Michigan football’s 2020s have already swung from miserable to memorable to championship gold, and the decade’s team rankings tell that story in a hurry. From the shortened COVID season to a perfect national title run, the Wolverines have covered a lot of ground in just a few years.
At the bottom sits the 2020 team, and it’s not hard to see why. It was a strange year from the start, with the pandemic cutting the season short, and Michigan finished 2-4 in what was the worst season of the Jim Harbaugh era.
The year opened with a win over ranked Minnesota, but that brief spark faded fast as the losses piled up. In the end, it was a hard team to watch and one of the most forgettable groups in recent Michigan history.
The 2023 squad lands a step above that, but only just. Michigan went 9-4 overall and 7-2 in conference play, a season that was solid without ever really taking off.
The Wolverines handled the teams they were supposed to handle, but the performances rarely felt clean. When people look back on that year, the biggest storyline won’t be the record - it’ll be Sherrone Moore and the scandal that got him fired at the conclusion of the regular season.
The 2021 team changed the mood completely. After the frustration that followed the 2020 season, there was plenty of skepticism around Harbaugh, but that group answered it.
The defining moment came against Ohio State, when Michigan snapped the losing streak with a 42-27 win powered by Hassan Haskins, who ran for 169 yards and five touchdowns. The Wolverines didn’t finish the job in the CFP, losing to Georgia, but the feeling around the program was clear: Michigan was back.
Then came 2022, and that team built on everything from the year before. The Wolverines went 12-0, won the Big Ten Championship and reached the CFP for a second straight season.
For many Michigan fans, the lasting image is Donovan Edwards ripping off two 70-yard touchdown runs against Ohio State to put the game away in Columbus. Michigan’s playoff run ended with a 51-45 loss to TCU in a game that stung, because it felt like the Wolverines had beaten themselves and let a national championship chance slip away.
That leaves the 2024 team at the top, and there’s no debate there. Michigan finished 15-0 and won the National Championship.
After two straight years of falling short in the College Football Playoff, the Wolverines finally got over the hump. In the context of the 2020s, it’s not just the best Michigan team so far - it’s one of the best in program history.
In Other News...
Familiar Michigan Coach Is Staying In The Big Ten Spotlight
Biff Poggi is staying in the Big Ten spotlight, just in a different role than the one Michigan fans got used to. The Big Ten Network announced that the former Wolverines associate head coach will join its broadcasting team in 2026, adding another familiar voice to a lineup that will also feature other former players as game analysts.
Poggis path to the booth comes after a long coaching career that included recent stops at Michigan and Charlotte, and his next chapter keeps him close to the league that has long been part of his professional footprint. The move also follows a recent Michigan departure that made clear his coaching future in Ann Arbor had shifted, even as his presence around the conference is set to continue. [Read more 🡒]
Michigan Has 3 Players Ready To Make The Media Look Wrong
Big Ten Media Days did not do much to lift Michigans profile, with projections slotting the Wolverines fifth in the league and USA Todays early All-Big Ten list giving them only one nod. Even so, there are still a few names on the roster who could force a rethink once the games start, especially if the people doing the voting end up remembering how much talent is still on hand in Ann Arbor.
Jordan Marshall is the most obvious candidate after showing real production in limited work last season, while Jyaire Hill has the kind of size and speed that can make a cornerback stand out quickly if the flashes turn into consistency. Rod Moore also belongs in the conversation, and his presence adds another layer to a Michigan defense that could end up looking much better than the preseason chatter suggests. [Read more 🡒]
LSU Is Suddenly In The Middle Of Another Massive Receiver Battle
Dakota Guerrants commitment to Oregon for the 2027 class gave the Ducks another major win on the recruiting trail, but it did not exactly close the book on his recruitment. The Harper Woods, Michigan, wideout is still viewed as one of the most coveted pass catchers in the country, and Oregon has built a loaded receiver group around him, continuing a run of five-star additions under Dan Lanning that has become hard to ignore.
For Michigan, the intrigue is obvious. Guerrant is the kind of in-state talent the Wolverines always want to keep home, and LSU is also expected to stay in the mix as he lines up multiple game-day visits. Even with Oregon holding the commitment, this looks more like a long recruiting fight than a finished decision, and the next round of visits could tell a lot about where the pressure is coming from. [Read more 🡒]