While most pundits exclaim that Michigan football has a tough schedule this season — and thus predict somewhere in the 7-5 to 8-4 range — that doesn’t exactly jibe with the preseason reality.
Yes, some of the teams have big names (the first three road games are against Oklahoma, Nebraska, and USC), but the Sooners went 6-7 last year, while Nebraska and USC went 7-6. The Wolverines didn’t exactly set the college football world on fire with an 8-5 record, but Michigan did have the best win in college football by beating Ohio State, despite being a three-score underdog.
CBS Sports’ Tom Fornelli ranked each Big Ten team by strength of schedule, and at least accurately portrayed where Michigan is in terms of teams on the docket this year.
12. Michigan
I can already hear the angry cries of Michigan fans who want to know how a schedule that includes Ohio State and a road game against Oklahoma could be this easy, but take it up with Oklahoma. The Sooners are averaging 7.3 wins per year under Brent Venables. Don’t get me wrong, the game carries weight, but it would’ve carried a lot more in 2021. Anyway, outside of those two games, this schedule isn’t overbearing. Road trips to Nebraska and USC won’t be easy, but the home slate is extremely manageable outside Ohio State and a four-game stretch of Michigan State, Purdue, Northwestern and Maryland before that game seems beneficial.
Fornelli is accurate in terms of ranking, but inaccurate in terms of Michigan fans. It’s been the fans who have noted that these teams aren’t exaclty the best of the best, while many in the media proclaim otherwise — as least as it pertains to the Wolverines’ chances. Also, this isn’t the schedule from 2022 or 2023, when Michigan didn’t face a power team in the nonconference, and in the case of 2023, didn’t play a substantial team until Penn State in November.
This year, Michigan will face only three teams that had winning records a year ago (Nebraska, USC, and Ohio State). Yes, teams are allowed to get better, but that is at least something of a snapshot of where teams were very recently. Again, the Wolverines’ 8-5 record wasn’t much to write home about, but with wins over OSU and Alabama, it shows that the maize and blue have much more recent success than the other teams on the docket.
This article originally appeared on Wolverines Wire: CBS Sports says Michigan football’s 2025 schedule is manageable despite tough road games
Reporting by Isaiah Hole, Wolverines Wire / Wolverines Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
