ESPN's FPI Predicts Michigan Football's 2020 Season Results

Now that the Big Ten has released its third version of the 2020 football schedule, ESPN's FPI has projected the results of Michigan football's schedule. FPI is a predictive rating system designed to measure team strength and project performance going forward.

Michigan has one of the toughest schedules in the entire conference, having to play crossover games against both of the Big Ten West division co-champions in Minnesota and Wisconsin, while also competing in the Big Ten East, one of the most challenging divisions in all of college football.

Here's how FPI projected Michigan to finish:

RELATED: Michigan Football, The 3-2-1: Thoughts on U-M, Big Ten Schedules

Minnesota star junior wide receiver Rashod Bateman has re-enrolled to school after previously opting out and signing with an agent. He, like Michigan redshirt sophomore offensive lineman Jalen Mayfield, is now waiting for the NCAA to grant him eligible. If he gets his wish, Bateman, the Big Ten's reigning Wide Receiver of the Year, and redshirt junior quarterback Tanner Morgan will once again form a dynamic duo in the passing game. Bateman notched 60 receptions for 1,219 yards and 11 touchdowns in 2019.

With U-M's lack of experience at cornerback and the fact that the Wolverines will be introducing a new quarterback and revamped offensive line, there's some cause for concern, but FPI predicts the Wolverines win a tight one in front of a limited audience in Minneapolis.

This one is actually the game on Michigan's schedule in which FPI has the second-most confidence in the Wolverines to win, behind only the contest against Maryland on Dec. 5.

The Mel Tucker era has begun in East Lansing, and there's little room for optimism, considering how former head man Mark Dantonio left unceremoniously, and subsequently left Tucker with a roster that is less than ideal in terms of talent.

The Spartans were destroyed, 44-10, at Michigan Stadium last year, and will have to travel to Ann Arbor for a second-straight season. The bright side for MSU is that there won't be fans in the stands, making it an easier task to pull off the upset, but still one that is seen as extremely unlikely.

Four of the five games between the Wolverines and the Hoosiers during head coach Jim Harbaugh's tenures have been tight, with the average margin of victory in the first four meetings being just 8.75 points and last year's 39-14 U-M blowout win being the lone lopsided game.

But the Maize and Blue have to travel to Bloomington once again, and the Hoosiers return 18 starters including redshirt sophomore quarterback Michael Penix Jr. He'll have senior wide receiver Whop Philyor — who was on the Biletnikoff Award (for the top wideout in the country) watch list last season — to throw to. Couple that with a defense that brings back all four starters on the line and depth at linebacker and in the secondary, and the Hoosiers won't be an easy out, which is why FPI has pegged this one as a toss up.

U-M has taken care of business at home against the Badgers each of the last two meetings in Ann Arbor, so this game being inside the friendly confines of The Big House is a major plus for the Wolverines.

Though Wisconsin is tasked with replacing legendary rusher Jonathan Taylor, the Badgers do have plenty returning, including senior quarterback Jack Coan and a defense that returns nine starters after giving up only 16.9 points per game in 2019, which ranked 10th nationally.

FPI is less than optimistic that U-M pulls out a home win over the defending Big Ten West champions.

Rutgers will be a new-look team in some regards, with Greg Schiano in his first year of his second stint in Piscataway, but will look the same in others, considering there's little talent on the roster.

The Wolverines will have to slow down junior running back Isaih Pacheco and senior wide receiver Bo Melton, while also having to go up against former Maize and Blue defensive tackle Michael Dwumfour on the other side of the ball.

FPI has U-M winning comfortably, though it's important to note that the system actually has more confidence in the Wolverines to beat Michigan State than it does for them to beat the Scarlet Knights on the road.

Penn State junior tight end Pat Freiermuth previously opted out of the postponed season but will now play. James Franklin's squad lost wide receiver K.J. Hamler to the NFL, but returns redshirt junior quarterback Sean Clifford and stud redshirt junior running back Journey Brown. Their defense will be strong as well, and could be even better if Franklin is able to convince 2019 Consensus All-American linebacker Micah Parsons to come back after opting out.

Though FPI is strongly predicting a Nittany Lion win on Thanksgiving weekend, Penn State has not come away victorious at The Big House in its last three tries, including losing by a combined score of 101-27 in the last two. That’s just the way this series has gone — the home team has won the last four games.

Maryland lost nine out of 10 games to close out 2019, and it's tough to predict that the Terrapins will have much to play for come Dec. 5 at U-M.

Fifth-year senior quarterback Josh Jackson remains, but he hasn't shown enough in his career to believe he'll be able to pull off an upset of this magnitude — even in his hometown of Ann Arbor. The Terrapins lose their top two rushers from last season and bring back a defense, led by defensive coordinator Jon Hoke, older brother of former U-M head coach Brady Hoke, who has his hands full in attempting to repair a unit that struggled mightily in 2019. Maryland gave up a staggering 449.2 yards per game, which was last in the Big Ten and 109th in the country.

FPI predicts the Wolverines roll in a senior night tune-up tilt before traveling to Columbus for The Game.

As of now, the weather in Columbus is projected (per AccuWeather) to be a high of 43 degrees and a low of 20 with a 78 percent chance of precipitation for the 117th chapter of college football's greatest rivalry. It will be the first time the two teams face off in the month of December.

For whatever reason, FPI does not list a projection for this game, though it's safe to assume the Buckeyes will be favored.

Ohio State returns junior quarterback Justin Fields, who is one of the favorites to take home the Heisman Trophy at year's end, after completing over 67 percent of his passes and racking up 3,273 yards and 41 touchdowns for the 2019 campaign. A prolific offense and a defense that has to reload, but has the talent to do so, will be tough for the Wolverines to beat on the road.

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