Reviewing preseason predictions for the 2021 Michigan football Season

Everyone can be wrong and for 99% of fans and media pundits alike, we were wrong about the 2021 Michigan Wolverines.

Before the season, the Wolverines were unranked in the Coaches and AP Polls and the over/ under wins total according to William Hill Sportsbook was 7.5. ESPN’s FPI (Football Power Index) projected Michigan to win 6.8 games and lose 5.2.

To quote William Goldman: “Nobody knows anything.”

The consensus across the fanbase seemed to be seven wins, but there were still doomsdayers in the comment sections across multiple websites predicting only three wins.

The most important thing is everyone inside Schembechler Hall believed this season could be special and now the Michigan Wolverines are 10-1 entering the final game of the season. Please prove us wrong one more time.

Now, let’s collectively eat some crow, have fun with how scared we all were of Indiana and revisit some of those preseason predictions.

Maize ‘n’ Brew

Full predictions are listed here and here are some highlights:

• While I predicted 9-3, I also predicted a loss to Northwestern.
• Scotty White also predicted 9-3. Good job, Scotty.
• Dan Plocher, Harley Johnson, Matt Eifert, Jacob Shames, and former boss Anthony Broome all predicted 8-4 (Jared Stormer was unable to contribute to the article, but also predicted 8-4).
• My new sworn leader and Emperor of Editing Von Lozon predicted 7-5.

Michigan Twitter first team Hall of Famer Scott Bell did a great job of compiling predictions from 15 members of the Michigan media before the season.

Some of the highlights:

• Michael Spath (Game of My Life podcast) predicted the Wolverines to finish 6-6 and go to the Motor City Bowl.
• Brendan Roose (The Michigan Daily), Steve Lorenz (The Michigan Insider), Angelique Chengelis (Detroit News), and Clayton Safie (The Wolverine) all predicted Indiana as Michigan’s most surprising loss.
• Washington was the most popular choice for the most impressive win.

MLive

Full predictions are listed here and here are some highlights:

• Aaron McMann offered his prediction at 7-5 with the caveat of, “The oddsmakers have Michigan’s win total set at 7.5 games, and I think it’s more likely they go 6-6 than 8-4.”
• Ryan Zuke echoed similar sentiments and also predicted 7-5.
• Andrew Khan also predicted 7-5, but added this note I found interesting: “It’s not nearly enough to win the Big Ten East. Is it enough to inspire confidence that the program is heading in the right direction? We’ll see.”

The Michigan Insider

Full predictions are listed here and here is the highlight:

• Zach Shaw saw the Wolverines going 8-4 with a loss to Indiana sprinkled in there.

Wolverine Digest

Full predictions are listed here and here is the highlight (from Feb. 18, 2021, and if he revised/updated it by August, my apologies I could not find it):

• Christopher Breiler predicted 8-4 with an upset loss to Maryland. For as grim as everything looked in February, not bad.

Athlon Sports

Full predictions are listed here and here is the highlight:

• Steve Lassan, Mark Ross, and Mike Bainbridge all predicted Michigan to finish 7-5 and unanimously predicted the Wolverines to lose to Indiana.