Michigan Wolverines have two big trap games on the schedule in 2024 that they need to approach carefully
The Michigan Wolverines might not follow up their national championship with another title run this season, but their sights are still set on the 12-Team College Football Playoff. If that's going to happen the Wolverines are going to need to win at least nine games, if not 10 or more. And if Michigan hopes to […]
The Michigan Wolverines might not follow up their national championship with another title run this season, but their sights are still set on the 12-Team College Football Playoff. If that's going to happen the Wolverines are going to need to win at least nine games, if not 10 or more. And if Michigan hopes to reach even nine wins they're going to have to play near perfect outside of their games against Ohio State, Texas, and Oregon (all three top five preseason ranked teams).
With that in mind, there are two big trap games staring Michigan right in the face. Their games against Big Ten conference newcomers Washington and USC may look easy at first glance, but both opponents could surprise in a big way if Michigan's not on their "A" game.
Michigan at Washington October 5
The Washington Huskies are replacing their entire starting offense from a year ago, so many assume they're going to struggle immensely. That might be true for the first few weeks of the season, but by October their depth of talent and Jedd Fisch's electric offensive scheme will be a problem for many teams.
Denzel Boston, Giles Jackson, and transfer star wide receiver Jeremiah Hunter are certainly not the trio that Washington had in 2023, but all three possess game-breaking skills. Just check out Hunter making a dominant two-point conversion play from this spring in the post below.
The Huskies' starting quarterback Will Rogers has over 12000 career college passing yards and over 40 games under his belt and could be one of the most underrated players in all of the sport. Rogers is the perfect fit for Fisch and Washington as he's used to high volume passing with a combination of quick decisions underneath and selective deep shots. Michigan should have a defensive front led by Mason Graham and Kenneth Grant, plus a potentially elite secondary to handle business, but Washington's offense should not be overlooked.
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Michigan vs USC September 21
Speaking of offenses who could sneak up on the Wolverines, Lincoln Riley and USC quarterback Miller Moss could have the firepower to stay in every single game on their schedule this season. The Trojans ended the 2023-24 season with a bang as Moss tossed six touchdowns in their win over the Louisville Cardinals last season.
Will Johnson should do his part locking down USC top option(s) out wide at cornerback, but USC typically spreads things out, forcing third, fourth, and fifth defensive backs to make tough decisions. If Michigan can't score points at will against a USC defense coming off one of their worst defensive seasons ever the Wolverines could be in for a surprising world of trouble.
Hopefully Michigan doesn't overlook Washington and USC because both teams have more potential than most fans are aware of this season. Michigan is going to have an elite defense yet again, but can their new quarterback (Alex Orji?) score enough points against top offenses? We'll see soon enough.
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Be looking for more Michigan Wolverines coverage here at A to Z Sports all year long! Follow me (@FF_TravisM) and A to Z Sports (@AtoZSportsNFL) on X for all the latest football news!
And if you want to see why Mason Graham and the Wolverines defense might be able to easily propel Michigan past these two trap games just check out his highlights from last season!
