Big Ten Football: Preseason Stock Report Rankings

7. Michigan

Tim Fuller-USA TODAY Sports

Last year: 7-6 (3-5)

This Week: vs Appalachian State (Aug 30 – 11 am on ESPN2)

My Prediction:  Michigan 52-19

No one is getting less out of more than Brady Hoke.

Michigan can still throw it’s brand around in recruiting circles, but the Wolverines have not performed up to expectation on the field the past two seasons.

After the Wolverines dropped six out of their final eight games in 2013, faith in Hoke may be at an all-time low.

To make matters worse, he’s lost two out of three games to both Michigan State and Ohio State.

If the Wolverines can’t improve their overall record much, victories versus these rivals would go a long way. A tough schedule draw has the Wolverines playing both those rivals on the road in 2014

Devin Gardner returns at quarterback, but he he can’t do it all for the Maize and Blue’s offense.

Michigan’s run game was atrocious last season. New offensive coordinator Doug Nussmeier comes over from Alabama and his first order needs to be to turn around that ground game.

The Wolverines have a talented defense led by linebacker Jake Ryan and cornerback Blake Countess, but that side of the ball needs to step up in big games as well.

Another seven or eight-win season looks mighty possible in 2014. Will that be enough to earn Hoke another year in Ann Arbor?