With the college football season inching closer, more predictions for what the College Football Playoff bracket will look like at the end of the season continue to roll out. In most of these predictions, Michigan is often overlooked, but I think that is a mistake because the Wolverines now have Kyle Whittingham.
In the 2025 season, Michigan went 9-3 with a freshman quarterback, a head coach who, it later came to light, was dealing with a lot more than anyone ever would have guessed, and a lot of defensive issues. It feels like it should have been impossible for Michigan to finish with that kind of record, but they did.
Now heading into the 2026 season, let's face it, Michigan really upgraded in the coaching department. Going from Sherrone Moore to Whittingham is big, and it's something no one is talking about. Whittingham already made comments back at media days that Michigan has a "back to football" mentality, leaving all the drama behind.
So, if Michigan can go 9-3 with Moore and all the drama that came with that team, it should be like the sky is the limit with Whittingham.
Kyle Whittingham has always done more with less and he now has more at Michigan
Let's face it, Utah isn't a program that is bringing in all the big dollars for its teams to spend the way some schools are these days. Whittingham had to make do with what he had at Utah, and typically it worked out in his favor. The 66-year-old coach sent numerous players to the NFL, like NFL legend Eric Weddle, won a few conference championships, and finished with a record well over .500.
When Whittingham left Utah, he had a 177-88 overall record and a 109-70 conference record. He also helped usher Utah into the Big 12 back in 2024, going from a 5-7 record to a 10-2 record in just two seasons. Even though Whittingham "stepped down" from Utah, he still wanted to coach, and Michigan was quick to pick him up.
Now in Ann Arbor, Whittingham probably has more resources than he ever did at Utah. Going from a new Big 12 school still finding its footing in the conference to an established Big Ten school is a big jump, but Whittingham's record of success should help him transition just fine.
The other part of Whittingham's transition that is surely being overlooked this season is that he didn't just bring over a lot of talent from Utah; he also retained a lot of Michigan's roster from last season. The majority of the team that went 9-3 last season and still had eligibility stayed in Ann Arbor when Whittingham was hired, and he has built a culture now that has them ready to play for him.
So sure, a new head coach could mean a lot of things; it has its growing pains, but to think that Michigan doesn't have what it takes to contend for the CFP this season now that Whittingham is there is outrageous. Whittingham is a huge upgrade for the Wolverines, and don't be surprised if they sneak into one of those final bracket spots.
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