Michigan opens the 2025 season with a matchup that looks comfortable on paper, but the number attached to it tells a more interesting story. The Wolverines are listed as a 27.5-point favorite over Western Michigan in Week 1, a line that suggests oddsmakers respect the Broncos more than your average season opener.
That’s not hard to understand. Western Michigan didn’t just stumble into this spot.
The Broncos finished 2025 at 10-4 overall and 7-1 in MAC play, with three of their losses coming outside the league to Michigan State, North Texas, and Illinois. After that rough 0-3 start in non-conference games, Western Michigan ripped off seven wins in its final eight contests, with the only loss coming against Miami (Ohio).
So while this is the kind of game Michigan should handle, it’s not being treated like a throwaway. The early moneyline reflects that too: Western Michigan is at +2400, while Michigan sits at -10000. The total is 47.5, with the over priced at -118 and the under at -104.
The Wolverines enter Year 1 under Kyle Whittingham, and the first season in Ann Arbor comes with plenty of pressure baked in. Michigan’s schedule is demanding in the Big Ten, and the non-conference slate isn’t exactly forgiving either.
The obvious looming challenge is No. 10 Oklahoma in Week 2, but first Michigan has to get through Western Michigan.
That’s where the danger lies. With a new coaching staff, plenty of new faces, and a season opener to navigate, this has the feel of a potential trap if Michigan isn’t locked in from the start.
The Wolverines are expected to win. The question is whether they come out sharp enough to avoid making it interesting before that Oklahoma game starts taking up all the oxygen.
In Other News...
Michigan Suddenly Has An Early Concern With Brandon McCoy Jr
A promising start to Michigans Summer Tour took an unsettling turn almost immediately when freshman Brandon McCoy Jr. was injured about 20 seconds into an exhibition against Serbian club Mega Superbet. He had to be carried off the court, and while the program has not yet disclosed the nature of the injury, the early read is that it could be serious enough to merit real concern.
McCoy arrived with expectations of being part of Michigans lineup plans for the upcoming season, so the timing is especially difficult for a team trying to use the tour to build momentum and clarity. Even before any official update on his condition, the Wolverines are now left waiting to find out whether a preseason setback has become a much larger issue. [Read more 🡒]
Bryce Underwood Just Landed In Another Elite Quarterback Spotlight
As the 2026 college football season starts to take shape, another elite quarterback has joined the growing NIL arms race. Oregons Dante Moore has signed a deal with Celsius, putting him alongside a small group of high-profile players the energy drink company is using to sell its brand, including Michigan quarterback Bryce Underwood, Texas wide receiver Cam Coleman and Ohio State receiver Chris Henry Jr.
The move adds another notable line to Moores already busy off-field portfolio, which has included partnerships with T-Mobile, DoorDash and Nike. He is also one of the cover stars of EA College Football 27, a reminder of how quickly the sports top names are becoming marketing fixtures before they even settle into the heart of their college careers. [Read more 🡒]
Michigan Already Has A Freshman Injury Concern Fans Will Watch
Michigans overseas exhibition tour was supposed to give the Wolverines an early look at their new pieces, but it has already become a test of depth and durability. Center Moustapha Thiam left the first game early with an injury and sat out the next two, while Trey McKenney missed the second game before returning for the third, offering at least one reminder that the group is still juggling availability as it tries to build rhythm.
The bigger concern came in the third game, when five-star freshman Brandon McCoy Jr. suffered an apparent right foot injury early and never made it back to the bench. Ricky Liburd also was absent from the roster for that matchup and is presumed to be injured, leaving Michigan with more questions than answers as the trip continues and the staff waits to see how much of its freshman core will be ready once the games start to matter for real. [Read more 🡒]