Michigan Football: Updating expectations after the Penn State debacle

After the loss to Penn State, it’s clear that Michigan football is unable to live up to the lofty expectations placed upon the Wolverines at the start of the season.

Michigan football got a wake-up call against Penn State last Saturday night. They got whipped, straight up.

Related Story: 3 takeaways from the loss to Penn State

Penn State was better in every way possible. The vaunted defense of Michigan football got exposed, to the tune of more than 500 yards of total offense. Saquon Barkley scored on his first carry of the game. Tracy McSorley looked like a superstar.

Michigan football wasn’t awful. The score was 14-13 late in the second quarter and the Wolverines had two promising drives in the third quarter that turned into nothing. Get points there and maybe it’s a different story. But either way, Penn State outclassed Michigan, plain and simple.

Certainly, few expected the Wolverines to win the game. They were double-digit underdogs. Yet, many thought Michigan would make it a battle. Instead, Penn State made a statement.

Now, Michigan has to find a way to turn it around.

The Wolverines don’t have a chance at the College Football Playoff or the Big Ten championship, but there is still plenty to play for. If Michigan can beat Rutgers, Maryland and Minnesota, it would finish 8-4 overall and 5-4 in the Big Ten. That would likely be good enough to play on New Year’s Day.

Beyond that, if UM can upset Wisconsin or Ohio State, it may be ranked high enough to earn an invitation into the New Year’s Six. However, winning those games is not going to be easy.

The stretch is going to be a grind for the Wolverines, the running game and the defense will need to carry the load. If Wilton Speight gets healthy that will help. But if that doesn’t happen, Jim Harbaugh and company will find a way to win without him.

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Obviously, the only thing that could truly make the season a success at this point, would be knocking off Ohio State. So the most important thing right now, is getting better.

Michigan needs to forget about the rankings and forget all the talk. UM needs to worry about Rutgers –that’s it.

Find a way to win that game. Getting to six wins means a bowl game. That’s significant. It can also help avoid a two-game losing streak, as well as back-to-back losses in the Big House.

More than that, Michigan football needs momentum. John O’Korn needs to get his confidence back, so does the defense. Everything needs to get back on track.

But at the same time, it’s time to lower expectations. This isn’t an elite team. It’s a group that probably, really is one year away. Michigan needs some of its youngsters to grow up. It also needs a Dylan McCaffrey or someone else to become the dynamic quarterback, the offense is so desperately missing.

Right now, the pieces just aren’t there. But, thankfully, there is half a season left.

Michigan football isn’t where it needs to be right now, but that doesn’t mean it can’t get there in the next six weeks. Harbaugh knows how to develop talent and develop is exactly what the Wolverines need to do.

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Yes, this might be an eight or nine win team, but that’s what we expected going in. The win over Florida inflated expectations; the losses to Michigan State and Penn State, simply put them back in their rightful place.