Michigan has managed to only fall once so far this basketball season, and that one loss to Wisconsin has been the only time the Wolverines have faltered. The highlights of Michigan's season are wins over No. 21 Auburn, No. 12 Gonzaga, No. 24 USC, No. 6 Nebraska, and No. 7 Michigan State.
While those wins are great, some of Michigan's toughest competition still lies in front of them. CBS Sports college basketball analyst Jon Rothstein made a post on social media laying out what is still in front of the Wolverines, and it could mean a couple more losses for Michigan.
The Wolverines still have to welcome UCLA, which has been a spoiler team this season, before then playing No. 12 Purdue and No. 4 Duke in back-to-back games. Minnesota and Iowa, which are not horrible teams either, are the only other non-ranked opponents left on Michigan's schedule after those games.
Michigan will also have to travel to No. 5 Illinois and finish the regular season against rival No. 10 Michigan State before heading to the Big Ten Tournament.
Michigan will take a six-game winning streak into tonight's game against Penn State in Ann Arbor.
— Jon Rothstein (@JonRothstein) February 5, 2026
Wolverines still have UCLA, Duke, Michigan State, and road trips to both Purdue and Illinois before Selection Sunday.
The favorite to be the No. 1 seed in the Midwest.
Will Michiga have enough left in the tank for brutal end to regular season schedule
If Michigan can win out the rest of the season with all of those ranked matchups, then the Wolverines deserve to be the No. 1-ranked team in the country. It won't be easy as they not only have to take down ranked giants, but also not get upset by unranked teams that should be easy wins.
Dusty May will have to find a way to keep his team focused on the bigger picture at hand in March. The Big Ten Tournament won't be a walk in the park either, before the craziness of the NCAA Tournament.