Michigan Football: Buy or sell: Michigan can win the Big Ten

Big Ten football is back. Ohio State is the clear favorite to win the conference yet again but can Michigan football shock everyone and win their first Big Ten title since 2004?

Welcome to part one of a new weekly series that I will be doing on Michigan football and basketball. Each week, we will have a topic or idea and myself along with a few members of Michigan Twitter will buy or sell that idea.

This weekly series will give you a few different perspectives from some of the most die hard fans that I know.

This week it’s pretty simple. Buy or sell? Michigan football can win the Big Ten Championship this season. Let’s discuss.

Max- @WolverineCorner: Sell

I’m going to interpret this question a bit less literally and answer based on odds. Sure, Michigan football can win the Big Ten this season. Shoot, Purdue technically could win the conference but we all know that’s not going to happen.

For me to buy this, I have to think Michigan at least has a decent chance to win the conference and I don’t. So I am selling this idea.

So many things have to fall into place for this to happen. Michigan has to beat Ohio State in Columbus against Justin Fields. Do you like those chances? Michigan would also likely need to run the table or at worst go into the Ohio State game at 6-1.

There’s a ton of reasons to like the Michigan football team this year. Fresh blood at QB in Joe Milton. A stacked running back room. Talented receivers even after the loss of Nico Collins. But with every new season comes new question marks.

The offensive line and the corner position are two of the biggest question marks that needs answered. The return of Jalen Mayfield certainly helps, but there’s still going to be four new faces on that starting offensive line.

I think Michigan could be a threat in the conference this season and maybe even surprise some people. But I don’t see a scenario where they have a realistic shot at dethroning Ohio State as Big Ten champions.

Jake- @uofmbrothers: Buy

While I am unsure how the schedule is going to turnout for Big Ten play, the kool-aid is being drank and I’m once again buying into the hype train from this team. The fate of the team ultimately though, lies in how good of a performance Michigan gets from the quarterback position.

That’s arguably, among some other things, been what has held the Wolverines back from making that jump from good to elite. As of right now, Joe Milton is the presumed starter. He has all the tools and athletic ability in the world to be an elite quarterback and take the team to the next level.

The only other real question mark for me is the offensive line, having to replace 5 starters from last season. I have full faith though in what Ed Warriner is doing and know he will put a good product on the field.

Although Don Brown gets a lot of hate, I still believe in him and his system and feel that the offense in the second year under Josh Gattis, is going to flourish. Under Harbaugh, this will only be the second time Michigan football will have the same offensive coordinator in back to back years. The last time that happened? 2016, when the Wolverines quite nearly made the playoffs with one of arguably the programs top teams ever.

It will ultimately come down to beating Ohio State, but I’m buying that this is the year Michigan breaks through and makes it to Indy.

Tyler- @TwillSZN: Sell

Based on the recent news that Jalen Mayfield will be returning and the rumors that Nico Collins and Ambry Thomas may follow suit and return for one more season, there is a lot to be excited about when it comes to Michigan football this year.

However, when it comes to buying or selling on Michigan competing for a conference championship this year, I’m going to have to sell. The big reason that makes me say that is the juggernaut that Ohio State is going to be this year is in the way of Michigan making that happen.

Being that Michigan has not been able to defeat Ohio State in so long and how good Ohio State is going to be this season, it seems very unlikely that Michigan will be able to surpass Ohio State for the first time under Harbaugh this season.

Although I’m very excited to see Joe Milton take the field and show how much he has improved, he has very little experience and is unproven so there’s no way to fully know what Michigan is going to get from him this season. It’s also important not to forget that the offensive line protecting Milton is almost completely new and would be if Mayfield didn’t decide to return, and it’s never easy to replace 4 starters on the offensive line successfully.

However, Michigan had a lot of depth on the offensive line last season and a lot of the guys replacing last year’s starters are no joke. They are still in solid shape but there are definitely some question marks on the offensive line entering the season.

I really like the defense entering next season though, and I think the only thing that could stop them from being an elite defense would be the coaching scheme. Michigan’s signature press man defense tends to get burned when they play teams that are more on their level of talent, so they need to be better at making adjustments on defense throughout the game to say the least.

This team could very well be one of my favorite teams Michigan has had under Harbaugh and I think this will be one of his better teams altogether, but surpassing Ohio State this season still seems unlikely until I actually see it happen.

That’s why I’m going to sell on Michigan competing for a conference championship this season although the teams potential is very high.