Kings Of The Big Ten: Michigan Football Is Officially Back

Prior to the 2021 season, Michigan Football fans had become used to certain things. After two decades of heartbreak, the idea of beating Ohio State hinged on little more than hope and a prayer, and making a trip to Indy for the Big Ten Championship game was a foreign concept. The College Football Playoff? Not a chance.

That all changed in 2021, and it changed in a very big way. Not only did the Wolverines pummel the Buckeyes in Ann Arbor by a score of 42-27, they also won their first outright Big Ten Championship since 2003 and secured their first ever appearance in the College Football Playoff. The 2021 season marked the third 12-win season in program history, and it seemed like Michigan was finally on a path toward reclaiming its rightful spot atop the Big Ten Conference.

However, a somewhat tumultuous off-season put much of that future success in question. Head coach Jim Harbaugh came dangerously close to leaving for the NFL, and the Wolverines lost their offensive coordinator, defensive coordinator, as well as two first-round NFL prospects in Aidan Hutchinson and David Ojabo. For most analysts, Michigan simply had too much to overcome in order to repeat the success from 2021 in 2022.

As it turns out, most analysts were wrong.

Entering the 2022 season, the Buckeyes were once again the heavy favorite to dominate the conference and win the Big Ten Championship - but Michigan had other plans. While the Buckeyes certainly looked the part for much of the regular season, it was the Wolverines who proceeded to put together what is arguably their best regular-season in program history.

Although No. 3 Michigan entered that final game in November against No. 2 Ohio State with a perfect 11-0 record, the Wolverines were still considered an eight-point underdog. Once again, most analysts predicted Ohio State would come out on top - and once again, most analysts were wrong. The Wolverines left Columbus with a 22-point win, their second-consecutive dominant win over the Buckeyes and the first road win in Columbus since the year 2000.

Michigan followed up that impressive performance against Ohio State by winning its second-consecutive Big Ten Championship in dominant fashion, this time with a 21-point margin of victory over the Purdue Boilermakers.

As No. 2 Michigan now prepares for another appearance in the College Football Playoff, one thing has finally become crystal clear: Michigan Football is officially back. After two dominant seasons that have resulted in more wins than any other team in the Big Ten conference, back-to-back conference championships and back-to-back trips to the college football playoff, there is no longer any denying it. The Michigan Wolverines are the new kings of the Big Ten Conference.