Do you feel it in the air? The cooling temps, the smell of a crockpot, and the warmth of your comfiest sweatshirt fresh out of the dryer? College football is back, baby. What a glorious time of year.
No. 14 Michigan kicks off its 2025 campaign at home tonight against the New Mexico Lobos. Here are the keys to victory to make sure Michigan avoids a shocking loss.
Run the football and control the clock
As Roger Holien at Mountain West Connection pointed out in his New Mexico season preview, the Lobos are returning only four starters across the whole team, with three of them being on defense. It’s not like the Lobos were stopping the run well with last year’s starters anyway — New Mexico allowed an average of 212.9 rushing yards per game, a mark that was eighth-worst in DI in 2024.
You need to score points to pull off an upset, and you can’t score without the ball (duh). I’d bank on Michigan running the ball early and often with Jordan Marshall and Justice Haynes to dominate time of possession and gain a multi-touchdown lead before the first quarter is over.
Keep the pressure coming (the more complicated, the better)
Speaking of continuity, the Lobos don’t have it on their offensive line. Per Holien, only one starter — Richard Pearce, a guard who didn’t allow a sack last season — is back. All those new starters could get confused by stunts, blitzes and all the complicated rushing patterns Wink Martindale loves to wreak havoc with. I expect Rayshaun Benny to get a sack or two, and I expect Derrick Moore to practically rent a condo in the Lobos’ backfield.
The more pressure the Wolverines put on this inexperienced offensive line, the better of a chance they have to cover the five-touchdown spread.
Make life easy for Bryce Underwood
Michigan fans have been waiting for months to watch 2025’s No. 1 ranked recruit and Belleville native Bryce Underwood make his much-anticipated debut tonight.
Underwood — the fourth freshman to start the season at quarterback for Michigan, and the first since Tate Forcier in 2009 — will be under a lot of pressure this season, but playing against a New Mexico team projected by Vegas to win less than half its games is a good way to ease yourself into college football.
I expect a run-heavy game plan, along with some short routes and screen passes, to make life a bit easier for Underwood. He may be used as a designed runner, but I doubt offensive coordinator Chip Lindsey will empty the playbook with the Wolverines facing the No. 18 Oklahoma Sooners next week.
Michigan has to keep things simple for Underwood, help get him an easy score or two, and get him out of the game early so he can spend the rest of the game cheering on his fellow young players.
What else does Michigan need to do to avoid an upset bid? Let us know in the comments.
