What they're saying before Michigan football opens season versus New Mexico

No. 14 Michigan Wolverines football is ready to open the season versus New Mexico Saturday night at The Big House in Ann Arbor. Here’s a look around the internet at what they’re saying before kickoff.

Bob Wojnowski, The Detroit News: Wojo’s Pigskin Picks: Wolverines eager to sign off on scandal, resume normal hostilities

The findings were damning, while somehow also inconclusive. Depending on your team colors, the scandal was either the most blatant and heinous attack upon sportsmanship in American history, or a misunderstanding of vague, outdated “guidelines.”

As it dragged on, the Wolverines appeared doomed, and many fans — from Columbus to East Lansing and back to Columbus — expected the penalty to be a major hammer. Instead, in classic collegiate fashion, everyone just went out and got hammered.

For the record, sign-stealing is legal, unless you do it while standing on the Spartan Stadium sideline wearing a Central Michigan disguise, which is just dumb. The scheme was orchestrated by a former Marine named Connor Stalions, who assembled a covert team of relatives and buddies to travel the country taking snapshots of teams’ play signals. Stalions may have funded it through a vacuum cleaner business (true theory), or with the help of a shadowy figure known only as “Uncle T,” according to reports from TheBrohioState.edu and #SpartanDawWwgGg.

It was confusing and weird, and Michigan should be embarrassed by the shenanigans of a low-level staffer who didn’t even have a parking spot at Schembechler Hall. The NCAA couldn’t directly link Harbaugh, Sherrone Moore or other coaches to the operation, nor could it gauge the impact on games, nor could it figure out how Ohio State lost to the Stalions-less Wolverines 13-10 last season.

Austin Meek, The Athletic: Michigan football preview: Can Bryce Underwood guide Wolverines past Ohio State, into CFP?

The Athletic’s Austin Mock gives Michigan a 33 percent chance to make the CFP, which puts the Wolverines on the bubble as the second at-large team left out of the field. The Big Ten’s best CFP odds belong to Ohio State (82 percent), Penn State (77 percent) and Oregon (69 percent), followed by Michigan, USC (21 percent) and Indiana (15 percent).

Michigan’s path to the CFP is going to require winning on the road, as the Wolverines play six games away from Michigan Stadium, including one at Wrigley Field against Northwestern. The three toughest could be at Oklahoma on Sept. 6, at Nebraska on Sept. 20 and at USC on Oct. 11. If the Wolverines are still in the CFP race after facing Washington on Oct. 18, they should be able to stay there for the rest of the regular season, as their November schedule features Purdue, Northwestern and Maryland before the finale against Ohio State.

Michigan’s cleanest path to the CFP is to go 2-1 against the Sooners, Cornhuskers and Trojans, which would leave some wiggle room for a loss to Ohio State or an upset somewhere along the way.

Ari Wasserman, On3: The Dave Portnoy saga shows Michigan still lives rent-free in Ohio State’s head

If someone did, in fact, make the decision to ban Portnoy weeks ago, what was the upside to that decision? It was only going to make Ohio State look soft and scared. And the result would be giving Portnoy exactly what he wants — attention and fodder to create another viral video.

Guess what? You got one. Portnoy released a five-minute video in which the usual insults were rampant.

“Obviously when the story broke, everyone was like, ‘Oh my God Ohio State is so fucking soft, Michigan broke them, Woody Hayes is rolling around in his grave, if you can’t beat them, ban them,’” Portnoy said in a nearly six-minute clip posted Tuesday. “This is my advice and this is why we kick your ass inside out every single Thanksgiving Day weekend. Stop pussyfooting. Stop making excuses. Stop crying about planting flags. … Own up.”

Maybe this is FOX’s decision or maybe Ohio State made the bone-headed decision to ban him.

It doesn’t even really matter.

What does matter is Michigan continues to be in Ohio State’s head in the unhealthiest way. It’s a rivalry. The two schools should be thinking about each other around the clock. Former Ohio State Jim Tressel mentioned the Wolverines in his first address of the fans. Urban Meyer had a period of every practice dedicated to Michigan and wouldn’t let people wear blue in the Woody Hayes Athletic Center. There is a healthy, needed balance.

But the mental gymnastics that are happening now, both on the field and off of it? That’s the thing that has to change.

Pamela Maldonado, ESPN.com: College football betting: How to bet on these eight trending teams

Michigan to win the Big Ten (+850)
The Wolverines closed last season with three straight wins, including impressive performances at Ohio State and against Alabama. They should use that momentum this season with a deep group of pass rushers and a secondary that could be among the best in the country.

Michigan’s schedule sets up well for a potential undefeated Big Ten run, with the Big Game back in Ann Arbor, where Michigan has won four straight in the rivalry. Five-star freshman QB Bryce Underwood provides upside and depth far better than last year’s carousel. If the quarterback positions hits, along with the defense, this ticket has legs.

Aaron McMann, MLive: Predictions: How much better will Michigan football be in 2025?

Prediction: 9-3
A wide range of outcomes are possible for Michigan this year; everything from a miraculous 11-1 record to another 7-5 clunker. So allow me to reside smack dab in the middle. After breaking down the schedule, I think the Wolverines should handle their business against the Big Ten bottom feeders and in-state rival Michigan State, and get a favorable home slate with games against Wisconsin and Washington in Ann Arbor.

But the road games (and finale against Ohio State) are where this season is going to be decided. Next week’s game at Oklahoma, the Big Ten opener at Nebraska and the cross-country trip to USC are all toss-ups in my mind, and splitting those in half is a realistic outcome.

Where does that leave Bryce Underwood and this revamped offense? Better than last year. There’s no way to go but up for the Wolverines and their passing attack, and I do believe this Michigan defense has the makings to be better than last year. Will it be enough for Michigan to return to the Big Ten title game and College Football Playoff? I say no, but with a caveat: The Wolverines will be in the playoff race until the very end. A two-game improvement and dynamic season for Underwood should be more than enough to wet the appetite of the fanbase heading into 2026.