Michigan Wolverines 2025 College Football Preview, Prediction, Betting Insights

Michigan Wolverines

2024 Record: 8-5

View from afar: The Michigan Wolverines ironically finished last season as well as any team in the country aside from Ohio State. They beat the Buckeyes 13-10 for the fourth straight season and followed that up by beating a strong Alabama team with mostly young players in the Bowl victory. The end to the season was undoubtedly a feather in first-year coach Sherrone Moore’s cap, but going 8-5 with an absolutely grisly offense at times will certainly not cut it for long in Ann Arbor. Moore brings in Chip Lindsey from UNC to run the offense and help scintillating 5-star talent Bryce Underwood adapt to Big 10 play. The recruiting win over LSU was monumental for Moore to keep the local talent and give him a more than viable option at QB in the fall. Martindale is back at the helm defensively, which, to be fair, kept them competitive in almost every game last season despite nonexistent QB play. Michigan is only one season removed from being the National Champion and an undefeated one at that. This most certainly is a big year for Moore and company. They need to find themselves in and amongst playoff contention; otherwise, whispers will be coming out of Ann Arbor asking if he is the right man for the job.

Recruiting: Michigan came in with the 6th-ranked class nationally and number 3 in the Big 10, a big boost from the 16th-ranked class nationally from 2024. Bryce Underwood is certainly the star of the show. The #1 quarterback in the country, who is also from Michigan, was a massive win. Babalola is a 5-star tackle. Jordan Marhsall, a 4-star RB from ’24, had a 100-yard rushing day against Bama in the bowl. Look for him to be a big feature this season.

Portal: Michigan comes in ranked #4 in portal rankings for the Big 10. Haynes(RB) comes over from Bama, he will likely feature. McCulley will need to be a solid addition from Indiana as the WR room is thin. Defensively Arkansas transfer Metcalf(S) comes over after a nice year in the SEC, while Willimas (DT) comes over to bolster the D line from Clemson where he was a decent role player.

Key Roster departures: 7 players drafted to NFL, Mason Graham and Kenneth Grant both first rounder DT’s formed one of the best tackle pairings in recent College Football history. Loveland was another first rounder, a TE that was extremely versatile and the teams most dangerous weapon a year ago. Will Johnson was an instrumental CB in the Title run and would have likely been a first rounder had he not been hurt most of last year. Mullings and Edwards were a solid duo at RB.

2025 Roster Tidbits: Most College Football fans hope Underwood gets the job at QB. His size and arm talent will be a sight to see in maize and blue. WR room is a big question mark again unfortunately Morgan is back and McCulley hopefully provides a boost. Another thing I’m pondering is this O-line. Crippen and El-Hadi are proven commodities. Sprague and Norton(transfer) will look to impress. Defensively, despite the losses, the Wolverines should be a unit that won’t give away much. Benny, Guy, and Moore will spearhead a salty defensive line. Barham will lead a solid LB unit; he’s a fun player to watch. Rod Moore is back after missing all of last season, which will surely add much needed experience.

Statistical pulse: Michigan ranked 4th in the country in opponent rush yards per game allowing a stingy 90.7 per. Also coming in at 9th for total yards per game allowed at 307, this defense was absolutely the real deal. They also ranked 130th in the country in passing yards per game at a measly 129 yards per.

Schedule: A massive non con game vs Oklahoma in Norman will be Moore’s return to where he played his college ball. At Nebraska is a sneaky first Big 10 game for Underwood if he gets the nod. At USC is the other biggest road test. The Wolverines of course finish the season with the Buckeyes in the Big House.

Prediction: The excitement around Underwood is undeniable. Having said that, I wish they had done more in the skill positions to give him the best chance to succeed. Michigan will likely rely on the run with Haynes and Marshall, yet the O-line is not exactly a sure-fire home run. Michigan will be elite defensively, but losing Graham and Grant, who could absolutely wreck a game, might prove to be a bigger challenge than I am anticipating. Ultimately, this team needs the defense to be elite early to allow Underwood to adjust. I think Michigan will go 9-3, the road trip to Norman will be a challenge for the secondary, and Underwood. Ultimately, this is a team you will want to face earlier rather than later, and that early Nebraska road game gives me a touch of concern.

Actionable: Michigan over 6.5 conference wins (-115 DK). After the Nebraska game the Wolverines get a bye, and after that bye I wouldn’t want anything to do with this team if I was an opponent. Underwood will get settled, the secondary with Moore returning, and some transfers will have had time to gel. As well as the reality that there is no Penn St, Oregon, Iowa, Indiana, or Illinois on this schedule. I think the Wolverines finish the season strong and, pending how the classic game vs Ohio State goes, could find themselves in the playoffs.