While No. 10 Michigan lost most of its offensive production and coaching staff along with several leaders on its defense this offseason following its undefeated 2023 season, beating the defending national champions will be no easy task for No. 3 Texas on Saturday.
The Longhorns will still have to contend with a talented roster featuring multiple preseason All-Americans, buoyed by a raucous atmosphere of over 107,000 fans wearing exclusively maize and blue at the biggest stadium in the country.
Here are two keys to the game that should ensure a Texas victory.
Offense: Neutralize Michigan’s Talented Defensive Line
The strongest unit of head coach Sherrone Moore’s team is the defensive line as returning star defensive tackles Mason Graham and Kenneth Grant make up perhaps the best interior defensive line in the nation. The pair of juniors, weighing a combined 659 pounds, have the ability to wreck any game at the collegiate level and project as high NFL draft picks.
Texas will likely have to establish the run and, in doing so, will be running directly at one or both of them. Therefore, it will be up to interior offensive linemen DJ Campbell, Jake Majors and Hayden Conner to create rushing lanes for the likes of Jaydon Blue, Quintrevion “Tre” Wisner and true freshman Jerrick Gibson.