New head coach Sherrone Moore takes over a Michigan program with hopes of taking the Wolverines to their fourth straight college football playoff appearance. However, they will have some reloading to do, as Michigan only returns 40% of its roster, which ranks second to last among Big Ten teams.
These new faces have people skeptical about how the Wolverines will look this year. CBS Sports's Will Backus even grouped Michigan with teams that are "overrated" heading into this season.
"Michigan certainly deserves some credit for what it accomplished last year, which is a big reason why it came in at No. 9 in the AP Top 25," Buckus wrote in CBS's 2024 College Football playoff predictions. "But they don't look like a traditional preseason top-25 team. They're replacing the coach, offensive coordinator, defensive coordinator, and 18 starters that led them to an 18-0 record…It seems like it'll be an uphill battle for the Wolverines to maintain their top-10 ranking."
Despite their lost production, Michigan still maintains some key offensive pieces from last year's team. Colston Loveland is quite possibly the best tight end in college football and will be a crucial target for new quarterback Alex Orji. Donovan Edwards will likely see a lot of carries in the first couple of games and has shown the ability to break off big runs like he did in last year's national championship.
But the Wolverines' defense has them earning a top-10 spot in the preseason AP Top 25. Mason Graham and Kenneth Grant will be a scary duo on the defensive line, as they picked up a combined 6.5 sacks last season. Cornerback Will Johnson enters this year as the best at his position in the country, according to many, even being listed inside the top 10 in recent NFL mock drafts.
Michigan opens the Sherrone Moore era at home on Saturday, Aug. 31, against Fresno State. The Bulldogs went 9-4 last season and are projected contenders in the Mountain West conference this year.