Texas played Michigan last weekend in Ann Arbor, Michigan, and they played great. defeating the Wolverines 31–12 at home in a decisive victory that, depending on how the remainder of the NCAA football season plays out, may have enormous ramifications.
After losing at The Big House for the first time since 2020, the reigning national champions on Saturday did not resemble the squad from the previous season. It prompted someone to ask college football commentator Paul Finebaum, “Where do the Wolverines go from here?”
Finebaum recently stated, “They don’t really have anywhere to go, Greg,” on McElroy and Cubelic in the Morning. “Because they appeared to be a 9-3 club prior to the season, therefore I believed that if they won that game. They now appear to be an 8–4 squad, and at Michigan, that is simply ineffective. It won’t perform well.
At Michigan, there are a lot of expectations, especially considering the team’s recent success in the aftermath of the Jim Harbaugh era. a three-year streak during which the Wolverines won the national championship the previous year, finished 40-3 overall, and made three consecutive trips to the College Football Playoffs.
In an effort to assist the Wolverines uphold the bar set by Harbaugh, Sherrone Moore was appointed head coach of Michigan this offseason after being hired from within the organization. But with the departure of most of the team’s key players and coaches from their historic run, it appears that will be easier said than done.
Thus, I believe their chances of making the playoffs are far gone. Is it possible for them to correct some of their errors and have a season that can be saved? Finebaum questioned. “Perhaps, but for the remainder of the season, this program—like Colorado—is off the radar screen.”
After their defeat, Michigan fell from No. 10 to No. 17 in the AP Top 25 Poll, but there is still a chance that the Wolverines may qualify for the 12-team College Football Playoff if they play well throughout their Big Ten Conference season.
The Wolverines’ offensive woes in their opening two games of the season will undoubtedly need to be addressed if they hope to make it back to the tournament. This college football season, it will be especially interesting to watch if the reigning champions can turn things around.
