Michigan Football: Is It National Championship Or Bust?

After repeatedly falling short during the first six years of the Harbaugh era, the Michigan Wolverines turned things around in a very big way in years seven and eight - beating Ohio State in back-to-back seasons, winning two Big Ten Championships, and making two consecutive appearances in the College Football Playoff. This is the version of Michigan Football that everyone expected when Jim Harbaugh took over as head coach back in 2015, and the recent success has most folks in Ann Arbor thinking even bigger in 2023.

The Wolverines enter the upcoming season returning over 80 percent of their production from a very successful 2022 campaign, including the top running back duo in the nation with Blake Corum and Donovan Edwards, a veteran quarterback with JJ McCarthy, an offensive line loaded with future NFL talent, and a defense full of veteran talent that will likely be one of the best in the nation.

Put simply, this is the best team Jim Harbaugh has ever had at Michigan, and it might be his best shot yet at winning a national championship. In fact, that seems to be the exact mindset if you listen to the talk around Ann Arbor - including from Harbaugh himself.

“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 during the spring. “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.”

Appearing on a recent episode of 'Michigan Made', several Wolverines made it clear that the goal in 2023 is to take home college football's biggest prize.

Roman Wilson, who figures to play a major factor in Michigan's passing game this fall, conveyed the sense of urgency to get it done now. “It’s now or never," said Wilson. "This really has to be our year.”

Senior edge rusher Braiden McGregor echoed Wilson's sentiments. "We have a team this year that really should do what we set out to do for two years," said McGregor. "If we focus and lock in, go every day as hard as we possibly can, there shouldn't be anybody that should be able to stop us"

Blake Corum, who put his NFL dreams on pause for one more year in Ann Arbor, has perhaps been the most outspoken about delivering a national championship to Michigan. “Obviously, the No. 1 goal is to win the national championship," said senior running back Blake Corum. "We have to go get it.”

“If we don’t win the national championship, it’s not a successful season in my eyes,” Corum said. “I came here with goals — we reached some of them, but that’d be icing on the cake.”