The wait is just about over. The Michigan football team is closing in on their season-opener against Fresno State as the Wolverines and Bulldogs will kickoff at 7:34 ET on Saturday night. Michigan has won the last three Big Ten titles and they are also the defending national champions. However, not many people are giving this team a chance to repeat.

Michigan football did lose a good chunk of their coaching staff, including head coach Jim Harbaugh as he is now with the Los Angeles Chargers. The Wolverines will have a new head coach, and they will have a new offensive and defensive coordinator.

Another reason why people aren’t super high on Michigan is the NFL departures. Michigan was loaded with talent in 2023, and that is obviously a major reason why they were the best team in college football. No school had more players drafted in the 2024 NFL Draft than Michigan.

So, yes, this Michigan football team is going to look a lot different this season. Not many are picking the Wolverines to win a fourth Big Ten title in a row, and there certainly aren’t many picking them to win another national championship. However, these guys know what winning looks like, and they are coming into the season confident and ready to defend their crown.

One thing is certain, people are going to have to step up this season and fill the void of the players that Michigan lost to the NFL. There is a ton of talent to replace. There are still some great players back this season, and Will Johnson is a prime example. He was arguably the best player on the team last year. However, Johnson isn't the X-factor on this team. The X-factor is…

Quarterback Davis Warren

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We still don't know for sure who Michigan football will have starting at QB on Saturday night. Heading into camp, Alex Orji was the favorite. Now, there are some rumors going around that Sherrone Moore informed the team on Thursday that Davis Warren would be the starter. We won't know with full certainty until either the team announces it, or the team's first drive on Saturday night.

For now, we're going to say it's Davis Warren, but if it's Alex Orji, then he is the X-factor. The bottom line is, the X-factor for Michigan is going to be their QB.

The Wolverines are going to have one of the best defenses in the country this season. They have a lot of good talent beck on that side of the ball and that unit is going to be able to keep Michigan in any game. The Wolverines also have good running backs, and they should have a good offensive line despite the inexperience. The big question mark for this team is the QB.

If Davis Warren is the starter, there will be a lot of pressure riding on him. If he can have a good year, this Michigan football team will be really good. If the Wolverines can run the football like they have in the past, they won't need anything crazy from Warren. But he has to be able to make throws when he needs to, and he has to be able to take care of the football.

Yes, this Michigan football team lost a lot from last year, but if they can get good QB play from Davis Warren (or Alex Orji), they will absolutely have a chance to repeat.