After flirting with the NFL, Michigan football defensive coordinator Wink Martindale is back to build off of last season's late surge. Returning with him is a defensive line that is deeper than a year ago. The Wolverines have two linebackers who don't miss games or many tackles, and a secondary that played without its first option for most of the schedule and won its fair share of battles.
The Big Ten also includes a potential No. 1 overall pick in Caleb Downs and the highest-paid defensive coordinator in Jim Knowles, who forms one of the sport's most exclusive coaching staffs at Penn State. Matayo Uiagalelei is another name in the conference that will spar with Downs for player of the year, at pass rusher.
Outside of the Big Ten, Texas boasts a pair of first-rounders in Anthony Hill Jr. and Malik Muhammed. Colin Simmons is only a sophomore and will be in the running for the top selection in the 2027 NFL draft. He is a double-figure sack demon off the edge. Their defensive coordinator, Pete Kwiatkowski, is not as respected as Martindale or Knowles, though. They only had one game with more than 30 points allowed in 2024, however.
Alabama has Kane Wommack calling the signals, but Crimson Tide personalities wanted him fired last year. Giving up 40 plus is not the Nick Saban blueprint that Kalen DeBoer inherited. While Georgia is always going to be in the upper echelon with Kirby Smart around, no matter what.
Clemson's T.J. Parker and Peter Woods should be the nation's scariest pass rush that's not in the Big Ten or SEC. Notre Dame lost a myriad of talent from their national runner-up performance, including Al Golden, Xavier Watts, Jack Kiser, and Rylie Mills.
For Michigan to lay claim to the question, you have to factor in what Michigan's positional coaches bring to the table, and it's very believable that the Wolverines can have the best defense in the country and sustain it long-term.