worst case scenarios.

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Michigan Football Schedule 2021

Full schedule analysis with best and worst scenarios below

Sept. 4 Western Michigan

Sept. 11 Washington

Sept. 18 Northern Illinois

Sept. 25 Rutgers

Oct. 2 at Wisconsin

Oct. 9 at Nebraska

Oct. 16 OPEN DATE

Oct. 23 Northwestern

Oct. 30 at Michigan State

Nov. 6 Indiana

Nov. 13 at Penn State

Nov. 20 at Maryland

Nov. 27 Ohio State

Dec. 4 Big Ten Championship (in Indianapolis)

Games vs. The West: at Nebraska, Northwestern, at Wisconsin

Missed Teams From The West: Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota, Purdue

Michigan Wolverines Football Schedule Analysis: The Wolverines will get one giant test against Washington early on, but the first month isn’t bad if they can pull that off.

It gets fun in a hurry with the run against the West, suffering the bad luck of playing both Wisconsin and Northwestern, and needing to go on the road to face Nebraska.

The Ohio State game is at home, but the dates with Michigan State and Penn State are on the road as part of a run of three away dates in four weeks.

Michigan Wolverines Football Schedule Best Case Scenario: Michigan beats Washington and has no issues with the rest of September, including the Big Ten opener against Rutgers. If everything works perfectly, they survive the trip to Wisconsin and beat Wisconsin to stay perfect going into the off week.

Realistically, the start to the second half isn’t all that bad. With a win over Michigan State, the Wolverines are 9-0 going into the date with Penn State. At the very least, they’re 10-1 going into the showdown against Ohio State in Ann Arbor.

Michigan Wolverines Football Schedule Worst Case Scenario: Michigan loses to Washington, loses to Wisconsin in Madison, and even worse, loses to Nebraska in Lincoln. Just when it seems like things couldn’t be any rougher for Jim Harbaugh, the Wolverines lose again to Michigan State, drop the date at Penn State, and of course, get obliterated by Ohio State.