3. The non-Big Ten slate strengthened Michigan for the future
So much has been said about Michigan’s weak out-of-conference schedule and for good reason. We don’t know exactly what these three wins will do for the time being, but this falls in the column of a slight overreaction. Burying lesser foes like these three can hurt you in pressure situations that arise deeper down the line.
Michigan football cake walked arguably the three worst schools in division one. However, the schedule is made years in advance and nothing can be done about it no matter how poor the opponents turn out to be. They can only execute what is facing them and just try to get better and ready for the slate that lies ahead.
Michigan opens Big Ten play against basically the same kind of team the next two weeks. Elite on one side (Maryland offense, Iowa defense), not so much on the other (Maryland defense, Iowa offense).
— MichiganPodcast (@MichiganPodcast) September 18, 2022
Maryland will clearly be the most stout test to date, but Michigan is already a hair above a two-touchdown favorite over the Terps.
Traveling to Iowa in two weeks will give us all a solid feeling about how Michigan responds to a hostile environment and how the remainder of 2022 could play out.