Michigan Football: Ranking Michigan’s matchups by importance

Taking a look at Michigan football’s 2021 schedule and ranking the most important matchups for the Wolverines. 

College football is unlike any other sport. Just one loss could end a team’s hopes of reaching the College Football Playoff, and two losses diminish any thought of a conference or national championship.

Any team’s season could be vastly altered any given week. Every game is important in today’s college football, but some games hold more significance than others. For a program as storied as Michigan football, this is especially true.

Here’s where I rank Michigan’s 12 opponents from least important to most.

#12 Northern Illinois

Northern Illinois is not a good football team. Coming off a poor 0-6 showing last season, the Huskies will look to right the ship in 2021.

This is a non-conference game and should be an easy win for Michigan football, which is why it ranked last on my list of most important games this season.

However, I was tempted to bump this matchup ahead one spot, solely because Michigan needs revenge on Rocky Lombardi. Most Michigan fans remember the former Spartan tearing up the Wolverines’ secondary last season, in what was a game to be forgotten. Lombardi is now a part of the Northern Illinois program and will have another chance to upset the Wolverines. Vincent Gray and Gemon Green should have this game circled on their calendars.

#11 Western Michigan

The Wolverines have never dropped a game to the Broncos in seven all-time meetings, and that streak is not likely to be broken this year. The Wolverines are by far the more talented team and should have no problem taking care of the in-state opponent.

If this game wasn’t the season-opener, I probably would’ve pulled the trigger on swapping this matchup with Northern Illinois. Michigan has never been a team to dominate in the season-opener, but starting the season off on the right foot is always important.

#10 Rutgers

Unlike last year’s triple-overtime thriller (I use that term loosely), this year’s edition of Michigan-Rutgers should be much more one-sided. Despite being a Big Ten East foe, Rutgers has been the laughing stock of the Big Ten ever since it joined the conference in 2014, and the matchup has never held true meaning.

Rutgers has been among the worst of teams in the nation in the last few years, which lands them at number 10 in my list of most important games this season.