Michigan Football Game Preview: The calm before the storm

After a long offseason filled with changes, Michigan Football is back and ready to make good on one of its most talented rosters in recent memory.

Game one. No. 14 Michigan football vs. No. 12 Notre Dame. We’re two days away.

Anticipation has been building for months, and here we are, quickly approaching the first Saturday of the college football season.

This is set up to be one of the most important seasons of Jim Harbaugh’s coaching career. It’s his fourth year at Michigan football – the year he finally has “his players.”

Coming off a disappointing 8-5 season, it’s time for Harbaugh and the Wolverines to walk the walk and produce a championship-caliber season.

And it starts against a rival in Notre Dame. So, let’s preview what to expect in the opener.

Michigan and Notre Dame both come into this game facing a level of uncertainty. Starting with the Wolverines, they will feature a whole new look on offense. Shea Patterson will take over at quarterback with hopes of stabilizing a position that was, to put it lightly, ineffective last season.

Wide Receivers coach Jim McElwain has instilled the run-pass option into the offense, which will be on full display Saturday night. The world will know what Patterson is made of when he leads his team onto the field in what projects to be a hostile environment in South Bend.

The offensive line, with the help of newly-acquired coach Ed Warriner, will look to improve after allowing 35 sacks (112^th nationally) and 79 tackles for loss (100^th) last season, which resulted in 29.42 lost yards per game. Quarterback and offensive line play require a leap forward if the Wolverines expect to win, as their defense projects to be dominant once again this season.

On the other side, the Fighting Irish have some holes to fill. They lost two starting offensive linemen, Quenton Nelson and Mike McGlinchey, and both were selected in the top 10 in the 2018 NFL Draft. They also lost standout running back Josh Adams, who rushed for 1,430 yards and nine touchdowns last season, and starting wide receiver Equanimeous St. Brown.

They still return 17 total starters, and their defense remains top-notch. The defensive line, anchored by senior Jerry Tillery, will look to make things hard on Patterson in his first start for the Wolverines.

Senior quarterback Brandon Wimbush returns and will lead the Fighting Irish offense that will look to establish the running game and play smart football.

2017 season statistics

Due to changes for both teams, last season’s statistics become somewhat irrelevant. Michigan should have a revamped offense and Notre Dame must deal with key departures on that side of the ball. Aside from replacing Maurice Hurst, the Wolverine defense remains intact and poised to be “extremely better” than last season’s third-ranked squad.

The reality is, this game is difficult to predict. Most season openers are, but this one more so because of the uncertainty each team has surrounding them. Predictions are educated guesses, though, so here goes nothing.

Prediction

24-10, Michigan

Analysis

The first half of this game will be a defensive dogfight. There will be nerves stemming from the magnitude of the game, which will allow both defenses to get off to strong starts. However, the Wolverines will eventually crack through the Irish defense by pounding away at the run and allowing Patterson to have an efficient debut.

Though we haven’t seen Patterson play a game in maize and blue yet, neither have the Fighting Irish, which makes it difficult for them to form a game plan. The RPO offense with a new, mobile quarterback will be quite the contrast from last season’s film. When the moment calls for it, Patterson will make big throws to keep the chains moving and the offense flowing. He has that “it” factor.

Meanwhile, the Wolverine defense will be fired up, stifling Brandon Wimbush and spying him with Khaleke Hudson or Devin Bush to ensure he doesn’t beat blitzes with his legs. Wimbush had a 49.5 percent completion percentage last season, throwing for just 1,870 yards. Michigan’s elite pass defense, led by star cornerbacks David Long and Lavert Hill, should have success in defending the Irish’s passing attack.

It will be a close one until the end, with a couple turnovers likely. I expect Michigan to break free and score late, extending their lead to double digits and sealing a hard-earned victory.

Michigan projects to have a slightly better offense, and a slightly better defense, with greater all-around talent. Dominant defenses, especially in games like this one, seem to make the difference. Bet on that to prevail, and for the Wolverines to begin their season 1-0 with their first road win against an AP top 25 team since 2006.