No. 7 Stanford | No. 9 Tennessee | Top 25
No. 8: Michigan
Last Season: 10-3 (6-2 Big Ten East)
After fielding a top-10 defense each of the past two years (just 295.4 yards allowed per game since '14), Michigan enters 2016 with my No. 5-rated defense overall, led by my No. 10 defensive line and No. 8 secondary. On offense, the Wolverines return their top four receivers, led by 6-3 senior Jehu Chesson (764 yards and nine TDs), and their leading rusher, De'Veon Smith (753 yards). Michigan should open the season 7-0 and likely will be ranked in the top three, but the team has a brutal stretch to end 2016: Its final three road trips are to Michigan State (toss-up), Iowa (+3) and Ohio State (+6).
IN IF...
It can beat both Michigan State and Ohio State, a feat the Wolverines haven't accomplished in 13 years. With a subpar schedule, they'll need that résumé boost for a playoff shot.
OUT IF...
Jim Harbaugh can't work his QB magic. UM claims the best pair of wideouts in the Big Ten (Chesson and Amara Darboh) and perhaps the best TE in the nation in Jake Butt (12.8 ypc) -- but those threats aren't worth much without a quarterback who can find them.
Michigan's chances to win each game
09.03 vs. Hawaii: 99.4%
09.10 vs. UCF: 97.6%
09.17 vs. Colorado: 90.5%
09.24 vs. Penn State: 79.7%
10.01 vs. Wisconsin: 78.6%
10.08 @ Rutgers: 85.2%
10.22 vs. Illinois: 94.5%
10.29 @ Michigan State: 66.6%
11.05 vs. Maryland: 93.1%
11.12 @ Iowa: 66.3%
11.19 vs. Indiana: 91.3%
11.26 @ Ohio State: 48.4%
Year 2 of the Jim Harbaugh era produces a College Football Playoff berth, as his experienced Wolverines ride a ferocious defense and a favorable schedule to an 11-1 regular-season record and a long-awaited Big Ten title. -- Brian Bennett
The Harbaugh hype is real. With cornerback Jourdan Lewis and linebacker Jabrill Peppers, this defense might wind up as the best in the country. This team is more than capable of an 11-1 record and a spot in the Big Ten championship. -- Josh Moyer
The first half of Michigan's schedule will do nothing to slow down the Harbaugh Express hype train in Ann Arbor. A 10-2 regular season is a reasonable step forward considering the Wolverines make trips to Iowa City, East Lansing and Columbus in the last five weeks of the year. -- Dan Murphy
Michigan doesn't play a game outside the Big House until Week 6 and is a favorite to win its first 11 games. Michigan breaks through in Harbaugh's second year and beats Ohio State in the regular season finale to finish 12-0 and reach the league championship game. -- Jesse Temple
The Harbaugh Hype is building. But with uncertainty at quarterback and a tough conference schedule that includes road trips to the other three Big Ten contenders, the Wolverines are probably a year away and looking at a 9-3 campaign. -- Austin Ward
No. 7 Stanford | No. 9 Tennessee | Top 25
