Michigan

The Kyle Whittingham era begins in Ann Arbor with a compelling blend of Michigan's traditional physicality and Utah-style toughness, anchored by returning quarterback Bryce Underwood, the former five-star recruit who started in 2025. The Wolverines rank 15th nationally in JP+ ratings at +15.0 points, powered by a strong offense that grades 13th (+7.5) while the defense sits 21st (+4.9). Portal movement reshaped the roster significantly — Justice Haynes departed for Georgia Tech after contributing 34.0 PPA at running back, while Marlin Klein (8.1 PPA) left for the NFL and receiver Semaj Morgan (6.8 PPA) transferred to UCLA. Whittingham added key pieces including quarterback Brayden Fowler-Nicolosi from Colorado State (26.2 PPA) and receiver JJ Buchanan from Utah (17.8 PPA) to complement Underwood's return.

JP+ projects 7.4 wins for Michigan in a loaded Big Ten, with road trips to Ohio State and Oregon representing the toughest tests alongside a home date with Indiana. The offensive structure shows heavy dependence on Underwood's return while dealing with significant turnover elsewhere, including offensive line uncertainty and just 15% continuity in the receiving targets. Defensively, the Wolverines face moderate continuity concerns centered on edge pressure production after front-seven departures. If Whittingham successfully merges his proven defensive principles with Michigan's talent base while Underwood elevates the supporting cast, the Wolverines could challenge for Big Ten contention. If the structural fragility around the quarterback proves too much to overcome, they'll struggle to reach their ceiling despite the coaching upgrade.