The term must-win game is overused. But for Michigan football, Washington is a must-win game.
Michigan is 4-2 and 2-1 in the Big Ten. Every goal is still ahead of the Wolverines, but they have lost all margin for error in the Big Ten race and the race for the 12-team playoff.
There are five games to go before Ohio State, which looks like a juggernaut, especially on defense. Win out, including a win over OSU and Michigan football will be in the playoff.
Lose a game, and the Citrus Bowl or something along those lines would be the best-case scenario. Coming off a 31-13 loss to USC, this program feels like it's at a crossroads. Sherrone Moore showed up to his Monday press conference in a blue-collar jacket.
The idea was clear. This team needs to get back to work. Will that be enough? Looking ahead to a game Michigan football has to win, here are the five biggest questions facing the Wolverines against Washington.
Can Michigan contain Demond Williams?
The USC game exposed a dirty secret: Michigan's defense isn't good.
In the three most difficult games on the schedule, against Dylan Raiola, John Mateer and Jayden Maiava, the Wolverines have allowed an average of 284 passing yards per game.
That's Don Brown territory. Michigan has allowed just over 27 points per game in those contests. That's just bad defense. It's not even close to the standard of Michigan football, and the issue isn't just the players.
It's Wink Martindale. He's back to doing all the stuff that got him in trouble at the start of last season. Michigan's defense, with Mason Graham and Kenneth Grant, wasn't good for most of the season because Wink was blitzing constantly.
Demond Williams, the Washington quarterback, throws for 271 yards per game. He's completing 74 percent of his passes, has 10 touchdowns, and just one interception. Williams, a redshirt freshman, has also rushed 74 times for 382 yards (63 yards per game).
Michigan hasn't offered much resistance against a quality quarterback all season. That needs to change on Saturday or the Wolverines will suffer back-to-back losses.