Last year was a historic one for Jim Harbaugh and the Michigan Wolverines. But with the head coach moving onto the NFL and a ton of roster turnover, expectations aren’t nearly as high for Big Blue in 2024.
With that said, in Phil Steele’s recent Big Ten predictions the longtime college football analyst sees UM falling back in the conference and finishing fourth in a loaded B1G.
The Wolverines are coming off three straight conference titles. But when you factor in how much has changed coaching, talent and competition-wise, it’s easy to see why many pundits may not be as high on Michigan as the folks who reside in Ann Arbor are.
It’s far from a complete rebuild, but it’ll definitely take some time for coach Sherrone Moore to establish the team’s identity in his first year as the school’s full-time HC.`
Steele believes Oregon, Ohio State, and Penn State will all be top-five teams this upcoming season — with the Ducks and Buckeyes battling it out in the Big Ten title game.
Michigan also plays Steele’s No. 4 team (Texas ) in Week 2 of the regular season, which could go a long way in determining what kind of year it’s going to be for Moore and his staff.