Athlon Sports predicts Michigan finish in Big Ten

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Michigan football is set to embark upon a new era with Kyle Whittingham leading the charge, and the hopes are that he yields immediate dividends in Ann Arbor.

The schedule, however, will make it tough, as many of the other top teams in the Big Ten will face the Wolverines this year.

But that doesn't preclude things from coming together. Even if Michigan is able to beat some of the other top teams in the conference, it will still have to face the others. It could topple defending national champion Indiana and beat Penn State, but also has to deal with Oregon and Ohio State.

Athlon Sports predicted the Big Ten order of finish, and ultimately, it believes that Michigan will finish fourth in the conference.

4. Michigan

New coach Kyle Whittingham inherited a roster capable of contending for a playoff trip in 2026. Whittingham thrived at getting the most out of his rosters at Utah, and his style of play with physicality and emphasis on winning at the line of scrimmage should play well in Ann Arbor. Michigan’s hopes of improving on last year’s nine wins could largely hinge on quarterback Bryce Underwood’s development. As expected with any true freshman, Underwood had his share of growing pains. New play-caller Jason Beck’s offense should be a great fit for Underwood’s talents, while the arrival of JJ Buchanan (Utah) and Jaime Ffrench (Texas) adds playmakers to a receiving corps that was thin on options last year. The line is a strength with four starters back and should clear plenty of running lanes for the one-two punch of Jordan Marshall and Savion Hiter in the backfield. Whittingham and new coordinator Jay Hill have the pieces in place to assemble one of the Big Ten’s top defenses. Utah transfer John Henry Daley is recovering from a torn Achilles suffered last season but is on track to return at full strength in ‘26. Assuming Daley picks up where he left off at Utah, his ability to create havoc on the line of scrimmage is huge for a Michigan team replacing a couple of key cogs up front. The secondary should be among the best in college football with Jyaire Hill and Zeke Berry returning, along with safety Rod Moore back in the mix after missing nearly all of last season due to injury. How fast Whittingham can speed up the transition, along with Underwood’s development in Beck’s scheme, will determine whether or not Michigan challenges for the playoff this fall.

With that, Athlon has Michigan finishing behind No. 1 Ohio State, No. 2 Indiana, and No. 3 Oregon. Here, we actually believe Oregon should be the preseason No. 1, and Michigan plays the Ducks in Eugene. Ohio State continues to be loaded with talent, and the Wolverines play the Buckeyes in Columbus, while Indiana will be reloading and coming to Ann Arbor.

This article originally appeared on Wolverines Wire: Athlon Sports predicts Michigan Big Ten standing

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