The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1531518
FEBRUARY 2025 ❱ THE WOLVERINE 11 ❱ INSIDE MICHIGAN ATHLETICS A Top-Three Finish, Just Short Of A Title By Chris Balas What Dusty May has done in his first year on the job at Michigan is nothing short of remarkable. The former Florida Atlantic coach said in his first few weeks on the job he wasn't content to "build slowly," understanding that the transfer por- tal had shortened rebuilds considerably. He proved it by going 8-for-8 in signing visitors who have contributed to a fantastic, 5-0 Big Ten start. Yes, the Wolverines could definitely win the Big Ten this year, one of four or five teams we believe have a chance. Illinois, Michigan State, Wisconsin and Purdue are the others. But U-M already had three Big Ten road wins under its belt as of Jan. 14, all of them in tough venues. In fact, Michigan was the odds-on favorite in Vegas to win the title based on its hot start. Still, it's easier to pick the field here, for a few reasons. No. 1 — the schedule. There are several Quad 1 games in the last half of the season, including big road contests at Purdue, Michi- gan State, Indiana and Nebraska. We'd have picked Illinois to win it before a bad home loss to USC Jan. 11, but the Illini might still be the most talented team when healthy. The one to watch, though, is Michigan State. The Spartans are defending hard and have a tough, blue-collar team like squads Tom Izzo has won the conference with in the past. Keep an eye on Wisconsin, too, which won't lose many more at home. Michigan certainly has a shot if the Wolverines protect the ball just a bit better. Wolverines Will Go From Worst To First By Clayton Sayfie Michigan was picked to finish ninth of 18 Big Ten teams in 2024-25, but first-year head coach Dusty May's roster and team are better than most expected coming off an 8-24 cam- paign that got Juwan Howard fired. The Wolverines and Michi- gan State were the only two squads to start out 4-0 in league play, and their two meetings (Feb. 21 in Ann Arbor and March 9 in East Lansing) will be very consequential. Those two teams, plus Illinois, are the top three contenders at this point, in our mind. We'll predict that Michigan at least gets a share of the reg- ular-season conference crown, which May has stressed is ex- tremely important to him, due in part to his background in the Big Ten, including working for late Indiana coach Bob Knight. The Maize and Blue are joined by Illinois as teams ranked in the top 20 nationally by KenPom.com in both offense and defense, and we believe those are the top two teams in the league. What will put Michigan over the top is simple: the Wolverines and Fighting Illini only play once this season, and it's at Crisler Center March 2. U-M is undefeated at home to this point and has already picked up three Big Ten road wins — at Wisconsin, USC and UCLA. Taking care of home court might be the most important thing when it comes to finishing in the top half of the Big Ten and earning an NCAA Tournament bid, but being able to steal games away from unfriendly confines separates contenders from pretenders. Michi- gan is in the former category, already marking an incredible turnaround. ❱ POINT ❙ COUNTERPOINT ❰ WILL MICHIGAN MEN'S BASKETBALL WIN THE BIG TEN? H e a d c o a c h D u s t y M ay guided U-M to a hot start (5-0) in Big Ten Conference play through Jan. 13. PHOTO BY LON HORWEDEL Michigan Wolverine Football Firsts 2025 is a unique book that looks at Maize and Blue football history through the lens of the 2025 calendar. Coach and player birth & death dates, plus famous games help tell a great story. Some days will be "trips down memory lane" and other days will be "days of discovery" about players and games that you don't know but need to learn about. The most important thing is that every day will be a day to celebrate the amazing history of the winningest program in college football history. Every day will give you greater appreciation for the players and coaches who built the legendary Michigan football legacy. If you bleed blue, this book is a must read. Barry Gallagher is a lifelong Maize and Blue football fan and football historian. This is his eighth book about his beloved Michigan Wolverines. Go Blue! Purchase this book on The Perfect Off-Season Read for Michigan Fans The Newest Book About Michigan Wolverine Football!