Michigan Wolverines 2023 College Football Preview
July 26, 2023
2022 Recap
Record – 13-1
ATS – 7-6-1
Yes, guy.
The Wolverines steamrolled thru the regular season and topped things off with another beatdown of their hated rivals from Ohio St (W 45-23). Hopes were high heading into the College Football Playoff but they ran into a BUZZSAW called TCU and fell in a high-scoring affair by a score of 51-45. It was great to dismember the Buckeyes again, and a fine accomplishment to get to the playoff, but the folks in Ann Arbor expect a National Championship. Maybe 2023 will be the year?
Michigan Wolverines 2023 Outlook
OFFENSE
Michigan increased their offensive output for the 2nd consecutive season and finished #6 in the nation in scoring offense (40.4 PPG) whilst displaying excellent balance (239 YPG rush, #1 Big Ten; 220 YPG pass, #7). They return the majority of their weaponry this year including QB JJ McCarthy (64.6%, 22-5 TD to INT LY) and what might be the best RB duo in college football in Blake Corum (1,463, 18 TD, 5.9) and HOME RUN HITTER Donovan Edwards (991, 7 TD, 7.1). The WR room looks decent with the return of Cornelius Johnson and Roman Wilson but it remains to see if they’ve got the necessary game-changer at the position. They’ll still be elite utilizing the TEs in the THROW GAME despite the loss of Luke Schoonmaker, so opponents are gonna have their hands full once again this year. The OL will be without their center and LT (!) from LY’s squad so that raises a bit of an eyebrow. Thankfully, the unit still boasts over 140 career starts and they picked up some quality pieces thru the transfer portal.
DEFENSE
The Wolverines entered last season with just a small handful of starters from the excellent 2021 stop unit but they put up great numbers once again in 2022. They allowed a mere 16 PPG (#7 FBS) and were a BRICK WALL vs the run (98 YPG, #7 FBS). Things look REAL and SPECTACULAR on this side of the football in 2023 as the Wolverines retain seven starters and their top-five tacklers. The DL will be solid even after losing a pair of doods to the NFL Draft and the LB crew is elite with the return of their top-two tacklers Junior Colson and Michael Barrett. Both of those men were 2nd Team Big Ten honorees and there’s good depth at the position. Michigan was stingy vs the pass LY (11-14 TD to INT, #4 Big Ten pass efficiency D) and they bring back three starters on the back end. This will be a Top-10 defense once again in 2023.
SPECIAL TEAMS
Finally some bad news. PK Jake Moody and punter Brad Robbins have been a phenomenal combination for Michigan but both men need to be replaced this season. PK James Turner was a fine addition from the portal (20-22 FG LY with LUA-VUH) but they’ve got an inexperienced, albeit talented punter. Michigan also needs to replace their primary PR/KR in AJ Henning.
Schedule Analysis
Overall – It’s Michigan, so you know somehow, someway, they’ll end up with TOMATO CANS littered all over the schedule **. It’ll be a disappointment if they don’t roll out to a 10-0 start but they must face Penn St (A) and Ohio St (H) in the final three weeks of the regular season. Note that they miss Iowa AND Wisconsin from the West division.
** maybe someday they’ll figure out how to play seven MAC teams every year?
Potential ATS Trouble Spot – at Maryland (Nov 18)
The Terps gave Michigan all they could handle last season and note that this game is sandwiched between the yuuuge games noted above (Nittany Lions, Buckeyes). It feels like a dangerous spot to back the road favorite.
Season Win Total
Market consensus July 26
Over 10.5 -140
Under 10.5 +120
MEGALOCKS says:
Lean: Over
The schedule is an embarrassment to competitive football everywhere, but the peeps in Ann Arbor shouldn’t care.
MEGAmazing Tidbits
Excluding the truncated PLANDEMIC season of 2020, Michigan is an amazing 27-1 (!) at home since 2018 with their only loss coming to Ohio St to end the 2019 season.
The BIG HOUSE can hold well over 107,000 people and the great fans of Michigan football have done a legendary job of keeping that BAD BOY full for a long time. As a sidenote, this large facility will make an ideal prison camp for the psychotic Governor to use during the eventual “climate change” lockdowns. #TrustTheScienceAgain
MEGALOCKS Forecast:
It’s National Championship or bust. This team is incredibly-talented and it was good to get some playoff experience in 2022. The schedule will never be easier until the END OF TIME so the pressure is definitely on the MAIZE and BLUE this year. We’ll call for another Big Ten title and a trip to the College Football Playoff. After that, who knows?