The Michigan Wolverines football program got an unexpected jolt Saturday morning when ESPN’s College GameDay analyst Kirk Herbstreit made one of the season’s most attention-grabbing predictions. Speaking live from Vanderbilt’s campus ahead of the Tennessee–Missouri matchup, the former Buckeyes quarterback turned broadcaster made a confident call about the Wolverines football team that’s now shaping the national conversation.

During the live broadcast, ESPN College Football posted the clip to its X (formerly known as Twitter) account, sparking debate between believers and skeptics. The post teed up Herbstreit’s bold statement before airing his full take.

“.@KirkHerbstreit says that Michigan is a team to watch for the rest of season

(via @CollegeGameDay)”

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“I do look at Michigan. Michigan lost to USC, they came back the next week and beat a good Washington team. Look at the rest of their schedule—obviously, Ohio State at the end. There is a very good chance they run the table, and are at 9-2 going into that game at home against Ohio State. 60 minutes away from possibly winning that game, being 10-2. With a win over Ohio State, they could be a team that you're sitting there talking about.”

That bold prediction from Herbstreit dropped just hours before kickoff of Michigan vs. Michigan State at Spartan Stadium—a rivalry fueled by history and volatility. The Wolverines entered at 5-2 and ranked No. 25, still hunting for consistency under second-year head coach Sherrone Moore. Through seven games, Michigan has shown flashes of dominance on the ground and steady defensive play, allowing just 17.1 points per game. His College GameDay analysis reframed their season as redemption rather than recovery.

His words carried extra weight not only because of timing, but because of his Ohio State ties. Declaring Michigan a potential Big Ten playoff race disruptor from an SEC broadcast site made the moment resonate even more. For a team climbing back to national relevance, it was validation and motivation rolled into one.

Now, with the Spartans, Purdue, Northwestern, Maryland, and Ohio State still ahead, the Wolverines have a chance to turn Herbstreit’s forecast into prophecy—or let it fade in East Lansing.