Ranking Michigan football's 2025 schedule from 12 to 1: No. 12 New Mexico Lobos

Big Ten Media Days is just a few weeks away, and then fall camp will begin. Michigan football isn't too far out, and it's time to start analyzing the Wolverines' schedule for this fall.

In our series breaking down Michigan's roster, we are going to rank the Wolverines' opponents from least difficult to most (12-1). Coming in at No. 12 will be Michigan's first opponent it faces on August 30: New Mexico.

2024 record: 5-7
Conference: Mountain West (fifth-place finish in '24)
Overall Returning Production: 121st (36%)
Offensive returning production: 129th (32%)
Defensive returning production: 106th (41%)
SPI Rankings: 130th (-18.4)
FPI Rankings: 112th (-10.9)

Devon Dampie — Jake Crandall/ Advertiser / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Lobos were a struggling team in 2024, but New Mexico took massive losses heading into 2025. New Mexico lost 36 players to the transfer portal, including its star players. QB Devon Dampier, who threw for 2,768 yards and rushed for over 1,100 yards, transferred to Utah. But he wasn't the only one.

Running back Eli Sanders is headed to the Big Ten, and will play for USC this year. Sanders is expected to compete for the starting job for the Trojans. The top three WRs are gone as well to either graduation or the transfer portal.

Defensively, New Mexico lost its top two defenders to the portal. Defensive backs Christian Ellis and Noah Avinger are gone, and the Lobos have just three returning starters on the defensive side of the football.

The Lobos already had the 129th-ranked passing defense in the country last season, and with major losses to the secondary, it's a great first game for QB Bryce Underwood to get his feet wet. The Wolverines will likely start Underwood in the opener to get him ready for a major Week 2 game at Oklahoma.

New offensive coordinator Chip Lindsey will also have be able to get his feet wet as the new playcaller. The Wolverines will be able to run the football efficiently with Justice Haynes and Jordan Marshall. Lindsey will have an idea of who he wants to rely on against the Sooners the following week.

Michigan should be able to do whatever it wants on both sides of the football against New Mexico, and the Wolverines couldn't ask for a much easier Week 1 opponent.

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