Athlon Sports Predicts Michigan's Big Ten East Finish

With Spring ball in the rearview mirror and fall camp still months away, its officially time for pre-season projections and predictions.

Entering the 2022 season as the defending Big Ten Champions, the Michigan Wolverines will certainly have their work cut out for them if they hope to repeat as conference champions for the first time since 2003-04.

Though Michigan defeated Ohio State convincingly in Ann Arbor back in 2021, it appears as though most publications still view the Buckeyes as the class of the conference - as evidenced by Athlon Sports' latest Big Ten East prediction. 

With the Buckeyes selected to win the Big Ten East, here's what Athlon had to say about Michigan's placement at No. 2 on the list:

2. Michigan

Jim Harbaugh got Michigan over the hump last season by defeating Ohio State, winning the Big Ten title for the first time since 2004 and earning a trip to the CFB Playoff. However, the Wolverines have some retooling to do in order to reach that level once again this fall. A defense that limited teams to 17.4 points a game and 4.93 yards per play lost coordinator Mike Macdonald to the NFL and several key players, including ends Aidan Hutchinson and David Ojabo and defensive backs Brad Hawkins, Dax Hill and Vincent Gray. Filling the voids up front and replacing the lost pass rush by Hutchinson and Ojabo remains the team’s biggest concern going into the fall under new play-caller Jesse Minter. Although the defense is likely to take a small step back, Michigan’s offense should be among the best in the Big Ten. New co-coordinators Matt Weiss and Sherrone Moore have two proven quarterbacks in J.J. McCarthy and Cade McNamara, one of the top backfields in the nation with Blake Corum and Donovan Edwards and a deep group of receivers that includes Ronnie Bell back from injury. Two starters are gone up front, but Virginia transfer Olusegun Oluwatimi should contend for All-America honors and ease any concerns about transition at center.

Translation: They'll be good, but not good enough to beat Ohio State. 

In what is already one of the most anticipated matchups of the 2022 college football season, the Michigan Wolverines travel to Columbus for an afternoon matchup with Ohio State. The Buckeyes have won nine straight against the Wolverines in Columbus, with Michigan's last road win in the rivalry coming in 2000. 

The Game
〽🏈⭕

11.26.22
🕛 12 p.m.
📺 FOX pic.twitter.com/ATfcJVVPIa

— Michigan Football (@UMichFootball) May 16, 2022