Following a down 2024 season, the expectations for the Michigan Wolverines are much higher with suspected superstar freshman quarterback Bryce Underwood joining a new-look Michigan offense. At the same time, the Big Ten schedule is always a brutal one, and a road opener against Oklahoma could pose a major threat to the season early on. And then there’s always The Game the last Saturday in November.
Let’s go game-by-game and predict how the Wolverines will do this season.
Week 1 – vs New Mexico Lobos
Michigan shouldn’t have much
trouble with New Mexico. The depth on the defensive line should dominate against a vastly inexperienced offensive line.
Prediction: Michigan wins, 38-3
Week 2 – @ Oklahoma Sooners
Michigan’s pass offense was one of the worst in college football last season, but Oklahoma’s wasn’t much better. Both finished in the bottom 15 in the country and made significant changes at quarterback to try and improve that category. Whoever makes the big plays should win this game, and I favor the Wolverines on the road in a statement win.
Prediction: Michigan wins, 24-20
Week 3 – vs Central Michigan Chippewas
The Chips lost six of their final seven games in 2024, and Matt Drinkall has taken over the reigns from former Michigan assistant coach Jim McElwain after being the offensive line coach at Army. It’s an inexperienced team with only three starters returning on the offensive side. Michigan wins big here.
Prediction: Michigan wins, 48-10
Week 4 – @ Nebraska Cornhuskers
By the time Week 4 rolls around, this could be a Top-25 matchup. Nebraska brought in several transfers who should make a difference around quarterback Dylan Raiola. It may not be the road game many are anticipating to lose, but I could see Michigan slipping in this game.
Prediction: Nebraska wins, 27-17
Week 5 – Bye
Week 6 – vs Wisconsin Badgers
Desperation is setting in for Luke Fickell in what many expect could be his last season in Madison. Their first two road games of the year are at Alabama and at Michigan. I suspect they lose both by a wide margin, as the Wolverines bounce back in Big Ten play.
Prediction: Michigan wins, 31-10
Week 7 – @ USC Trojans
Lincoln Riley is just 15-13 in his last 28 games as head coach, and he is still searching for his replacement for Caleb Williams. While the Trojans’ defense improved in 2024, there is still room for skepticism, especially since Michigan beat them without a quarterback last year. Give me the Wolverines in a big game on the road for a USC team that will largely be untested to this point.
Prediction: Michigan wins, 24-13
Week 8 – vs Washington Huskies
This is another one that could be a Top-25 matchup by the time this game kicks off. The Huskies open Big Ten play on the road in Columbus, but they have a rather weak schedule otherwise in the first half of the season. Michigan is already listed as 10.5-point favorites in this one at home.
Prediction: Michigan wins, 34-17
Week 9 – @ Michigan State Spartans
The Spartans should actually be a tad better in 2025, returning 66 percent of their starters from last season. But ESPN’s SP+ gives them just a 26.4 percent chance of being bowl eligible. Unless quarterback Aidan Chiles becomes superman, Michigan should continue dominating this rivalry.
Prediction: Michigan wins, 38-13
Week 10 – vs Purdue Boilermakers
We’re looking at maybe one of the worst teams in the country in Purdue, and it has five games against teams currently ranked in the Top-25. They’ll be lucky to win four total games and certainly won’t be beating Michigan in the Big House.
Prediction: Michigan wins, 42-3
Week 11 – Bye
Week 12 – @ Northwestern Wildcats
The Wolverines should have no problem taking care of a lowly Northwestern team. In the midst of playing the four teams that are projected to finish in the bottom four of the conference, Michigan dominates defensively at Wrigley Field to an easy win.
Prediction: Michigan wins, 31-3
Week 13 – @ Maryland Terrapins
The Terps were disassembled in the transfer portal, losing several key starters after going 4-8 in 2024. A promising young quarterback in Malik Washington provides hope, but this will very likely be a losing season for Maryland while Michigan is hopefully playing its best football of the season at this point.
Prediction: Michigan wins, 28-10
Week 14 – vs No. 3 Ohio State Buckeyes
Despite winning the national title last year, and its No. 3 ranking to start the 2025 campaign, Ohio State lost 52 percent of its production from that run. That includes multiple starting offensive lineman, both 1,000-yard running backs and its starting quarterback. That’s a ton to replace when you have a schedule that includes both of the top two ranked teams in the country (Texas and Penn State).
Plus, Ryan Day doesn’t know how to beat Michigan. How sweet would it be for Sherrone Moore to tell his team they could win five in a row AND knock the Buckeyes out of the playoffs?
Prediction: Michigan wins, 27-24
