After a difficult, yet successful (in some ways) 2024 college football season for the Michigan Wolverines, there is a lot to be desired for the team in 2025. Let’s break down a few reasons why the Wolverines will be back in the College Football Playoff in 2025.
While predicting how good each team on the Wolverines’ schedule will be currently is difficult, we can make some assumptions based on last year’s records. According to ESPN, the team has the 38th-ranked strength of schedule.
Here is the Wolverines’ 2025 schedule:
Overall, this schedule is very manageable, with a few exceptions, including games at Oklahoma in Week 2, Nebraska in Week 4, and, of course, Ohio State. With a young and learning quarterback in Bryce Underwood, there is room in the schedule for him to learn and grow during his first season.
The Wolverines rank 10th in returning production for the 2025 season, bringing back 13 players who started at least six games during the 2024 season. Experience matters a lot in college football, as we have seen this past season with the Ohio State Buckeyes and, in 2023, with the Wolverines.
Three offensive linemen with six or more starts in 2024 return: center Greg Crippen, guard Giovanni El-Hadi, and tackle Evan Link. This continuity on the offensive line will help with Underwood’s development.
On defense, the Wolverines return five starters: linebackers Jaishawn Barham and Ernest Hausmann, edge rusher Derrick Moore, and cornerbacks Zeke Berry and Jyaire Hill. All five were a part of a top 10 defense in 2024.
A lackluster 2024 season for the Wolverines offensively played a huge part in why the team missed out on the first 12-team CFP. However, under new offensive coordinator Chip Lindsey, the Wolverines will look to bring out a new, improved offensive attack.
Lindsey led North Carolina to a very balanced offense in 2024, with the team having around 2,400 yards rushing and 2,900 yards passing. I believe that a similar result in Year One of calling plays for the Wolverines will lift the team into a CFP spot.
The Wolverines will look to get back to the CFP in 2025, and they certainly will have the firepower, schedule, and offensive improvements to do so.
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