Michigan has gone through a lot of changes since winning the National Championship in 2023. From Jim Harbaugh leaving to the scandal with Sherrone Moore, and now a new era with Kyle Whittingham leading the way. There is a lot of hope around Ann Arbor that Whittingham will stick around and even bring back some of the winning ways Michigan is used to.
The offseason has been a great start to Whittingham's time at Michigan, with his recruiting class really shaping up to be a good one. Whittingham hasn't even had Michigan's biggest recruiting weekend yet, and he already has 16 recruits committed to the Wolverines.
The next steps will be completely summer workouts and fall camp, and then Whittingham's first season will be upon us. Looking at the season, it is going to be a challenging one for Whittngham, especially in his first one as the Wolverines' head coach.
When looking at Michigan's schedule, it isn't hard to see what the three toughest games will be for Whittingham, but winning even two out of the three would be special for Whittingham. Winning all three would make him a legend in Ann Arbor.
Home vs. Indiana - Saturday, October 24
Michigan is set to take on the reigning National Champions about midway through the season, although this isn't quite the same team that won it all last season. Head coach Curt Cignetti hit the portal hard yet again after the Hoosiers won it all, and his biggest pickup was TCU quarterback Josh Hoover.
This won't be an easy one for Michigan, as the Wolverines dropped their last matchup against Indiana back in 2025 after winning three in a row against the Hoosiers. However, taking down the reigning Big Ten and National Champs at home in the Big House would certainly get the college football world buzzing about Whittingham.
Away at Oregon - Saturday, November 14
Michigan takes on Oregon, another powerhouse team in the Big Ten, just a couple of weeks after facing the Hoosiers. The Ducks have found consistent success since joining the conference back in 2024, and Eugene has quickly become one of the most hostile places in the Big Ten. Granted, not as hostile as the Big House, but still a tough place to travel to.
Dante Moore returned for one final season at Oregon before heading to the NFL, which means he could be even better than he was last season. Michigan hasn't faced Oregon much, just once since they joined the conference, but has dropped its last three matchups against the Ducks in 2024, 2007, and 2003.
Away at Ohio State - Saturday, November 28
This is the game that is always circled as the toughest for Michigan every season, and not because Ohio State is truly that tough a team, but the rivalry itself adds a lot to this game. After the Buckeyes snapped Michigan's four-game win streak last season, Michigan is hoping to return the favor in Columbus this season.
The Buckeyes believe they are high and mighty, but Ohio State lost a lot of pieces last season. Whittingham is new to this rivalry, but winning his first game against the Buckeyes would truly give him legendary status in Ann Arbor forever, and could be the difference in the Wolverines making the College Football Playoff or not since 2023.
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