Add this to the growing list of preseason predictions that believe Michigan will beat — and have a better season — than Ohio State. The latest in the college football checkout line that’s getting longer and longer is the venerable Phil Steele.
If you haven’t gotten your hands on a copy of his preseason college football magazine, it’s well worth it and an almost necessity for every season. It’s packed with information and insight, and frankly, there’s not a preseason publication that’s better in the business.
It’s a credible source, and a prediction that holds water in most years. Inside those juicy pages he went on the record to state that Michigan will go undefeated, beat Ohio State, win the Big Ten Conference, and find its way into the College Football Playoff.
Steele has some pretty high praise for the Wolverines in the article on Mlive taken from his college football preview.
“Michigan has not beaten Ohio State since 2011 yet were favored in Columbus (last year) and lost again 62-39,” says Steele. “While I have picked Ohio State higher than Michigan in the magazines for 12 straight years, this is the year it changes.”
Steele believes the Michigan defense, despite replacing multiple starters will still thrive under Don Brown, with the difference coming from an offense that’ll be much more explosive under new offensive coordinator Josh Gattis.
“I like the Wolverines’ new offense and Don Brown’s D figures to be in an angry mood after their last two games,” Steele writes. “Michigan gets all three of their rivals (ND, MSU, OSU) at home in the Big House and Jim Harbaugh finally wins the Big Ten in year five.”
Either everybody is on to something here, or it’s going to be another disappointing year for Michigan. I guess we’ll all find out on November 30.
