Michigan Football 2024 Preview: Win Total, Predictions, and Season Keys

Michigan Football 2024 Preview: Keys to the Season

Scroll Down for Key Player, Key Game, Top Transfers, Biggest Game, Top 10 Players, Win Total & Prediction, Michigan Schedule

2024 Michigan Football Preview
Michigan Preview | Offense | Defense
CFN 2024 Preview: All 134 Teams

Key To The Michigan Football Season

Keep completing passes.
The defense won’t be as good as last year’s version, but it won’t be far off. The offense will need time with all the new parts across the board, but it’ll be fine - at least with the running game.

Replacing QB JJ McCarthy and most of the top receivers - that’s a problem.

Alex Orji doesn’t have to be tenth-pick-in-NFL-Draft good, but he needs to keep the chains moving in any way he can.

He should run a bit more than McCarthy did, and as long as he’s working with TE Colston Loveland over and over again, relying on the pass catching ability of Donovan Edwards, and connecting on around 65% of his throws all will be fine. It would also help if he got a ton of help from …

Michigan Key Player

Tyler Morris, WR Jr.
The 5-11, 185-pound shifty inside target only made 13 catches last year, but two of them - one for a touchdown - against Bama in the Rose Bowl were very, very big.

He has punt returner quickness and decent hands, and - as the likely only upperclassman among the projected starters - it would be massive help for the offense if he could be a go-to wideout right away.

Michigan Football Top Transfer, Biggest Transfer Loss

Top Transfer In: Dominic Zvada, PK Jr.
There are several excellent transfers coming over for the secondary, Maryland’s Jaishawn Barham will be a big deal for the linebacking corps, and Josh Priebe is a good one at one guard spot.

The kicking game will matter even more this year - there should be more tight games.

James Turner nailed 18-of-21 field goals with just one misfire over the last 17 kicks - it happened to be against Alabama, but he was really, really good. You also have to be really, really good to come from Arkansas State to be Michigan’s new kicker.

Dominic Zvada missed his first two field goals last year against Oklahoma, and connected on 17 of his next 19 with the range and consistency to be ready for the big moments for the Wolverines.

Top Transfer Out: Keon Sabb, S Jr.
A nice part of the safety rotation last year, he made 28 tackles with two picks - taking one for a score against Minnesota - and five broken up passes. A fantastic talent, he would’ve fit in right away with all the changes in the secondary, but now he’ll start at Alabama.

Michigan Key Game

Texas, Sept. 7
Yeah, of course, we all know what the biggest game is on the slate - and trust me, THAT is absolutely the Keyest of Key Games for THE team that hasn’t won the rivalry in three years.

But beat Texas, and it’s not asking for the world to be 8-0 going into the showdown against Oregon. If nothing else, this would be the muscle flex needed for the No Harbaugh, No Problem dream the program is hoping for going forward.

10 Best Michigan Football Players

1. Will Johnson, CB Jr.
2. Mason Graham, DT Jr.
3. Kenneth Grant, DT Jr.
4. Colston Loveland, TE Jr.
5. Alex Orji, QB Soph.
6. Donovan Edwards, RB Sr.
7. Josaiah Stewart, LB Sr.
8. Makari Paige, S Sr.
9. Ernest Hausmann, LB Jr.
10. Rod Moore, S Sr.* (Inj)

Michigan 2023 Fun Stats

- Third Quarter Scoring: Michigan 146, Opponents 24

- Interceptions Returned for TDs: Michigan 4, Opponents 9

- Fumbles: Opponents 20 (lost 9), Michigan 12 (lost 3)

Michigan Football 2024 Win Total Prediction: What to Expect This Season

Say what you will about last year’s schedule being extremely favorable, but Michigan still had to pull off those two wins at the end of the fun to get it done.

Texas. There, everyone who complained about the Michigan non-conference schedule - and rightly so - of East Carolina, UNLV, and Bowling Green. You defending national champ has a powerhouse of a game to deal with before the Big Ten season starts.

Penn State and Wisconsin are off the slate, and not playing Iowa is never bad. However, for Michigan, missing Maryland, Nebraska, Purdue, Rutgers, and what should be a weaker UCLA squad isn’t a plus.

Welcome to USC and Oregon rolling into Ann Arbor, and enjoy the trips to Washington and Ohio State.

The key for Michigan isn’t all the big ones as much as it will be the middle ones. It can win three of the five games against Ohio State, Oregon, Washington, USC, and Texas and be fine in the expanded College Football Playoff chase.

It can’t blow a tire, though, against an Illinois on the road, or agains a - perish the thought - Michigan State, or even in the opener against a plucky Fresno State.

No, the 2024 version is nowhere near as strong as the 2023 one. It’s still really good.

Set The Michigan Win Total At … 9

Likely Wins: Arkansas State, Fresno State, at Indiana, Northwestern

50/50 Games: at Illinois, Michigan State, Minnesota, at Ohio State, Oregon, USC, Texas, at Washington

Likely Losses: No apparent sure-thing losses

2024 Michigan Football Schedule

Aug 31 Fresno State
Sept 7 Texas
Sept 14 Arkansas State
Sept 21 USC
Sept 28 Minnesota
Oct 5 at Washington
Oct 12 OPEN DATE
Oct 19 at Illinois
Oct 26 Michigan State
Nov 2 Oregon
Nov 9 at Indiana
Nov 16 OPEN DATE
Nov 23 Northwestern
Nov 30 at Ohio State

Missing: Iowa, Maryland, Nebraska, Penn State, Purdue, Rutgers, UCLA, Wisconsin

2024 Michigan Football Preview
Michigan Preview | Offense | Defense
CFN 2024 Preview: All 134 Teams