Michigan Football: Ranking Wolverines’ 2020 opponents by toughness

Jim Harbaugh has Michigan football ready to pounce in 2020, but will the Wolverines overcome a tricky schedule to contend?

Jim Harbaugh gets a lot of unnecessary hate. He was once considered the ideal hire for Michigan back in 2015, but his lofty salary coupled with no division titles or wins over Ohio State have made him the brunt of jokes nationwide despite compiling a 47-18 record in five years.

But if you can’t beat your top rival or win a conference title, are you really worth one of the highest salaries in the country?

Let’s be fair for one second here. Harbaugh has won more consistently at Michigan than any coach since Lloyd Carr and arguably has the Wolverines contending for division titles every year despite falling just short a couple of times — some would even say a JT Barrett first down short.

Michigan is coming off a 9-4 season and a tough Citrus Bowl loss to Alabama. The Crimson Tide had one of those College Football Playoff-caliber teams but got slotted to face the Wolverines.

Now Michigan is losing its starting quarterback and two of its top receivers along with five starters on defense so the 2020 season could either be shaky or exceed expectations. There will likely be no in-between. Who will start at quarterback, Joe Milton or Dylan McCaffrey? Once that’s figured out, the Wolverines should be just fine.

The schedule won’t be doing the Wolverines any favors, though.