Michigan football’s top five goals in 2023

Each year in our Michigan football preview we break down the top goals for the team … and has that list ever evolved over the last decade and a half. Beating Ohio State was a pipe dream for a while, so it was “make a bowl game” or “win 5 Big Ten games” — crazy for such a storied program. They were dark times, indeed, and for a while it seemed there was no end in sight.

Enter Jim Harbaugh. It took a while, but the Michigan coach has proven to be as elite as hoped. He and his team will be going for a third straight Big Ten title this year, and that is — and should be — at the top of the list when it comes to Michigan football’s 2023 goals. Here they are (and to order The Wolverine 2023 Football Preview, click here: ORDER 2023 FOOTBALL PREVIEW).

5. Continue to develop the NIL program. Harbaugh and his program are recruiting like you’d expect back-to-back champions to after a bit of a down year in 2023. The collectives have really stepped up on the football side, but more relationships need to be built, more donors need to buy in. Name, Image, and Likeness is going to be a huge part of college football for the foreseeable future … and it’s still not where it needs to be.

4. Develop the passing offense — Don’t get us wrong … we’ll take 400 yards on the ground any day (and twice on Saturday). But to beat the Georgias, Alabamas, etc. in the postseason, the Wolverines are going to need more from the downfield passing game. We know quarterback J.J. McCarthy can throw, but there doesn’t appear to be a Braylon Edwards, Mario Manningham, David Terrell type on this team. Who, if anyone, is going to step up?

3. Win the “trophy” games. There are two of them besides what will likely be the Big Ten East trophy game with OSU — the Little Brown Jug contest at Minnesota and the Paul Bunyan Trophy game at Michigan State. These are “should win” games, but they’re usually tough ones. The trophy case at Schembechler Hall looks bare when those additions aren’t there.

2. Win a playoff game — We wrote it here last year, too, and some said we were a bit over our skis. The Wolverines had a golden opportunity against a TCU team they should have beaten, but too many mistakes and uncharacteristically bad defense doomed them. They might have been a bit overconfident as a heavy favorite, as well. Many are talking “national championship or bust” for this Michigan team, but it starts with a win in the semifinals.

1. Beat Ohio State and win the Big Ten — again. Michigan has done to OSU what the Buckeyes did to them more than a few times over the previous 17 years (before 2021) — not only beaten them, but also dominated and broken their spirit. Many are still picking Ohio State to win the Big Ten this year, calling them the “more talented team.” We’d argue that they were the last two seasons, too — at least on paper. Michigan has a chance to leave no doubt that the title now goes through Ann Arbor, and we wouldn’t bet against it.

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