Though Michigan football is getting attention this offseason, it’s mostly been because of the coaching change and Kyle Whittingham taking over the program. But there hasn’t been a ton of hype surrounding the Wolverines in terms of having high expectations. Right?
Well, perhaps a trio of analysts will change that.
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CBS Sports, in honor of the Final Four in basketball taking place this weekend, has reverted back to how the College Football Playoff was just three years ago (when Michigan football won its last national championship) and predicted who the final four in football will be this season. Though Ohio State and Notre Dame got the bulk of votes, three of the 10 analysts actually predicted that the Wolverines would not just make the College Football Playoff this year, but that they’ll go deep into it.
Starting with Brandon Marcello:
Final Four picks: Georgia, Michigan, Notre Dame, Ohio State (…)
Michigan might surprise people if Jason Beck’s offense catches fire, as I expect it to with QB Bryce Underwood. And Georgia has been quietly rising over the last two years, and though the pass rush isn’t what it was four years ago, Kirby Smart’s program is stronger in more areas than people acknowledge.
As noted, he wasn’t alone in his pick to include the maize and blue. Austin Nivision also believes that the offense will take a big step forward, and thus propel the Wolverines into the upper echelon of the sport.
Final Four picks: Georgia, Michigan, Ohio State, Texas Tech (…)
Michigan may be more of a long shot to reach the semifinal, but it’s not hard to see the path. Bryce Underwood takes a big step forward under new offensive coordinator Jason Beck, and Kyle Whittingham plugs in some Utah transfers on defense to ensure that unit is stout.
Cameron Salerno isn’t looking necessarily at one side of the ball or the other. However, given what Whittingham was able to do at Utah, he believes that his coaching prowess, along with a more talented team, could pay huge dividends for Michigan football this year.
Final Four picks: Georgia, Michigan, Notre Dame, Ohio State (…)
Speaking of the Big Ten, I’m a believer in Kyle Whittingham. There are not many coaches in the sport who have accomplished more with less than he has during his coaching career. Now he gets access to the resources Michigan has? It’s a perfect partnership.
Of course, the schedule this year is an absolute bear. So for Michigan to end up not only in the College Football Playoff, but the final four would require beating some teams that many don’t think it can. Oklahoma, Indiana, and Penn State will play in Ann Arbor, but the Wolverines also have to travel to Oregon and Ohio State. But if the maize and blue can win three of those five, then yes, they could get in. Then it would depend on what they do from there to reach the top four in the country.
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This article originally appeared on Wolverines Wire: Michigan predicted to make College Football Playoff final four
