The Michigan football team is the defending national champion, but it’s no longer considered the best college football team in the country.
Checking in at No. 9 in the preseason AP poll released Aug. 12, the Wolverines are the lowest-ranked defending national champions since 2011. Die-hard fans can grumble at the “disrespect,” but considering the offseason turnover, No. 9 might actually be generous.
With expectations low for the reigning national champion, Michigan needs a statement victory to reintroduce itself to the highest tier. In years past, it would have taken months for the Wolverines to make a substantial jump in the polls. This year, they can do it in Game 2 against No. 4 Texas. They can also do it in Game 9 against No. 3 Oregon and in Game 12 against No. 2 Ohio State.
With multiple tough games to play and a 12-team playoff offering more paths to the postseason, Michigan has multiple chances to assert itself among the best teams in the country.
Sure, an unblemished record looks great, but it’s rendered all but useless until there’s a quality win supporting it. Recently, the Wolverines’ entire season has hinged on “The Game,” but their entrance into the postseason doesn’t only depend on beating the Buckeyes anymore. It doesn’t depend on beating any one opponent.
Last season, Michigan may have given the same effort to each game, but in reality, it didn’t have to. It was able to use several regular season games to work out the kinks while still winning with ease.
“I don’t think last year we tried to hold back,” Michigan coach Sherrone Moore said Aug. 13. “I think we were trying to put everything in 100% every game. There’s no holding back in college football because if you don’t bring it, you’ll get beat.”
While the Wolverines weren’t intentionally holding back, they played far from championship football in some games. Michigan had some rough moments against teams like Bowling Green, Rutgers and Maryland last season, and those mistakes won’t fly against the Longhorns and the Ducks. The Wolverines don’t have the luxury of starting this season with nine straight unranked opponents, which might result in losses. But if they can pull themselves together enough to win some of their high-stakes games, their strong resume will propel them forward.
“We always talk about the process,” Moore said. “We don’t really try to talk about the prize as much. Just getting better today will lead to more success tomorrow, so that’s all we’re concerned with. We know what the goals are. We know what the aspirations are. I think when you’re at Michigan, you always want to win it all, and that should be our goal every year.”
The prize is the same, but because of the nature of Michigan’s opponents this season, the process has to be different. The Wolverines can’t coast through any part of the season, and they don’t have time for mistakes or a lengthy learning curve. But this shouldn’t be cause for concern. Rather, it’s a chance for Michigan to prove itself.
If the Wolverines beat Texas in Game 2, they’ll be right there in the conversation with the best teams in the country. Same thing if they beat Oregon in Game 9 or, of course, Ohio State in Game 12.
Each game will be harder to win, but Michigan stands to benefit from these tough games. And instead of the Wolverines’ playoff hopes depending on one rivalry game, they have multiple opportunities to seal their fate throughout the season.
The post SportsMonday: Michigan’s tough schedule is a blessing appeared first on The Michigan Daily.
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