Joel Klatt has often tended to like Michigan football even when others were in doubt. Now that the Wolverines have one of his favorite head coaches in the sport, Kyle Whittingham, while he may not be all-in in terms of huge success in 2026, he’s quite optimistic about how things will go in Ann Arbor.
On Monday, Klatt revealed his personal top 25, and Michigan football came in ranked No. 12. He shared more on his podcast about what he sees in the maize and blue going into the new year.
“Michigan’s going to be at 12,” Klatt said. “It’s an offseason of change. We know that. And it’s not just like going from Jim Harbaugh to his assistant. This is like a massive change for Michigan. They need to change the culture. They need to move away from whatever it was that was going on last year and in years prior. And Kyle Whittingham comes in along with a ton of assistant coaches from Utah, as well as defense coordinator, Jay Hill, who I just told you previously worked with Kyle at Utah as a defensive coach.
“All eyes are, though, going to be on this element, the combination of Bryce Underwood in his sophomore year and offensive coordinator Jason Beck. Now, Jason Beck, in the last few years, has been outstanding as an offensive coordinator, and he has gotten the most out of guys like Devon Dampier at New Mexico. And then at Utah, we’ll see if he can do the same for Bryce Underwood.
“The schedule is not easy. They’ve got four playoff teams on the schedule. They’ve got games against Oklahoma. That’s Week 2 of the season. And Indiana. They’ve got road games late in the year at Oregon, really tough place to play. And of course, the big one at Ohio State. I think Michigan could have a pretty good football team. I think the schedule is a little bit daunting for me. And again, it’s that combination of Jason Beck and Bryce Underwood. If that meshes well, this could be a really good football team.
“And, listen, you guys know how I feel about Kyle Whittingham. This is one of the best coaches in America. He really is. And Michigan is in good hands now. Could they win the Big Ten? Ah, I don’t know. There’s some loaded teams at the top, and they’re going to be at the very top of these rankings right here, but this could be a good football team. And again, it comes down to those, I think, the most important games, the home games, Oklahoma and Indiana. And then obviously that big one at the Ohio State.”
Klatt isn’t wrong — the schedule is a bear. With Oklahoma, Iowa, Penn State, and Indiana coming to Ann Arbor, and road games against Oregon and Ohio State, that’s a lot for any college football team to endure, no matter the coach or the firepower on the field. Even still, last year, the Wolverines had a daunting schedule, at least in terms of nonconference and home-and-away, and still managed to win nine games. Perhaps that would take a minor miracle in 2026, despite having eight home games and four to start out the season. But if Bryce Underwood can show that he’s developed over the course of the newly minted Kyle Whittingham era, then the sky is the limit.
Of the teams that the Wolverines face in 2026, Oregon is No. 1, Ohio State is No. 3, Indiana is No. 4, Oklahoma is No. 11, Penn State is No. 15, and Iowa is No. 21. Michigan avoids No. 10 USC and No. 19 Washington this season.
This article originally appeared on Wolverines Wire: Joel Klatt ranks Michigan football No. 12 despite tough schedule
Reporting by Isaiah Hole, Wolverines Wire / Wolverines Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
