Big Ten Football: Predicting The East Division

4. Michigan

Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports

Depending on what side of the Brady Hoke debate you sit on, I have some good or bad news. This may be the year Hoke gets booted out of Ann Arbor. A major piece of the offensive line moved along (Tyler Lewan) which now features all kinds of youth up front. Underclassmen may be a theme of the starting five.

If there are any two players that are going to help the Wolverines scratch and claw their way to wins, it’ll be quarterback Devin Gardner and tight end Devin Funchess. To be honest, I’d trust in the latter more than the former.

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Running back Fitzgerald Toussaint also took his leave. That means sophomores Derrick Green and De’Veon Smith get to battle for the starting spot. Those two have a combined 387 yards and two touchdowns between them.

Michigan’s defense could pull the team’s collective butts out of the fire, specifically its secondary. Cornerbacks Blake Countess and Raymond Taylor will prove to be a nightmare for any quarterback-receiver combo they go up against. The problem lies up front in a very run-oriented conference.

The annual tilt against Notre Dame’s always fun, but I see the Wolverines dropping that one along with consecutive losses to Michigan State and Penn State. Finally, Ohio State makes it two in a row over their hated rivals.

Final Record: 8-5 (4-4)