6 bold predictions for Michigan Football in 2026

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We’re less than two weeks away from the start of Michigan’s 2026 football season, the first under new head coach Kyle Whittingham. Many are predicting Michigan to be better than it has been the last two years, with plenty of talent in the fold and a veteran coaching staff to lead the group.

To continue our countdown toward kickoff against Western Michigan, here are six bold predictions for what you’ll see from the Wolverines in 2026.

Michigan beats Oklahoma in Week 2

This would be the first of our predictions to come to fruition this season. Last season, the Wolverines dropped their matchup with Oklahoma, 24-13, in a game that exposed pretty much every concern there could be with the offense. That included the offensive line’s struggles and a group of pass-catchers that wouldn’t make life easy for quarterback Bryce Underwood.

This season, the Oklahoma defense will still be tough and dual-threat quarterback John Mateer will present some problems, but the Wolverines should be much more equipped to stand up to a team that really doesn’t outpace them in the talent department. Jim Harding’s coaching and a full year’s worth of experience from the offensive line, a revamped pass-catching corps, and the home crowd should give Michigan a real chance to show it’s serious about taking a step forward in 2026.

Michigan’s offensive line is a Joe Moore Award finalist

Speaking of the offensive line, I’m banking on it being one of the nation’s best this season. The Wolverines haven’t been as strong up front the last two seasons after winning the Joe Moore Award in 2021 and 2022 and being a semifinalist in 2023. Last season, pass protection was much more of an issue than run blocking, but with Harding’s direction, the group can become more well-rounded and more of an asset.

Last season, Michigan was a semifinalist for the award even with its issues, suggesting that perhaps there’s not that much further for the group to go to be considered one of the best lines in the nation. Furthermore, the team returns six offensive lineman from last season that started games. With the combination of elite coaching and more experience, a return to form makes plenty of sense.

3 Wolverines combine for 3,000 rushing yards

Piggy-backing off our last prediction, I’d bet the improvements from the offensive line — one that was already strong in the run game last season — can help Michigan continue to be one of the best rushing attacks in the country. That rushing attack should be powered by the three-headed monster of Jordan Marshall, Savion Hiter and Underwood, who figures to be much more involved on the ground this year.

Make no mistake, even by adding some great pass-catchers to the roster, the run game will still be the identity of the team. Whittingham’s desire to spread the field more with those pass-catchers should lend itself to more light boxes for the rushers to exploit, again behind an offensive line that still excelled in this area last season. With that in mind, it doesn’t seem far-fetched for the trio of Marshall, Hiter and Underwood to combine for 3,000 yards this season.

Jay Hill leads a top-10 scoring defense

Michigan’s front seven lost a handful of contributors from last season, but the team was able to return plenty of production from the secondary. The Wolverines also added transfers Smith Snowden and Chris Bracy, not to mention a healthy Rod Moore. Jay Hill steps in as the defensive coordinator after a highly successful stint at BYU, and his secondaries were the star of the show during his time in Provo.

A few times this offseason, Hill has likened his defensive style to that of Michigan’s 2023 defense under Jesse Minter, which was similar in that its secondary was better than its front seven and played more of a “bend, don’t break” style that was good at preventing opponents from scoring touchdowns in the red zone. Don’t be surprised if we see some long drives, especially early in the year as the front seven continues to build itself up, but points should still be hard to come by for opposing offenses.

Dom Nichols leads the team in sacks

This one might be the boldest of our predictions since we’re placing plenty of pressure on one player, but junior edge rusher Dom Nichols is my favorite for a breakout on the defensive side of the ball this year.

With two years under his belt in more of a rotational role, it seems like Nichols is set to take on a larger workload this year. Thanks to his speed and the attention that offenses will likely be directing towards former All-American John Henry Daley, there’s reason to think Nichols winds up being the most productive edge on the stat sheet by season’s end.

Aside from Nichols, it seems likely this could be a more productive year for the group as a whole, with dedicated edge coach Lewis Powell coaching them and a deep rotation of at least five players that could all be deserving of meaningful snaps.

Michigan goes 9-3, misses the College Football Playoff

With our prediction the Wolverines beat Oklahoma in Week 2, that leaves three likely losses on the schedule with Indiana, Oregon and Ohio State. I wouldn’t rule out Michigan being able to beat one of these teams, but we’ll have to see how the teams look on the field first.

A 9-3 record with Michigan’s difficult schedule could be worthy of a CFP spot, but I still think that is wishful thinking. Looking at last season, Alabama only made the CFP with three losses because its third loss was in the SEC Championship. Meanwhile, 9-3 Texas was left out with a tough schedule of its own. The Longhorns were probably hurt by two Group of 6 teams (James Madison and Tulane) getting into the CFP last year, which is something unlikely to happen again. But until a 9-3 team actually does get into the CFP, it seems foolish to predict it.

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