The Kyle Whittingham era will kick off in about four months, give or take a little. The Wolverines just wrapped up spring ball a few weeks ago, so it's a good time to look ahead.
Some fans get sick of post-spring prognostications. I get that. But it's a worthwhile exercise, especially as Whittingham heads into his first season as Michigan football coach.
The schedule is difficult with four College Football Playoff teams from last season on it in Oklahoma, Indiana, Oregon, and Ohio State. The Wolverines will need to win one or two of those games in order to make the playoff.
That's the goal this season, or it should be. Michigan should be College Football Playoff or bust every season. There will be some down years, but the Wolverines should consistently be in the top 12.
They didn't finish ranked close to the Top 12 in either season under Sherrone Moore. Looking ahead to the 2026 Michigan football season, here are the best and worst-case scenarios.
Best-case scenario
The best thing for Michigan football is for Bryce Underwood to turn into an effective, All-Big Ten-level quarterback. If he does, all bets are off.
There are lots of questions, though. Some Michigan football fans have concerns about the offensive line, but with Jim Harding, things should be just fine, especially once everyone is healthy.
The defense looks stellar under Jay Hill. Michigan just needs Underwood to take a step this season. If that happens, beating Oklahoma feels realistic. Even beating Indiana at home feels much more possible. Heck, even lowly Penn State nearly upset Indiana last season. The Hoosiers aren't unbeatable.
Winning one of four marquee games might be enough to make the playoff, if the losses are close, and Michigan looks dominant against other teams like Iowa and Michigan State.
If Underwood hasn't taken a big step forward, even if he does run more, it's hard to see Michigan beating Indiana, Oklahoma, Oregon, or Ohio State without an improved passing game.
Nine or 10 wins still feels like the best-case scenario.
Worst-case scenario for Michigan in 2026
If Underwood struggles and Whittingham has a more difficult time than expected adjusting to the Big Ten schedule, Michigan could have a tough go of it.
Whittingham has won 66.8 percent of his games. He's a three-time conference champion and even coached Utah to an undefeated season that ended with a Sugar Bowl win over Nick Saban.
The Wolverines shouldn't look out-coached in every big game as they did in 2025. But, if Underwood resembles the player he did last season, Iowa and Penn State are good enough to win in Ann Arbor.
A six or seven-win season would qualify as a worst-case scenario. Nine wins seem like an ideal middle ground. It would be easy to predict a higher win total if the schedule were more manageable.
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