What ESPN had to say about Michigan, Big Ten heading into 2024 season

ESPN previews the 2024 college football season for Michigan, other Big Ten programs...

Nov 18, 2023; College Park, Maryland, USA; Michigan Wolverines defensive lineman Kenneth Grant (78) reacts after recording a sack against the Maryland Terrapins during the second half at SECU Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brad Mills-USA TODAY Sports / Brad Mills-USA TODAY Sports

With less than 25 days until the first full Saturday of college football, ESPN's Adam Rittenberg and Jake Trotter have released a preview of the new, expanded Big Ten Conference heading into the 2024 season.

With the addition of four new teams — USC, UCLA, Oregon and Washington — the removal of divisions, and the conference matching up the top two teams in the regular season standings for the Big Ten Championship game, winning the league will have never been more difficult than this fall. After three straight conference titles, Michigan will have it's hands full as it attempts to make it four straight.

ESPN has seven Big Ten teams in the hunt for the expanded 12-team College Football Playoff this year, with Ohio State and Oregon labeled as "should be in"; Michigan, Penn State and USC "in the running"; and Wisconsin and Iowa as "long shots". Here's what they had to say about Michigan:

"The Wolverines lost a team-record 13 NFL draft picks, as well as coach Jim Harbaugh to the Los Angeles Chargers. But they also return several national awards candidates, including cornerback Will Johnson, defensive lineman Mason Graham and tight end Colston Loveland. Michigan's winning philosophy shouldn't change much under new coach Sherrone Moore. If the Wolverines find the right replacement for QB J.J. McCarthy, Michigan could be right back in the playoff mix."

These have been the talking points surrounding the Wolverines throughout the offseason. The personnel losses that Michigan suffered this offseason cannot be overstated, but the Wolverines still return a lot of talent eager to take the reigns from a veteran-laden 2023 squad. Quarterback remains a mystery, and we won't know the answer until we see U-M on the football field this fall.

ESPN singled out six Big Ten players as their favorites in the league: USC wide receiver/returner Zachariah Branch, Michigan defensive tackle Kenneth Grant, Iowa safety Sebastian Castro, Oregon wide receiver Tez Johnson, Penn State defensive end Abdul Carter and Nebraska defensive tackle Nash Hutmacher. Here's what they had to say about Grant:

"At 6-foot-3 and 339 pounds, Grant is hard to miss. Still, he was overshadowed by a loaded Michigan defense last season until the Penn State game, when he memorably chased down Nittany Lions running back Kaytron Allen from behind. Grant followed that up with a fumble recovery against Iowa in the Big Ten championship and a sack in the national title game. An excellent athlete for his size, Grant provides a strong complement to Mason Graham in Michigan's interior line."

It's interesting that ESPN went with Grant as a favorite player, but they're correct here: Too often he's been overshadowed by Johnson, Graham and others from the 2023 defense. The junior is poised for a massive season now as a full-time starter in 2024, and there's little doubt he'll be a high pick in next year's NFL Draft.

ESPN also previewed several "must-see games" in the Big Ten for the upcoming season, and three contests involving the Wolverines made the cut: Texas at Michigan (Sept. 7), USC at Michigan (Sept. 21) and Michigan at Ohio State (Nov. 30). This list could easily also include the Wolverines' trip to Seattle to play Washington on Oct. 5, or when Michigan hosts Oregon on Nov. 2 in Ann Arbor. ESPN points out that U-M's Week 2 tilt against the Longhorns will test the new Wolverine quarterback early, while the season-finale against the Buckeyes feels like a must-win game for Ohio State coach Ryan Day.

Finally, ESPN rounded out its preview of the Big Ten by power ranking the league. Here's how those shook out:

1. Ohio State Buckeyes
2. Oregon Ducks
3. Penn State Nittany Lions
4. Michigan Wolverines
5. Iowa Hawkeyes
6. USC Trojans
7. Wisconsin Badgers
8. Nebraska Cornhuskers
9. Rutgers Scarlet Knights
10. Washington Huskies
11. Minnesota Golden Gophers
12. Maryland Terrapins
13. Illinois Fighting Illini
14. Northwestern Wildcats
15. UCLA Bruins
16. Indiana Hoosiers
17. Michigan State Spartans
18. Purdue Boilermakers

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