ESPN's Kirk Herbstreit Thinks Michigan Can Win It All In 2023
With college football returning in less than 100 days, the hype train for the Michigan Wolverines is continuing to pick up steam. After two straight seasons of beating Ohio State, winning the Big Ten championship and earning one of the top four spots in the College Football Playoff, the expectation now is that the Wolverines need to take the next step forward - and that means winning it all in 2023.
Speaking recently at On3's NIL event, ESPN analyst Kirk Herbstreit said that the Michigan Wolverines have a real shot at getting it done this year.
“I think they should’ve been in the national championship last year,” Herbstreit told On3’s J.D. PicKell. “I mean, I respect TCU, but let’s face it. I think you and I and everybody that watched that game, we were impressed with what we saw from TCU that game and the way they made so many explosive plays. But I think going into it, I think if we thought about, Michigan was going to win the game. So to think, ‘What do they have to do to get over the hump?’ I would’ve said that after they lost to Georgia (in 2021) and the fashion in which they did. But against TCU, man, I just feel like just a couple plays here or there. So I don’t think they change a whole lot of anything.”
Just prior to Michigan's annual spring game back in April, head coach Jim Harbaugh said that, at this point, this is the best version of a Michigan Football team that he's had since his return.
“As we sit here April 1st, 2023, it’s gonna be the best team...it’s the best version of a Michigan football team on April 1st, 2023 than we’ve ever had,” Harbaugh said. “A great roster of players, tremendous coaches all pulling in the same direction. That doesn’t mean we’re not going to have a letdown as the months go on, but this is the best version of football that I’ve seen since I’ve been here the last eight years.”
With so much veteran talent in place, Herbstreit - like many others - thinks the stars could be aligning for the Wolverines in 2023.
“You mentioned the one-two punch in the backfield, the way they’ve recruited in recent years, they’ve got great skill on the outside, they’re always going to have linemen. And then, J.J. is, I think, proving himself to be a guy that you can win a lot of games with. So I think they’re in a great spot,” Herbstreit said. “They get Ohio State at home. Jim, I feel like, has taken his program to the highest level that it’s been at since he’s been in Ann Arbor. If they can stay healthy, they’re going to have a real shot this year.”
You can watch the full video interview below:
