With the difficulty of Michigan's first six games, which included three road trips against teams now ranked in the AP Top 25, a 4-2 record isn't all that surprising.
What has made Michigan fans restless has been the way Michigan football lost on the road to Oklahoma and USC.
Michigan's defense couldn't stop the Trojans. It was one of the worst performances we have seen from a Michigan defense in a long time.
Sherrone Moore has come under fire. Wink Martindale has too after his defense has allowed 27 points per game to those three ranked opponents and an average of 281 passing yards.
Michigan is at a "crossroads," says Jake Butt. He's not wrong. This game is an inflection point, and here are five predictions for a must-win game vs. Washington.
Michigan runs for 200 yards
This won't be easy. Washington has a solid defense. They have allowed Rutgers and Ohio State to rush for over 100 yards this season, but that's it. The Huskies are allowing just 3.1 yards per attempt and 82 yards per game.
Ohio State is the only team to average more than four yards per rushing attempt. Rutgers was at 3.9. Michigan, for as poorly as it played against USC, still rushed for 109 yards. Both backs averaged 4.9 yards or more.
Justice Haynes may not play. Jordan Marshall was good against USC. He could have been better, but either way, it would help to get Bryce Underwood more involved. We have not seen much in the way of him running the ball since the Central Michigan/Nebraska games.
With the offense struggling a little, only 37 points over the past two games, more Underwood runs, could provide a spark.
Demond Williams, the Washington quarterback, has attempted 64 (non-sack runs) this season. Underwood has 24. The number should be closer to even on Saturday.
It makes sense to be smart with Underwood. But a loss on Saturday probably ends Michigan's playoff hopes so if they are going to run Bryce, now is the time.
If they do, Michigan will run for 200 yards.
Demond Williams has over 300
This prediction is more about Washington, although it has to do with the Michigan defense.
Wink Martindale needs to simplify things. He's trying to run an NFL defense in college. This isn't the 2023 Michigan football defense either.
Guys don't appear to know what they are doing. Wink, at times, doesn't appear to know what he's doing. There were a lot of weird things happening on Saturday against USC. Michigan was playing 10 yards off USC and got screened to death because it never adjusted.
Michigan couldn't find its run fits, couldn't tackle, and couldn't pressure the quaterback. Maybe Wink will figure some things out. My hope is that there is notable improvement.
It's hard to see Michigan holding Washington under 20, unless the Wolverines really shorten the game. Demond Williams is dynamic. He'll account for over 300 yards as a runner/passer.
The best-case scenario is forcing some turnovers and red-zone field goals.
Derrick Moore has a day
IF Michigan football is going to beat Washington, the defensive line needs to stand out. Namely, Derrick Moore needs to play the first-round pick he's capable of being.
Moore had a sack and got a ton of pressure against Wisconsin and Nebraska. He was neutralized last week against USC, but a lot of that had to do with play-calling.
Lincoln Riley killed Michigan with a bunch of screens and quick hitters. Washington will try to do the same. Jedd Fisch is a screen guy.
But you have to think Michigan will defend those plays better this week. If Michigan can also figure out how to stop the run, Moore wil have more pass-rushing chances. He will get at least one sack, maybe two, and at some point, he'll get the ball out to force a turnover.
Washington allowed six sacks to Ohio State and 10 sacks in three Big Ten games. So the pass rush should be able to have some success, and Moore, a senior, needs to deliver a big game.
300 total yards for Bryce
Washington has allowed an average of 271 passing yards per game during Big Ten play. Underwood has been developing more as a passer each week.
Last week, there were some ups and downs. Underwood tossed two touchdowns but also an interception, even though a non-call on a defensive holding certainly changed the play, unless you believe Donaven McCulley decided to turn around in the middle of his route for some other reason.
Anyway, Underwood only had 55 plays on the field. He was able to throw two touchdowns and at home, with the defense (hopefully) playing better, Michigan should have more plays offensively. Andrew Marsh has given Michigan a true No. 2 wide receiver.
Marsh and McCulley caught touchdowns last week. I wouldn't be surprised if that happened again this week, but by game's end, Bryce will hit 300 total yards. At least he probably needs to if Michigan is going to win, unless the running game produces like it did against Nebraska, or the last time Washington came to the Big House.
The run defense will respond
The most disappointing thing about the USC loss was allowing 224 yards on the ground. Michigan football even allowed a conversion via run on a third-and-26 at one point.
Michigan was fitting gaps in the run game and didn't tackle well either. That's been a point of emphasis this week. Stopping power better be, too. Jonah Coleman averages 5.8 yards per attempt and has a Big-Ten leading 11 touchdowns.
If Michigan plays like it did last week, it will get taken advantage of, and Washington will win the game, even as an underdog.
Michigan vs. Washington prediction against the spread
This is an early kickoff for a West Coast team. That should give Michigan a slight advantage. The Wolverines will be motiated and will play like their season is on the line.
Michigan will run the ball effectively, with Jordan Marshall or Haynes. The Wolverines will grab an early lead then hang on for dear life as Demond Williams shreds Wink's defense.
Michigan 27, Washington 24