NFL
By: Joe Cardoso
We can put the Sherrone Moore era behind us on Saturday night. Michigan football gets to show what comes next. The man who built Utah into a Pac-12 and Big Ten contender, Kyle Whittingham, takes the field as our 22nd head coach in program history, and the Wolverines open 2026 at home against Western Michigan. This is a primetime game on NBC, and I can’t think of a better way to start this season of new excitement.
Michigan comes in ranked 16th in the preseason AP Poll, as if that matters before you play a game. This is a talented roster with a potential star at QB in sophomore Bryce Underwood, who had his ups and downs last year but used the offseason to learn and grow on and off the field. What fans and players want isn’t hard to understand: a scandal-free program and greater confidence from Underwood. We took a major stumble to the finish last year and want to leave that feeling and type of play in the rearview mirror. This game won’t be the final chapter, but it is a first look at how this new regime has the team pointed.
3 Keys to a Win
Get Bryce Underwood going EARLY.
The former number 1 recruit in the country needs to remind people why he held that title. A freshman season that was shaky, inconsistent, and sometimes awesome is done. Getting him a clean pocket and a couple of easy completions will help settle him into the game. Plus, show fans that a full offseason with this new staff has helped him be a better player. If he can extend plays with his legs and push the ball downfield instead of settling for checkdowns, this unit becomes competitive. And not the one that struggled for stretches last fall.
Establish the run and control both lines.
This is one of the best running back runs in the Big Ten. In a game like this, USE them. Wear down the Broncos’ front with a ground-and-pound approach. This sets up the play-action for Underwood. You control the tempo and keep the defense fresh. A dominant run game would show me an early sign that the offensive line issues are being fixed.
Avoid the letdown like past openers.
Michigan has had its share of sloppy season openers against teams many thought we would steamroll. That is the last thing this new staff wants or needs. Whittingham’s teams at Utah were known for discipline and physicality no matter who lined up across them. Bringing that mindset to Ann Arbor starts NOW: no bad penalties, no lapses in focus, and no treating Western Michigan like a lightweight. I want to see a business-like mindset that sets the tone for the season. Have you seen this schedule? Oklahoma, Oregon, Ohio State no time to mess around.
The Bottom Line
The final score doesn’t really matter. This is a look at whether Kyle Whittingham can bring Michigan back to the top of college football. The last two years have been a clown show. Is he the adult in the room we have been missing? A win, and especially a convincing one, won’t answer everything, BUT it will give fans the first of what we hope are many reasons to believe the new era will get things right.
GO BLUE!
