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The Michigan football program was so close last year.
After a dominant run that saw the Wolverines roll through the Big Ten and beyond, Michigan made it to a Big Ten Championship win over the Purdue Boilermakers before they faced the TCU Horned Frogs in the College Football National Championship. Though they came close to a victory, Michigan fell in a 51-45 loss to TCU behind the 225 passing yards of Horned Frogs quarterback Max Duggan and the 150 rushing yards of running back Emari Demercado.
Michigan quarterback JJ McCarthy made his goals clear during a June article from ESPN Senior Writer Adam Rittenberg.
“My 1A goal is bring a national championship to Ann Arbor; 1B is to never lose to (Ohio State),” McCarthy said, via ESPN. “That will mean a lot to me. From the guys that play scout team to the guys that are touching the ball every play, we have to be our best at all times.
“That's not always going to look pretty, but we just got to keep pushing, keep pushing and growing in every aspect, and we'll be where we want to be by Nov. 25.”
What can the Wolverines do to make it back into the College Football Playoff in 2023?
Tap Into The Defense
It's often said that defense wins championships.
Michigan's defense allowed 16.1 points and 292.1 yards per game last season, putting it in fourth and third place in the Big Ten, respectively. It held Purdue to 22 points and 90 rushing yards, picking off quarterback Aidan O'Connell twice on their way to a 43-22 win at Lucas Oil Stadium.
The Wolverines defense will feature linebackers Junior Colson, Michael Barrett and defensive back Rod Moore. The three led Michigan in total tackles last season. If they can find a way to tap into their returning talent, along with a newer face in UMass transfer cornerback Josh Wallace, Michigan should have the defense needed to hold off some of the top contenders in the Big Ten.
Build Off Of The Run Game
No offense can be complete without a solid running game.
Michigan led the Big Ten in rushing yards with 238.9 per game last season. Led by the 173 yards of running back Donovan Edwards and the 166 yards of Blake Corum, the Wolverines rushed for 418 yards in a 41-17 win over the Penn State Nittany Lions in October. Corum, a former 4-star recruit in Michigan's 2020 class, led the Wolverines in rushing yards with 1,463 last year.
Corum will return to the roster in 2023. Running back Donovan Edwards, who placed second on the roster with 991 rushing yards, will also return to Ann Arbor next season.
If they can build off a strong running game with a reliable passing game featuring McCarthy, the Wolverines can make a return to the College Football Playoff in 2023.
Beat Ohio State
Goal 1B needs to be a given.
Ohio State has long contended with Michigan for the top spot in the Big Ten East. The Wolverines' 9-0 record against Big Ten opponents put it ahead of the 8-1 Buckeyes in last year's standings. Michigan won the previous two matchups against Ohio State, once in Ann Arbor in 2021 and again in Columbus in 2022.
Both Ohio State and Michigan made the College Football Playoff last season. The Buckeyes came close to defeating the Georgia Bulldogs in the semifinal, but a missed kick from senior kicker Noah Ruggles that lined up perfectly with the New Year stopped Ohio State from facing TCU in the National Championship.
If the Buckeyes can find a way to get back to full strength next season, they could again be a formidable opponent to look out for in the conference. For Michigan to know it can stand with the best in the NCAA, it must take down its century-old rival on its way to a potential spot in the Playoff.
