Michigan Football: Preview and Prediction vs TCU

The time Michigan football fans have been waiting for is nearly here. 

After three long weeks without Michigan football, the time is finally here. We’re in the final moments before the College Football Playoff begins, and man oh man is this exciting.

The Wolverines are back in the College Football Playoff after being embarrassed by Georgia last year, 34-11. I have a lot of thoughts on that game, but that’s for a different time as the Wolverines are facing off against a 12-1 TCU team that cannot be overlooked.

While TCU isn’t necessarily a college football blue blood like Michigan, Georgia, and Ohio State are, they’re an extremely talented team led by the Heisman runner-up Max Duggan. While Duggan isn’t the most talented quarterback in the world, he’s a true leader. This kid has some heart and is never going to shy away from a challenge.

I watched the entirety of the Big 12 Championship game on my way to Indianapolis for the Big Ten Championship, and have gone through and watched some other game footage to get a solid idea of what the Horned Frogs do well, and what they struggle with.

In this article, I’m going to preview the Wolverine offense vs the TCU defense, and the TCU offense vs the Wolverine defense. In the end, I’m going to give my thoughts on the game, and my prediction.

So, let’s get this started!

Michigan offense vs TCU defense

This has been the matchup that’s been talked about the most. Many fans, myself included, believe the Michigan offense can and should exploit the TCU defense.

TCU runs a 3-3-5 defensive scheme typically. This means they usually have three defensive linemen, three linebackers, and five defensive backs. In the Big 12, which is known for its high-scoring affairs and air raid offenses, this is necessary. Their defensive linemen are talented, but not world-beaters.

The strength of the TCU defense lies in their ability to force turnovers. While their defense as a whole is ranked 74th in total defense, they have 19 takeaways — over one per game. The Wolverines have 13. Their goal is to confuse opposing quarterbacks and take advantage of mistakes. The Wolverines are going to be able to drive on TCU but must take care of the football. if TCU can force a turnover or two, the outcome could change in a hurry.

Michigan football, on the other hand, runs a smash-mouth offense. The Wolverines are going to run the ball on you. I think the Michigan offense is a terrible matchup for TCU.

However, Blake Corum is out, and Donovan Edwards looks like he’ll be sporting a small cast for the game. I’m not sure that the staff wants to give Edwards 30 carries, and I’m not sure how comfortable the staff would be with giving freshman CJ Stokes key carries.