Ranking Michigan's Top Five Most Difficult Games In 2023

Michigan has a good shot at making it three straight Big Ten Championships in 2023, but it won't come easy.

Looking ahead to Michigan Football's 2023 schedule, it's a pretty safe bet that the Wolverines will be favored in all 12 regular seasons games. As usual, things start off relatively easy with three out of conference opponents that shouldn't pose much of a problem - East Carolina, UNLV, and Bowling Green. 

Michigan opens conference play in Ann Arbor against Rutgers in Week 4, before heading out on the road for two straight road games against Nebraska and Minnesota. In fact, the Wolverines will need to navigate a seven game stretch that includes five games away from the Big House - a vast departure from what the schedule looked like in 2022. 

With that, here are the five games that will likely prove to be the most difficult for Michigan in 2023:

5. at Minnesota

• 2022 Record: 9-4
• Noteworthy: Minnesota returns 12 starters from the 2022 squad, six on offense and six on defense. This will be Michigan's second-straight road game, facing Nebraska just a week earlier.
• Harbaugh record vs Minnesota: 3-0
• Current Win Streak: Michigan, 3 Games

4. at Michigan State

• 2022 Record: 5-7
• Noteworthy: The Spartans return veteran quarterback Peyton Thorne, along with starting running back Jalen Berger. Head coach Mel Tucker was once again active in the transfer portal, adding 12 players via the portal during the off-season.
• Harbaugh record vs Michigan State: 4-4
• Current Win Streak: Michigan, 1 Game

3. at Nebraska

• 2022 Record: 4-8
• Noteworthy: Scott Frost's disastrous tenure at Nebraska is over, and head coach Matt Rhule is now running the show. Rhule has spent the last 10 years as a head coach, including seven seasons in the collegiate ranks and three seasons in the NFL with the Carolina Panthers. This will be Michigan's first road game of the 2023 season and a trip to Lincoln is rarely easy for the visiting team. 
• Harbaugh record vs Nebraska: 3-0
• Current Win Streak: Michigan, 3 Games

2. Ohio State

• 2022 Record: 11-2
• Noteworthy: The Buckeyes lose starting quarterback CJ Stroud to the NFL Draft, and head coach Ryan Day has now lost two straight to the Wolverines. The last time the Buckeyes traveled to Ann Arbor, they were sent home with a convincing 42-27 defeat. 
• Harbaugh record vs Ohio State: 2-5
• Current Win Streak: Michigan, 2 Games

1. at Penn State

• 2022 Record: 11-2
• Noteworthy: Michigan travels to Happy Valley in the middle of November for a huge Week 10 matchup. It's likely that the Wolverines enter that contest ranked No. 3 or higher in the CFP rankings, meaning Michigan will likely be greeted with a white-out in Beaver Stadium.  
• Harbaugh record vs Penn State: 5-3
• Current Win Streak: Michigan, 2 Games