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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