A week away from kicking off their 2022 college football season, the Michigan Wolverines have finally decided on their starting quarterback when they take on the Colorado State Rams on Sept. 3 at home. In a statement released Saturday by Michigan football, head coach Jim Harbaugh announced that the Wolverines will have Cade McNamara starting under center for the team in Week 1 against the Rams. However, it will be a different story in Week 2 against the Hawai'i Rainbow Warriors, also in Ann Arbor, with J.J. McCarthy taking on the starting quarterback role for the said contest.

“We have made a decision. Both quarterbacks have played great – done everything they could have and, in every way, to win the starting job. Coming out of camp, I just feel like we have two quarterbacks, Cade McNamara and J.J. McCarthy, that we feel very confident that we can win a championship with either of those two behind center.”

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college football teams USC, Michigan, Ohio State, Auburn, with QB silhouette

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Ranked eighth in the preseason Top 25 AP Poll, Michigan football should be able to survive its early matches, especially since will be playing at home against the likes of Colorado State and Hawai'i. They also have a game against the UConn Huskies in Ann Arbor after they deal with the Rainbow Warriors. Where it starts to get serious for Harbaugh and Michigan football is around late September when it faces off with 2021 tormentor Maryland Terrapins followed by a showdown with the Iowa Hawkeyes on the road. At that point, Jim Harbaugh may have already made a final decision on the permanent starter for the Wolverines.

Last season, Michigan football made it all the way to the College Football Playoff for the first time in the John Harbaugh era, with Cade McNamara as QB1. McNamara finished the season with 2,576 passing yards and 15 touchdowns against 11 interceptions. J.J. McCarthy, on the other hand, had 516 passing yards and five touchdowns along with a couple of interceptions in a limited role. His ability to run with the ball is what makes him an intriguing potential permanent pick to start for the Wovlerines in 2022. He ha 124 rushing yards and a pair of rushing scores on 27 carries in 2021.