Phil Steele is one of the most respected voices in college football media.
Earlier this week, he joined Maize & Blue Review's Dennis Fithian on his daily podcast, Afternoon Live, to discuss all things Michigan, Big Ten, and the landscape of the sport as a whole.
Last year, the Wolverines won their first Big Ten Championship Game in program history. It was U-M's first conference title since 2004 and 43rd all-time.
Of course, it was head coach Jim Harbaugh's first in his seven seasons at the helm in Ann Arbor.
At the time, it felt like Michigan finally got the fridge off its back. Now, the challenge gets more demanding, and the target on their backs enlarges.
It took the program 17 years to win a Big Ten title again.
How long will it take to do it again? And can they do it consecutively?
The Big Ten East is the gauntlet of all gauntlets.
After four straight conference championships for Ohio State, Michigan entered 2021 knowing a Big Ten East team had won eight consecutive conference titles, and the Wolverines couldn't claim one.
With Heisman finalist quarterback C.J. Stroud returning, among an array of other starters, the Buckeyes, despite last season's finish, are the overwhelming favorite by media to win the division and the conference.
Michigan State, who won in 2013 & 2015, handed U-M its only defeat last fall. In 2022, the Spartans will get another season of connections between quarterback Payton Thorne and superstar wideout Jayden Reed. Head coach Mel Tucker, who is 2-0 against Harbaugh, also changed pieces of the defensive staff.
Penn State, who won the division in 2016, also returns its starting quarterback as Sean Clifford will be under center for his last season in Happy Valley. The Nittany Lions aren't getting their usual stack of preseason expectations, but the roster is still strong and loaded with heralded recruits.
So how does one predict this division?
Steele gave it his best shot.
"Ohio State this year has 14 returning starters. Michigan only has 13 returning starters, so I think we'll see a return to the powers, so that's why I have Ohio State running the table this year. In fact, I think one of your better wagers out there in the preseason is Ohio State over 10.5 wins. Last year was an unusual year; Ohio State not in the Big Ten title game. Clemson not in the ACC title game, and Oklahoma not in the Big 12 title game. Heck, Alabama lost to Texas A&M, barely got past Florida, barely got past LSU, and should've lost to Auburn; they needed a miracle comeback just to get that," Steele said during his appearance on Afternoon Live. "The reason for that, it seems like most of the teams in the country had 17, 18, 19 returning starters. Michigan, for example, 17 returning starters last year, and that was because of covid. Not a lot of players left, and a lot returned. In fact, most of the head coaches I talked to said, hey, we were the deepest we've ever been in the spring. We could run three teams in spring practice. I've never been able to do that before. The teams who didn't were Ohio State, who only had 11 returning starters. Alabama, Clemson, Oklahoma, and those teams struggled. This year, the playing field evens out."
Michigan fans are no stranger to the Buckeyes being preseason darlings and overwhelming conference favorites. The problem is that they usually follow through on the hype.
Following a historic year that many tabbed as a flip-the-script type of season for Harbaugh & Co., Ohio State is still the team to beat.
But that doesn't mean Michigan is out of it. They're still firmly in the mix as Steele's second-place team in the division.
"It's a very good Michigan team," Steele said. "I actually have Michigan favored in their first 11 games this year. I've got them going 11-0 as they travel to go face Ohio State on the road on November 26th.
"I don't think (Michigan's) defense is quite up to last year's standards. They lose quite a few players ... I still rate them the No. 25 D-line, No. 36 linebackers, and the No. 20 DBs; still a top-25 defense this year," Steele said. "Their strengths? Offensive line, won the Joe Moore Award last year. I've got them as the No. 1 offensive line again coming into the year. Special teams, No. 1 special teams last year, I've got them as the No. 1 special teams this year. They've got two very capable quarterbacks in Cade McNamara and J.J. McCarthy. Whoever ends up winning the starting job and, right now, it looks like it's going to be McNamara, they're going to do outstanding. They have a tremendous receiving corps."
Elsewhere in the Big Ten East, Steele projects Penn State to finish third and Michigan State at fourth.
To read everything Steele said during the interview, click here.
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