Fearless Michigan vs. Utah Prediction, In-Depth Game Preview

Game week is officially here, college football fans, and with it comes the highly-anticipated debut of the Jim Harbaugh era at Michigan. Can the Wolverines bring home a win for Harbaugh in the season opener against the Utah Utes? Below is the Michigan vs. Utah prediction, as well as an in-depth game preview. 

Michigan vs. Utah Prediction & Preview

Why You Need To Care

Brady Hoke went 11-2 with a Sugar Bowl win in his first season at Michigan. 

Just sayin’, Jim. No pressure. 

After living la vida mediocre ever since closing out the 2006 season with the loss to Ohio State in one of the best games ever in the classic rivalry – followed up by the Rose Bowl loss to USC and opening up 2007 with the loss to Appalachian State – Michigan is way due to be among the leaders and best again. Now, the program has its guy to do just that. 

The offseason swooning over Jim Harbaugh has been fun, but now he actually has to win something. Now, Michigan’s shiny new head coach has to take a flawed team and make it a player right away. Now, he has to prove to the world that he’s worth it, that he’s going to be the difference, that he can take this chickenspit offense and blend up a kicky chicken salad against a Utah team that’s more than just there as a side note. 

The Utes have turned into what Michigan used to be and could soon be again, only without as much talent and without Jim Harbaugh at the helm. 

It took a little while to find the right Pac-12 groove, but Utah went old school Big Ten with its physical style of offense, tremendous pass rush, and terrific special teams on the way to a breakthrough 9-4 season, helped by a 26-10 win in Ann Arbor. 

An afterthought in the Pac-12 chase with USC, UCLA, Arizona and Arizona State getting all the love and respect in the South, this is Utah’s chance to show that last year wasn’t any sort of a fluke and that it’s worth paying attention to all season long. 

It’s quite possible that Michigan can lose this game because Utah really is good, and not because it’s the same boring Wolverine team of the last few years. But it’s also possible that Utah really is good, and Michigan is all of a sudden a lot better because a guy who’s killing time before going back to becoming a Super Bowl-level head man – sorry, Michigan, but he is – is about to make everything all better. 

By the way, Rich Rodriguez started out his era as the Michigan head coach with a loss to Utah. 

Just sayin’, Jim. No pressure. 

Why Michigan Will Win

The defense, especially against the run, is still going to be fantastic. 

Lost in the narrative of last season was a Michigan run defense that finished 15th in the nation including a terrific effort against Utah star back Deontae Booker, holding him to 34 yards – and Utah to 81 on 37 carries – in the loss. It’s a bit of a no-name group, but the linebacking corps can pop with Joe Bolden leading a physical, good-sized trio. 

The tackles are experienced enough and good enough to gum up the interior and turn Utah into a passing team early on – that’s not a positive if Booker isn’t rumbling early on. 

This isn’t going to be a high-flying Utah offense that’ll hang 50 on the board. Michigan’s veteran D should keep this in the 20s, so if the offense can be just a wee bit better, Harbaugh might have the right combination to pull this off. 

Why Utah Will Win

Pass rush, pass rush, pass rush. 

Yes, the Michigan offense is going to be far better, and yes, the line should be a positive after doing a decent job at times in an inconsistent year, but it’s about to deal with a Ute defensive front that’s going to bring the house. 

Nate Orchard is gone from the D that cranked up 55 sacks last year – four against Michigan – just about everyone else of note returns including ten-sack Hunter Dimick on one end and three starters back up front. Expect Michigan to try to establish the run early, partly because it needs to control the game, and partly because the passing game is the one gigantic question mark. The Wolverine receivers have to be ready for the quick plays, because Utah is going to be sitting on the QB’s head for most of the evening. And that quarterback is … 

Player Who Matters

Jake Rudock. Or Shane Morris. Or any one of a number of options Harbaugh has at his disposal to blend into the mix. Rudock, an Iowa transfer, wasn’t Aaron Rodgers, but he was good enough to be considered a decent, restaurant-quality Big Ten starter. Locked in an intense battle for the No. 1 gig, Rudock and Morris, a former superstar recruit, will likely each see time throughout the first part of the season. Rudock is the more seasoned pro, but this is Harbaugh – the guy who famously benched Alex Smith for Colin Kaepernick, among other impressive quarterback moves. The race probably isn’t over even after the first series. 

What’s Going To Happen?

Utah won’t run like it wants to, but the best kicking game in America with punter Tom Hackett and kicker Andy Phillips will make all the difference. Drive after drive will stall, but the Michigan offense won’t be able to handle a long field – Phillips will clean things up after the Utes fail to get into the end zone. Harbaugh and Michigan will have their big moments this season. This won’t be one of them in a tough, gritty loss. 

Michigan vs. Utah Score Prediction

Without further ado, the Michigan vs Utah prediction …

Utah 22, Michigan 16

Broadcast: 8:30, FOX Sports 1

MORE: Michigan Football PreviewUtah Football Preview