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Jake Butt's comparison shows how Michigan's offense has wasted an elite defense

This defense is national-championship good says Jake Butt.
ByChris Peterson
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Michigan defensive end John Henry Daley (90) tackles Oklahoma quarterback John Mateer (10) during the first half at Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor on Saturday, Sept. 12, 2026.
Michigan defensive end John Henry Daley (90) tackles Oklahoma quarterback John Mateer (10) during the first half at Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor on Saturday, Sept. 12, 2026. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

The one bright spot for Michigan football in the 2026 season has been the defense.

Calling it just a bright spot doesn't feel like that does it justice. Michigan's defense should be getting talked about on all of the Saturday pre-game shows.

However, people don't really know how good the Wolverines are because the offense has wasted their efforts.

Michigan is wasting a national-championship caliber defense

Michigan hasn't allowed a single team to score more than 20 points. It's fair to ask how Iowa scored 20 points, but regardless, the defense has been lights-out. Indiana didn't complete a pass in the second half of its win against Michigan last week, scoring six points in regulation.

The Hoosiers didn't score on a drive that started in their own territory. That's how good the defense was. It's a shame that it has gone to waste, which is what Jake Butt was saying on the Big Ten Network.

The Michigan football great said he seems similarities between this group and the 2023 defense that helped the Wolverines win the national championship.

"This defense reminds me of the national championship defense back in 2023," Butt said. "They have an ability to play true man-to-man coverage on the outside, but then the front is able to get home with pressure packages. They are as fast a Michigan defense as I can remember in recent years, even with some bigger bodies."

Jay Hill's defense has been put in a terrible position time and time again. Looking back at the Oklahoma game, the defense essentially won it with an interception that Jyaire Hill returned inside the five. Zeke Berry did something similar last week, giving Michigan the ball at the 10-yard line after an interception against Josh Hoover of Indiana. It was Hoover's first interception of the season.

Michigan should have won that game, just like it should have beaten Minnesota. The Wolverines should be 6-1 at the very least, thanks to maybe the best defense in college football.

Instead, they are 4-3 and need to win out just to have a prayer of making the 12-team College Football Playoff for the first time.

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