After two straight trips to the College Football Playoff, Jim Harbaugh isn't hiding from Michigan's rising expectations. Asked recently if this is the year the Wolverines win their first national championship since 1997, Harbaugh told Sports Illustrated, "Fate is in our hands. I firmly believe we have the license and ability to do it."
And the Wolverines are acting like it. After famously adding a 'Beat Ohio drill to practice two years ago that helped Michigan snap an eight-game skid against the Buckeyes, Harbaugh has added another practice period geared toward getting over the next hump, per college football reporter Bruce Feldman.
"I hear they have a Beat Georgia period, too," Feldman said on the Move The Sticks podcast. "That probably needs to happen in the recruiting office as much as anything else, but I think Jim Harbaugh knows ... they have really good players, too."
With quarterback J.J. McCarthy and star running backs Blake Corum and Donovan Edwards headlining a talented group of returners for Michigan, Feldman says this is "Harbaugh's most talented team" and his best chance yet to lead his alma mater to a national championship.
The Wolverines came up short against Georgia in the national semifinal two years ago, losing to the eventual champs 34-11. They lost at the same stage last season to TCU, who were then routed by the Bulldogs in the national championship.
"They have a bunch of those guys who decided to come back as opposed to leaving early for the NFL, and a lot of those guys are their real team leaders," said Feldman. "To me, they should not only be a playoff team, I think if J.J. can take the next step and he’s going to need a little help from the receivers … if there’s a year that Harbaugh can win the national title, this should be it. This is his most talented team."
In fact, Feldman says "this Michigan team is considerably more talented than the one they just had" that won the Big Ten for the second year in a row and went 13-1. "I like their chances."
Listen live to 97.1 The Ticket via:
Audacy App | Online Stream | Smart Speaker