Michigan head coach Kyle Whittingham will make his Big Ten Media Days debut on July 30. For CBS Sports analyst Brandon Marcello, the biggest issue isn't the coaching change itself but whether the Wolverines are ready to compete with the conference's top teams again.

Marcello included Michigan among the teams to watch at Big Ten Media Days. He also pointed out that Whittingham's ability to push the Wolverines back into the national championship race will be one of the event's key storylines.

"It's about time we talk football at Michigan. It's been a rocky offseason in Ann Arbor. The Sherrone Moore era is finished, and athletics director Warde Manuel is in his final days, but lost in the news is Kyle Whittingham and his Wolverines,” Marcello wrote. 

Michigan won the national championship two seasons ago before back-to-back disappointing seasons under Sherrone Moore. Whittingham now takes over a program looking to reestablish itself as a Big Ten contender.

“The roster is talented, yes, but Whittingham's steady hand -- a signature at Utah -- is sure to lead to positive results in his first season,” CBS Sports analyst Brandon Marcello wrote. "Whittingham was a proven winner at Utah, so does this team have the makings of another?"

Marcello also highlighted offensive coordinator Jason Beck's arrival. He believes Beck can help Bryce Underwood build on his freshman season while giving Michigan's offense a boost in 2026. 

Marcello's projection now shifts from paper to the field. Michigan has the talent to challenge the Big Ten's best, but the schedule will prove whether the Wolverines are ready to make that jump. 

That challenge has also been echoed elsewhere. Another recent analysis suggested Michigan's biggest obstacle may not be its roster, but the teams standing in its way.

Michigan's demanding schedule remains the biggest concern

According to an analysis by Chris Peterson of GBM Wolverine, Michigan's toughest hurdle entering 2026 is the schedule rather than the talent on the roster.

"I don't expect things to go badly in the first season under Whittingham," Peterson wrote. "He will have one of the most talented rosters he has ever had as a coach. Maybe the most talented...The problem is that the schedule is a nightmare."

Peterson noted that Michigan will face four teams that reached last season's College Football Playoff while also taking on Iowa, a nine-win team, and Penn State.

He warned that losing multiple home games against Penn State, Oklahoma, Indiana or Iowa could leave the Wolverines with eight wins or fewer, falling well short of expectations entering the new era.

Michigan will also face the defending national champion Indiana Hoosiers. On the other hand, Oklahoma returns a defense anchored by standout defensive lineman David Stone.

Penn State, meanwhile, has reshaped its roster through the transfer portal under James Franklin.

Peterson expects Michigan to lean on its defense and running game again this season. He also believes the Wolverines need more from Bryce Underwood at quarterback if they're going to beat the top teams on the schedule.

With fall camp set to begin on August 4, Michigan's new coach is expected to face plenty of questions about quarterback and Underwood.

Can Kyle Whittingham navigate Michigan's brutal schedule and bring them back to the top? Let us know in the comments!

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Written by

Evince Das

Edited by

Shubhi Rathore