If There Is Ever Going To Be A Year Where Michigan Football Can Win The Whole Thing, It's Going To Be 2023
I’ve been watching Michigan football religiously since 2003. I think of any generation of Michigan football fan, I’ve probably seen the widest spectrum in terms of overall quality. I’ve seen Michigan football teams that have won the Big Ten and have been in the National Championship conversation. I’ve also seen Michigan football teams that struggle to snap a football. My formative years were the Rich Rodriguez and Brady Hoke eras. These eyes have seen some shit. But even at their highest highs, I never believed that Michigan football had a team capable of winning a National Championship. Even last year, when they were 13-0, I knew the ultimate consolation prize would be getting their shit pumped in the National Championship game. They still choked away that opportunity by losing to TCU, But I knew their ceiling was only so high. There’s never been a year in which I felt like this could be the one, until now.
High expectations scare me, man. I talked about it a little bit with the Lions the other day. But this is different. I think the Lions could legitimately win a playoff game this year. I think Michigan football can win the whole thing. I’m usually the last one leading the charge with this stuff. I’ve always been inclined to believe that there will always be and Alabama, Georgia, or Ohio State that will get in the way. And that has often been true. In many ways, it still is. I know Michigan has beaten Ohio State relatively soundly over the last two seasons, but anyone who thinks that that team will fold when they play each other in the Big House this November is out of their mind. Georgia will still be Georgia, but I don’t know if they’ll be the overwhelming force they’ve been the last two years. Given their talent coming back on their roster, Michigan can be that force. They FINALLY has the quarterback situation right. People have varying opinions about JJ McCarthy, but he is the right guy for this team. His ceiling is incredibly high, and when it mattered against Ohio State last year, he put on a show. They have an offensive line full of bruisers, two of the best running backs in the country in Blake Corum and Donovan Edwards. They return an experienced receiving core and a defense capable of shutting down any team in the Big Ten. It all lines up so perfectly, and that’s what has me nervous.
Like any team, the season could derail if one of their great players gets injured. Those fears will always be in your head when you’re looking forward to something this much. I don’t particularly appreciate making predictions about this stuff. But I know Michigan can win every game on their schedule this season. Will they? Only time will tell. Per usual, because of the circus that is a Jim Harbaugh off-season, people have overlooked that this team will be hungry as shit. Yes, I desperately wish Michigan could have a quiet off-season once in their life. It was much easier to take shots When this team was going 9-4. It’s not as easy now.
Michigan is going to get everyone’s most brutal punch. The schedule is more challenging this year. Beating Michigan in 2023 could be a program-changing win for certain teams.  Beating Ohio State and winning the Big Ten in 2021 was an incredible experience, but last year changed my perspective. The expectation now should be to beat Ohio State. There’s no reason why they shouldn’t. And yeah, even I, who is usually the most skeptical person alive, can acknowledge that if there is a squad with the talent, the experience, and the coaching to go out and win the whole damn thing, it’s probably this team. This will most likely end with heartbreak, but at least that will make for good content.