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The pressure is on Michigan Football to deliver against Minnesota

By Chris Peterson

Nov 26, 2016; Columbus, OH, USA; ESPN College Gameday hosts from left Desmond Howard and Rece Davis and Lee Corso and Kirk Herbstreit discuss the days matchups on their set outside Ohio Stadium before the game between the Ohio State Buckeyes and Michigan Wolverines. Ohio State won the game 30-27 in double overtime. Mandatory Credit: Greg Bartram-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 26, 2016; Columbus, OH, USA; ESPN College Gameday hosts from left Desmond Howard and Rece Davis and Lee Corso and Kirk Herbstreit discuss the days matchups on their set outside Ohio Stadium before the game between the Ohio State Buckeyes and Michigan Wolverines. Ohio State won the game 30-27 in double overtime. Mandatory Credit: Greg Bartram-USA TODAY Sports /
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Michigan Football will be facing a ton of pressure next Saturday night against Minnesota and the presence of College Gameday just amplifies it.

Pressure doesn’t necessarily have to be a bad thing. But there is no doubt, the pressure will be on for Michigan Football next Saturday against Minnesota in its season opener.

Not only will be game be broadcast in prime time, on national TV, College Gameday will also be in town, adding even more spotlight to the Wolverines as the Big Ten opens play.

Even before the addition of the College Gameday crew, this was going to be a huge game for the Michigan Football program.

It’s going to be proof for one side or the other. A win will show progress, especially since it will come on the road, against a ranked team most experts believe can contend in the Big Ten West.

A loss however, will allow the same old narrative to be spun about Jim Harbaugh and the Wolverines. We will hear about how they can’t beat ranked teams on the road and how they will never win anything with Jim as the head coach. How he’s overrated and overpaid.

All the familiar narratives will be back and in some ways, they will be justified.

Michigan football needs to make a statement

This is a game Michigan simply has to win. If the Wolverines want to take that next step, they have to start beating good teams on the road and Harbaugh can’t start losing to the P.J. Fleck’s of the world. The Harbaugh haters will have a field day with that one.

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Or, the Wolverines could finally flip the script, as they are completely capable of doing. This Minnesota team worries me and with Tanner Morgan at quarterback and Rashod Bateman back at receiver, Michigan’s biggest perceived weakness — cornerback — will get an early test.

As will quarterback Joe Milton. The Gophers are missing a bunch of starters from a year ago and that should make things a little easier on Joe in his first start.

The running game should be a factor too. Despite graduating four starters to the NFL, Michigan’s offensive line should be a strength again and this will be the first test.

If the Wolverines can’t overpower Minnesota, good luck down the road against Wisconsin, Penn State and Ohio State.

And make no mistake, as much as I expect to see the real speed-in-space offense this season, with Milton playing point guard, the running game will be vital to Michigan’s success, especially in those first few games.

We all know this is Harbaugh’s sixth year in the program and it’s time to win games like these. Minnesota is talented, but the Gophers aren’t Michigan and if the program really is making progress, it needs to win this game.

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It won’t be the end of the world if it doesn’t, just prepare yourself for the same-old narrative, because it will be ramped up on ESPN all next Saturday night if U-M lays an egg.

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