Michigan Football: Ranking The Most Difficult Road Games Of 2021

The Michigan football program has one of the toughest schedules in all of college football once again heading into the 2021 season. In total, the Wolverines will face five preseason AP top 25 opponents during the regular season - including No. 4 Ohio State, at No. 12 Wisconsin, No. 17 Indiana, at No. 19 Penn State and No. 20 Washington.

When it comes to the road schedule specifically, Michigan will need to navigate through some extremely tough environments if it hopes to have any shot at capturing its first conference title since 2004.

Here's where Michigan's five road opponents rank in terms of the challenge they'll pose to the Wolverines in 2021.

5. at Nebraska

Date: Oct. 9
Location: Lincoln (Neb.)
All-time record vs Nebraska: 5-4
Last meeting: Michigan 56, Nebraska 10
Last Michigan road win: 2012

The Cornhuskers have been a miserable football program under the leadership of head coach Scott Frost. Entering his fourth year in Lincoln, Frost is still searching for his first winning season and recently landed a spot on CBS Sports' hot seat rankings for coaches heading into 2021.

That certainly doesn't mean it's going to be an easy trip for Harbaugh - who also made the CBS Sports' list - and the Wolverines. Struggling or not, it's tough to win football games in Lincoln when you're the visiting team and there's 90,000 rabid Cornhusker fans packed into Memorial Stadium.

Beyond the tough environment is the actual scheduling of the game itself. Before meeting with Nebraska on Oct. 9, Michigan will square off against No. 12 Wisconsin in Madison on Oct. 2 - a place where Michigan hasn't won a football game since 2001. Don't be surprised if the outcome of the Wisconsin game - for better or worse - has a big impact on how Michigan performs the following week against Nebraska.

4. at Maryland

Date: Nov. 20
Location: College Park (Md.)
All-time record vs Maryland: 8-1
Last meeting: Michigan 38, Maryland 7
Last Michigan road win: 2019

There's not much that needs to be said about this one. Maryland has talent, but Michigan is simply the better team. The problem for Michigan here is that this game takes place the week before that week.

After taking a year off in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the rivalry between Michigan and Ohio State is set to resume in Ann Arbor on Nov. 27. Given all that's at stake, it's easy to imagine a scenario where Michigan gets caught napping against a sometimes pesky Maryland football team.

3. at Michigan State

Date: Oct. 30
Location: East Lansing (Mich.)
All-time record vs Michigan State: 71-37
Last meeting: Michigan 24, Michigan State 27
Last Michigan road win: 2018

Yes, all games in college football are "must-win" games - but that is especially true when it comes to this one.

First year head coach Mel Tucker and the Michigan State Spartans marched into Michigan Stadium and embarrassed the heavily favored Wolverines in 2020 - capturing the coveted Paul Bunyan Trophy in the process. The shocking win for Tucker sent a clear message that the Spartans have no intention of surrendering the state to big brother anytime soon.

On the flip side, it was arguably the worst loss of Harbaugh's coaching tenure - falling as a 21-point favorite to a rival with a first-year head coach in a "rebuild" year. The cloud of the COVID-19 pandemic and the oddity of the 2020 season likely softened much of the blowback that would have occurred during a normal year, but that won't be the case in 2021.

Put simply, Michigan has to win this football game.

2. at No. 19 Penn State

Date: Nov. 13
Location: University Park (Pa.)
All-time record vs Penn State: 14-10
Last meeting: Michigan 17, Penn State 27
Last Michigan road win: 2015

Penn State got off to a really, really bad start in 2020. Historically bad. Head coach James Franklin and the Nittany Lions began the season with an 0-5 record, the worst starting record in program history. It wasn't until week six that Penn State finally captured it's first win of the year, defeating Michigan in Ann Arbor by a score of 27-17.

The rivalry shifts back to Happy Valley in 2021, with Michigan looking to end a two-game skid against PSU and notch its first win in Beaver Stadium since 2015. Easier said than done.

1. at No. 12 Wisconsin

Date: Oct. 2
Location: Madison (Wis.)
All-time record vs Wisconsin: 51-17-1
Last meeting: Michigan 11, Wisconsin 49
Last Michigan road win: 2001

The Badgers absolutely dismantled the Wolverines in 2020, marching into the Big House and handing Michigan an historic 49-11 loss - one that included the largest halftime deficit for Michigan at home since Michigan Stadium opened in 1927.

Things don't get any easier for Michigan in 2021, as the Wolverines travel to Camp Randall on Oct. 2 to face the Badgers. Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh is 0-3 against Wisconsin on the road, while Michigan is 0-5 against Wisconsin on the road since 2005 and hasn't won a game in Madison since 2001.