The college football season is not expected to be kind to the Michigan Wolverines in 2026.
Michigan is expected to open the 2026 college football season ranked inside the top 15. The Wolverines return quarterback Bryce Underwood and other talent on offense and defense. However, the Wolverines will be led by a new head coach in former Utah head coach Kyle Whittingham.
Sherrone Moore, of course, was fired by Michigan amid an off-the-field scandal. Moore is now facing criminal charges after getting arrested near the home of his alleged mistress, who worked for him in Ann Arbor.
But will Michigan's players be able to put distractions aside and live up to the hype in the 2026 season?
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ESPN college football analyst Sam Acho is predicting that Michigan will be the country's "biggest underachiever" during the 2026 season.
Michigan projected to disappoint in 2026
Acho believes that Michigan's schedule, which includes games against Oklahoma, Oregon, Indiana, Penn State and Ohio State, will do them in.
“Michigan will be the biggest underachiever this year, mainly because of not just a new coach, but also their schedule,” Acho said on SportsCenter. “Week 2, they play an Oklahoma team that’ll be significantly better. They have Oregon on their schedule, Indiana on their schedule, and yeah, they have a new coach, new culture. Also, they face a better Penn State team, Iowa as well. So I think Michigan will underachieve this season.”
If Michigan can pull off a surprise win or two, the Wolverines could be in great position to surprise later in the year.
Michigan is set to open the 2026 college football season on Sept. 5 against Western Michigan.
Kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m. E.T. on NBC.
