The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1523593
116 ■ THE WOLVERINE 2024 FOOTBALL PREVIEW BY ANTHONY BROOME M ichigan defended its 2021 and 2022 Big Ten championships with a third straight in 2023, which was a small step on a much bigger jour- ney that concluded with the national title. It was era-affirming and the cherry on top of Jim Harbaugh's nine seasons in Ann Arbor. Despite a coaching change, U-M expects to remain in that conversation un- der new head man Sherrone Moore, but it comes with new and unique challenges his predecessor did not have. The 2024 season marks the Big Ten's first as an 18-member conference, with Oregon, UCLA, USC and Washington join- ing the ranks and expanding the league's national footprint. Loaded schedules for the Big Ten elite mean more poten- tial cracks at the College Football Playoff, which expands to 12 teams this season. Another new wrinkle to the conference is the scrapping of the Big Ten East and West divisions. For the first time, the top two teams in the regular-season standings at the end of the year will play in Indianapolis on Dec. 7. This may allow for potential CFP teams to grab not only a conference title, but a win with major seeding implications in pursuit of a national championship. Michigan is not considered the favor- ite in the Big Ten this season despite its trio of titles over the last three years. That designation by and large falls to the rival Ohio State Buckeyes, who have gone three straight years without a conference crown. Many of the key pieces from the last few OSU teams return under Ryan Day, and the Las Vegas betting line believes that will be enough to get them over the hump. Ohio State and Michigan's biggest new competition arrives via Oregon, which is 22-5 over the last two seasons under coach Dan Lanning. The Ducks are expected to compete for a Big Ten championship in their first year as members, and some might argue they are the team with the fewest question marks in the conference. There could be room for at least two conference teams in the CFP with a third spot potentially up for grabs. With loaded schedules for the conference elite, the key storylines will be decided on the field in 2024. Bucks And Ducks Loom As Biggest Hurdles In Expanded Conference preview preview Ohio State coach Ryan Day (left) has a 56-8 overall record and a 39-3 mark in Big Ten play but has come under pressure for his 1-3 record against Michigan. Big Ten newcomer Dan Lanning (right) has compiled a 22-5 mark in his first two seasons at Oregon. Both their teams are among the top five nationally entering the 2024 campaign. PHOTO BY PER KJELDSEN PHOTO COURTESY OREGON ATHLETICS