(RB Donovan Edwards – 247Sports)
Key Players Returning:
RB Donovan Edwards, WR/RS Semaj Morgan, TE Colston Loveland, DE Rayshaun Benny, DE Mason Graham, NT Kenneth Grant, LB Derrick Moore, LB Josiah Stewart, LB Ernest Hausmann, CB Will Johnson, SS Makari Paige, PR Tyler Morris, and PT Tommy Doman.
Key Players Departing:
QB JJ McCarthy (Vikings R1), RB/KR Blake Corum (Rams R3), WR Cornelius Johnson (Chargers R7), WR Roman Wilson (Steelers R3), TE AJ Barner (Seahawks R4), OC Drake Nugent, OG Trevor Keegan (Eagles R5), OG Karsen Barnhart, OG Zak Zinter (Browns R3), OT LaDarius Henderson (Texans R7), OT Trente Jones, DE Jaylen Harrell (Titans R7), DE Braiden McGregor, DT Kris Jenkins (Bengals R2), LB Michael Barrett (Panthers R7), LB Junior Colson (Chargers R3), CB Josh Wallace, NB Mike Sainristil (Commanders R2), FS Rod Moore, SS Keon Sabb (Alabama transfer), PR Jake Thaw, and PK James Turner.
(OT Andrew Sprague – 247Sports)
Top 10 Recruits:
4 Star Recruits: OT Andrew Sprague (Kansas City, Missouri), CB Jo’Ziah Edmond (Nappanee, Indiana), QB Jadyn Davis (Charlotte, North Carolina), RB Jordan Marshall (Cincinnati, Ohio), EDGE Lugard Edokpayl (District Heights, Maryland), OT Blake Frazier (Austin, Texas), EDGE Devon Baxter (Brandywine, Maryland), LB Jaishawn Barham (Maryland transfer), TE Brady Prieskorn (Rochester, Michigan), and TE Hogan Hansen (Bellevue, Washington).
2023 Results:
G01 EAST CAROLINA W 30-3
G02 UNLV W 35-7
G03 BOWLING GREEN W 31-6
G04 RUTGERS W 31-7
G05 @ Nebraska W 45-7
G06 @ Minnesota W 52-10
G07 INDIANA W 52-7
G08 @ Michigan State W 49-0
G09 PURDUE W 41-13
G10 @ #10 Penn State W 24-15
G11 @ Maryland W 31-24
G12 #2 OHIO STATE W 30-24
B10 vs. #16 Iowa W 26-0
PLA vs. #4 Alabama W (OT) 27-20
FBS vs. #2 Washington W 34-13
Team Info:
2023 Record: 15-0 (1st in Big Ten East/Big Ten Champions/FBS National Champions)
Home: 7-0
Away: 5-0
Neutral: 3-0
B10: 9-0
Non-B10: 6-0
Head Coach: Sherrone Moore
Michigan: 1-0
Career: 1-0
Bowls: 0-0
(TE Colston Loveland – 247Sports)
Returning Statistical Leaders:
Passing: Jack Tuttle (15-17, 130 yards, 88.2%, 7.6 avg., 1 TD, 0 INT)
Rushing: Donovan Edwards (119 car., 497 yards, 4.2 avg., 5 TD)
Receiving: Colston Loveland (45 rec., 649 yards, 14.4 avg., 4 TD)
TDs Scored: Donovan Edwards (5)
Sacks: Josaiah Stewart (5.5)
Tackles: Ernest Hausmann (46)
Tackles For Loss: Josiah Stewart (8.5)
Interceptions: Will Johnson (4)
Pass Deflections: Kenneth Grant (5)
Forced Fumbles: 5 Tied (1)
Kick Returns: Semaj Morgan (12 ret., 186 yards, 15.5 avg., 0 TD)
Punt Returns: Tyler Morris (9 ret., 98 yards, 9.8 avg., 0 TD)
Kicking: Adam Samaha (0-0 fg/fga., 0%%, 1-1 xp/xpa., 1 point)
Punting: Tommy Doman (53 punts., 2346 yards, 44.3 avg., 18 in20)
Projected Offensive Starters
QB: 10 Alex Orji (RS SO)
RB: 7 Donovan Edwards (SR)
TE: 17 Marlin Klein (RS SO)
WR: 3 Fredrick Moore (SO)
WR: 8 Tyler Morris (JR)
TE: 18 Colston Loveland (JR)
LT: 78 Myles Hinton (SR/TR)
LG: 68 Josh Priebe (GR/TR)
OC: 51 Greg Crippen (RS JR)
RG: 58 Giovanni El-Hadi (RS JR)
RT: 75 Andrew Gentry (RS SO)
KR: 82 Semaj Morgan (SO)
PK: 96 Dominic Zvada (JR/TR)
Projected Defensive Starters:
DE: 26 Rayshaun Benny (RS JR)
NT: 78 Kenneth Grant (JR)
DT: 55 Mason Graham (JR)
LB: 0 Josaiah Stewart (SR/TR)
LB: 1 Jaishawn Barham (JR/TR)
LB: 15 Ernest Hausmann (JR/TR)
LB: 8 Derrick Moore (JR)
CB: 20 Jyaire Hill (SO)
CB: 2 Will Johnson (JR)
FS: 28 Quinten Johnson (GR)
SS: 7 Makari Paige (SR)
PR: 82 Semaj Morgan (SO)
PT: 19 Tommy Doman (SR)
(LB Josiah Stewart – USA Today Sports)
Team Grades:
Offense
Quarterbacks: C
Running Backs: B
Wide Receivers: C
Offensive Line: B
Defense
Defensive Line: C
Linebackers: B
Secondary: B
Special Teams
Kick Returners: B
Punt Returners: A
Kickers: A
Punters: A
Schedule:
08/31 FRESNO STATE BULLDOGS | First meeting between schools.
09/07 TEXAS LONGHORNS | Michigan lost (3-38) the only prior meeting between schools at the 2005 Rose Bowl.
09/14 ARKANSAS STATE RED WOLVES | First meeting between schools.
09/21 USC TROJANS | Michigan trails the series 4-6. The Wolverines lost (18-32) the last meeting between schools at the 2007 Rose Bowl.
09/28 MINNESOTA GOLDEN GOPHERS | Michigan leads the series 77-25-3. The Wolverines are 1-4 since2014, and their last series loss (16-30) was in 2014.
10/05 @ Washington Huskies | Michigan leads the series 8-5. The Wolverines won (31-10) the last meeting between schools in 2021.
10/19 @ Illinois Fighting Illini | Michigan leads the series 72-23-2. The Wolverines won (19-17) the last meeting between schools in 2022.
10/26 MICHIGAN STATE SPARTANS | Michigan leads the series 73-38-5. The Wolverines are 5-5 since 2014, and their last series loss (33-37) was in 2021.
11/02 OREGON DUCKS | Michigan leads the series 3-2. The Wolverines lost (7-39) the last meeting between schools in 2007.
11/09 @ Indiana Hoosiers | Michigan leads the series 62-10. The Wolverines are 9-1 since 2014, and their last series loss (2-38) was in 2020.
11/23 NORTHWESTERN WILDCATS | Michigan leads the series 59-15-2. The Wolverines won (33-7) the last meeting between schools in 2021.
11/30 @ Ohio State Buckeyes | Michigan leads the series 61-51-6. The Wolverines are 3-6 since 2014, and their last series loss (27-56) was in 2019.
Predictions:
Home: 7-1
Road: 1-3
Neutral: 0-0
B10: 6-3
Non-B10: 2-1
Overall: 8-4 (6th in Big Ten)
gridironpredictions.net 