The 2025 college football season kicks off in a matter of weeks, and the Michigan Wolverines are looking to prove the end of last season wasn\u2019t a fluke. Head coach Sherrone Moore has a full season under his belt now, as does defensive coordinator Wink Martindale. Things are looking to improve on offense with big time additions like coordinator Chip Lindsey.<\/p>\n
The jury is still out on whether or not they have what it takes to lead Michigan to another championship, so here are three games we think each coach can prove themselves this season.<\/p>\n
Moore has a chance to coach against his alma mater when he returns to Norman in Week 2. It\u2019s an opportunity for him to pick up another win against an SEC school and prove he doesn\u2019t get caught up in the outside narratives. This is a chance for Moore to pick up a huge non-conference win on the road and show he can consistently beat blue blood opponents.<\/p>\n
Tentatively, we are expecting Moore to sit out the Week 3 and 4 games against CMU and Nebraska, respectively. Week 5 at home against Wisconsin will be a huge test for Moore as he not only returns from his suspension, but this is the Big Ten home opener as well. Wisconsin has been disappointing under Luke Fickell thus far during his career in Madison, but the Badgers are always a tough out and have given Michigan plenty of tough fights in recent memory.<\/p>\n
Oct. 25 – At Michigan State <\/p>\n
Moore already helped his team pick up a rivalry win on the road last season when they defeated Ohio State. Now, he\u2019ll have a chance to do it again in East Lansing. The Spartans\u2019 head coach, Jonathan Smith, is also in his second season, but he has more head coaching experience than Moore. This is another shot for Moore to show his success against rivals last year wasn\u2019t just a fluke.<\/p>\n
There\u2019s not a whole lot on the line in this one, but this will be the first look we get at the offense. While there\u2019s not much to gain by emptying the playbook for New Mexico, we\u2019ll have a chance to see how Lindsey manages his running back room and works to set up explosive plays. We\u2019ll also get a look at how the offensive line is performing. While it\u2019s unlikely we\u2019ll see everything he\u2019s got up his sleeve, it\u2019d be nice to avoid a lackluster Week 1 performance before Oklahoma.<\/p>\n
While Lincoln Riley hasn\u2019t exactly been successful in Southern California, he\u2019s still known for his offensive brain and should have a team capable of putting points on the board. While Michigan\u2019s defense is expected to hold teams in check, it\u2019ll be interesting to see how Lindsey puts together drives against the Trojans and helps come up with a game plan to manage the clock.<\/p>\n
It\u2019s Lindsey\u2019s introduction to The Game and the greatest rivalry in all of college football. He\u2019s got some experience with the Iron Bowl, but Michigan-Ohio State is different. Lindsey will have a chance to prove his ability to scheme players open and put together drives. We all want to see the Wolverines put a competent offense on the field this season, especially against the Buckeyes.<\/p>\n
The Sooners picked up transfer quarterback John Mateer in the portal this offseason. He racked up a lot of yards during his time with Washington State, throwing for more than 3,000 yards and nearly 30 touchdowns a season ago. On the road in Norman, Martindale has a chance to prove he\u2019s got a system that works in Ann Arbor even without two first-round draft picks on the defensive line.<\/p>\n
On the road in Lincoln without the team\u2019s head coach will be a major test for Martindale. While Dylan Raiola didn\u2019t have a stellar first year of college football, he was still a top recruit for a reason and has a chance to breakout this year. If Martindale can help the Wolverines pick up their first Big Ten win without Moore, it would certainly make a statement.<\/p>\n
Martindale played a major role in helping pull off a huge upset in Columbus last year, and now he\u2019s got another shot. The Buckeyes will have a new quarterback this season. It\u2019s tough to see how they\u2019ll be able to pick up on some of the coverages that Wink chooses to throw at them, but you never know with The Game.<\/p>\n
What are your thoughts? Let us know in the comments!<\/p>\n