College football is a crazy sport. Whenenever you think something is a sure thing. It isn't.
Michigan football is one example of that. Everyone believed that the Wolverines would be a better team in 2026 with Kyle Whittingham at the helm.
Most experts, almost universally, expected Bryce Underwood to improve. He didn't show improvement in the first game. Meanwhile, Whittingham's first showing as Michigan head coach reminded you of something you might see from a team coached by Brady Hoke or Rich Rodriguez.
Western Michigan was the more physical team. The Broncos ran the ball better. Of all the things that shocked me last Saturday night, those two topped the list.
If Michigan is going to upset the Sooners, it starts there. The Wolverines have to run the ball better. They have to out-rush Oklahoma or it's hard to see a path to victory. Michigan also needs to be the more physical team.
Whittingham surely challenged them in practice. There were pictures of the Wolverines in full pads, which is good, because what we saw on Saturday was unacceptable. So you have to hope Michigan will respond to that challenge in kind.
Is there any reason to have hope that Michigan, as a 5.5-point underdog, can pull off an upset on Saturday? Yes, there is. Here are three of them.
Michigan football isn't as bad as it looked
For starters, it was Week 1 under a new head coach. Maybe the expectations were a little high, at least for things to be firing on all cylinders the first week with a new offense and a new defense.
Underwood struggled at times with the offense last season, so we should have calculated that into the projection for this season. He's learning to play quarterback, while also learning this offense.
As ugly as it was, there's a reason Tommy Carr isn't starting this week. Underwood's talent is evident. He showed it on the game-winning touchdown pass. Hopefully, that will be a turning point in his career.
Underwood will need to play better, but, like the entire Michigan football team, he's better than he showed in the season opener. That's one reason for fans to have hope. The Wolverines should come back toward the median after being at the bottom last week in terms of their performance level.
Oklahoma will be the team overlooking someone
Michigan wasn't ready to play last week. The Wolverines clearly overlooked Western Michigan. That's not an excuse. That shouldn't happen, especially against a team that won 10 games a year ago, and it's conference, but it sure looked like that was part of the problem.
Western, on the other hand, was trying to make a statement for the College Football Playoff selection committee, which in a way it did. If that team wins out, it will have a strong argument as the best Group of Five Team.
However, despite all the things that Brent Venables said, it's human nature to see all the chatter about Michigan and think the Wolverines aren't as formidable as they once appeared. Maybe the Sooners will do a better job of not overlooking their opponent.
Playing in the Big House could help, but Michigan should want Oklahoma to underestimate it, and after last Saturday, it doesn't seem that far-fetched.
Michigan's defense is legit
Western Michigan rushed for 132 yards. That's too many, but the Broncos averaged 2.9 yards per attempt. Last season, they averaged 204 yards per game, and 4.6 per atttempt.
The Broncos also brought back their 1,000-yard rusher from last season, multiple offensive lineman, and the MAC Offensive Player of the Year. Michigan's defense held that team without a touchdown, despite Western being gifted the ball inside the Wolverines 40 three different times.
Without the turnovers, Michigan probably wins the game by double digits, even playing as poorly as it did. Despite being on the field for 40 minutes, the Wolverines allowed just 229 yards. Western completed 71.9 percent of its passes, but 21 attempts turned into just 89 yards.
The pass rush needs to improve. The linebackers will need to up their game this week, too. Michigan's defense wasn't perfect. It also didn't get a turnover.
Being -3 in turnover ratio was a huge factor in the Western game being so close. If Michigan could find a way to win the turnover battle (defense is due), then it will have a real chance at winning as a home underdog.
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