Can Bryce Underwood lead the Wolverines back to the College Football Playoff? Here's a week-by-week prediction for every game on Michigan's 2026 schedule
Following its controversy-filled 2023 national championship season, the University of Michigan football program has had back-to-back seasons that most Michigan fans may want to forget. During the 2024 season, the Wolverines struggled to find consistent quarterback play as their defense led them to an 8-5 season, whose only true bright spots were wins against Ohio State and Alabama to end the year. Fans were more optimistic going into the 2025 season, with Michigan claiming the number one overall player in the recruiting class, quarterback Bryce Underwood out of Belleville High School.
Though there were definitely flashes of talent throughout Underwood’s freshman year, there were also some moments where he struggled, especially in big games. He threw for only 142 yards in Michigan’s 24-13 road loss to Oklahoma, only 63 yards in their 27-9 loss to rival Ohio State, and threw three costly interceptions in their 41-27 loss to Texas in the Cheese-It Citrus Bowl to end the season. Even in Michigan’s 31-20 road win against rival Michigan State, Underwood only recorded 86 passing yards.
It is rare in college football for a true freshman quarterback to start for a football program, and Underwood is only the fourth quarterback to do so at Michigan. He still has tons of upside to his game, and new head coach Kyle Whittingham is a great coach to continue to develop him. As Underwood prepares to enter his second season as the Wolverines’ starting quarterback, here’s a look at what their schedule holds for them during the 2026 season.
Michigan starts the year off at home against Western Michigan, the defending MAC champions who finished the 2025 season with a 10-4 record. They return with their fourth-year head coach, Lance Taylor, and last year’s starting quarterback, Broc Lowry. The Wolverines are currently 26.5-point favorites for their September 5 matchup against the Broncos. I truly believe this game will be closer than expected, but I think Michigan will come away with a 31-10 win to start off the season.
Their second game of the season is a rematch from last year, as the Wolverines face off against the Oklahoma Sooners at The Big House on September 9. Michigan hopes to avenge their loss from last season, as Oklahoma returns star quarterback John Mateer and a stingy defense that will pose a tough matchup for Underwood. I think this will be a matchup that highlights both defenses, and whichever quarterback is able to make more plays for their team during the fourth quarter will be the team that ultimately wins. Currently, Michigan opens as a slight favorite, and I predict they will get a nail-biter win, 20-17.
Michigan’s third matchup, on September 19, is a home game against a UTEP team that went 2-10 last season. This is most likely going to be the easiest matchup they have all season, and I think they will come away with a 52-3 blowout win to end their non-conference schedule.
The Wolverines start their Big Ten schedule with a fourth home game of the season against the Iowa Hawkeyes on September 26. Head coach Kirk Ferentz enters his 28th season with the program and will continue his trend of having one of the best defenses in the Big Ten. This should be a lower-scoring game, with defenses being tough to score on, but I believe Michigan will pull away and grab a 24-13 win.
On October 3, Michigan will renew “The Battle for the Little Brown Jug” as they go on the road to play the Minnesota Golden Gophers. In the last matchup between the rivals back in 2024, Michigan escaped with a narrow 27-24 victory. Minnesota returns with star running back Darius Taylor and head coach P.J. Fleck entering his 10th season with the program. I think Minnesota could make things interesting for the Wolverines in their first road game of the season, but I see Michigan being able to get a comfortable 27-13 win.
Coming off their bye week, Michigan faces off against a new-look Penn State team at the Big House on October 17. The Nittany Lions come off a surprisingly disappointing 2025 campaign where they went 7-6 and missed the playoffs. They will begin the season with new head coach Matt Campbell and transfer quarterback Rocco Becht, who both come over from Iowa State. I’m not sure what to expect from this Penn State team, but I think because Michigan is at home, they will find a way to win 34-20.
One of Michigan’s toughest matchups takes place on October 24 against reigning national champions Indiana. Curt Cignetti enters his third season with the Hoosiers, who gained major transfer players such as former TCU quarterback Josh Hoover, former MSU wide receiver Nick Marsh, and former Michigan wide receiver Tyler Morris. They also return one of the best defenses in the nation. I think this is where Michigan will lose their first game, falling to the Hoosiers by a score of 31-20.
Michigan travels to Piscataway, New Jersey, for a Halloween matchup against the Rutgers Scarlet Knights, for what will be only their second road game of the season to this point. The Wolverines have only lost to Rutgers once back in 2014, and I don’t think they will have much problem with them this year. I predict a 38-10 win before heading back home for a rivalry game against MSU.
The Paul Bunyan Trophy has resided in Ann Arbor for the past four years, and I expect it to remain there for at least one more. Though I think the addition of Pat Fitzgerald is a good one for the Spartans, I still don’t expect them to be very good this year. Michigan matches up against the Spartans on November 7 and will come away with a 41-17 win.
One of Michigan’s toughest matchups comes on November 14 when they travel to Eugene to play the Oregon Ducks. Oregon returns star quarterback Dante Moore and should be a playoff contender once again. I expect them to hand Michigan their second loss of the season, 27-24.
On November 21, the Wolverines will take on a UCLA football team that went 3-9 last season. Though I think the Bruins will be a little better this year, I still think Michigan will handle business 35-13.
The most important matchup of the season for Michigan will take place in Columbus on November 28. They will play rival Ohio State at their traditional noon kickoff time, as they try to avoid losing a second straight year to the Buckeyes. Unfortunately, I think Ohio State has too much talent returning for them and will defeat Michigan 28-17.
If this is how everything shakes out and Michigan finishes with a 9-3 regular-season record, I believe they will be a fringe playoff team. They will have key wins against Oklahoma, Penn State, and Iowa, and will have to wait and see what happens during conference championship week.
