The countdown to the start of the Michigan football season is nearly finished. The Wolverines will open the season in just six days.
You can feel the optimism surrounding the program. Michigan football is ranked 14th in the AP poll, but it's safe to say that U-M is being overlooked in the playoff race, with most of the experts leaving the Wolverines on the outside looking in.
After an 8-5 season, losing multiple first-round picks, and having a freshman starting quarterback, it makes sense. There are some lingering questions about this Michigan football team, and here's a look at a few that need to be answered as the season starts.
How will Bryce Underwood fare as a freshman?
The biggest X-factor in college football this season is Michigan quarterback Bryce Underwood.
If Underwood, the 6-foot-4, 228-pound freshman, is an All-Big Ten caliber quarterback as a freshman, the ceiling for this team is much higher. There's a difference between being the Big Ten Freshman of the Year and an All-Big Ten quarterback.
What if Underwood is the strength of the offense instead of what hinders it? The quarterback was the worst part of the offense last season. What if it's now among the best? The running backs should be elite, but it's hard not to see Underwood emerge as a playmaker. He's the No. 1 overall recruit from 2025.
There will be growing pains. How many and how the freshman responds to them will likely determine how far Michigan football goes this season, and whether or not it will be in the playoff picture.