Everyone talks about Michigan, but the football team is under the radar

Michigan has made headlines through the first four weeks of the regular season, if largely for the same reasons the Wolverines drew attention during the long summer months: Because Jim Harbaugh said something, anything, or because Harbaugh did this on the sideline, or did that.

It’s par for the course. It’s also unfair, in more ways than one. Maybe criticized isn’t the right word; that’s probably too strong. But column space has been wasted taking note of Harbaugh’s nonstop promotion of both his own brand and the Michigan brand, a fact that detracts from, you know, the football part of things.

And when it comes to football — and just football — the Wolverines are flying under the radar.

While Ohio State, Alabama, Louisville and others have been celebrated for their play thus far, and rightfully so, Michigan has largely failed to garner the same praise. The No. 5 Wolverines are ranked appropriately, but are not mentioned in the same breath as college football’s elite. That shouldn’t be the case.

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Four games, four wins, four blowouts: Hawaii, UCF, Colorado and Penn State. Ignore Hawaii, which is finding its way under a new coach. UCF is 2-2, with an overtime loss to Maryland preceding a blowout vs. Florida International.

Colorado showed its credentials in beating Oregon. Penn State is still a seven-win team; the Wolverines just made the Nittany Lions look like the worst team in the Big Ten. Admittedly, it’s not a murder’s row.

But the team is doing what good teams do against inferior competition, just as Ohio State has done against Bowling Green and Tulsa, or what Alabama did against Kent State. The Wolverines looked the part of a national contender.

Heading into the weekend, Michigan ranks fourth nationally in scoring offense, tied for 13th in scoring defense and yards allowed per play, tied for fifth in rushing touchdowns and seventh in first downs. The Wolverines are ninth in penalties, tied for first in sacks, first in tackles for loss and 12th in passing defense. By the various metrics – blocked kicks and punts, in the return game – the special teams have ranked among the nation’s best.

This is the picture of a complete team, and very easily one of the best teams in college football.

Saturday’s matchup with No. 8 Wisconsin provides Michigan with an opportunity to make noise against a conference foe quickly rising in the Amway Coaches Poll. The Badgers have defeated a pair of top-10 opponents in September, topping LSU in the opener and dismantling Michigan State this past weekend.

Michigan LB Mike McCray explains his raised fist during anthem

Admittedly, the program has struggled in this prime-time pairings — not just under Rich Rodriguez and Brady Hoke, Harbaugh’s predecessors, but under Harbaugh himself; the Wolverines lost a year ago to Utah, Ohio State and Michigan State, for example.

“We had a good year last year but, at the same time, this is really our year to make a statement, to be consistent,” said senior offensive lineman Ben Braden. “If we can have back-to-back great seasons, I think that will be a statement from our program to what we can do and the future, five years, 10 years, however many years down the road.”

Now is as good a time as any for Michigan to make a move into the spotlight — for reasons related solely to the Wolverines’ on-field performance.

The team now sits fifth in the Amway Coaches Poll, assured of moving up at least one spot with a win against Wisconsin: No. 3 Clemson hosts No. 4 Louisville, so at least a slight uptick in the poll is guaranteed.

But there’s more. Ohio State hosts Rutgers, in a matchup of mentor and pupil — Urban Meyer and the Scarlet Knights’ Chris Ash — that shouldn’t move the needle on a national level. Michigan State already has fallen from the ranks of the unbeaten, and in pretty humiliating fashion. There’s a Saturday for the taking.

And for a coach who has plugged his own vision for the program’s return to greatness, playing Wisconsin provides a chance for Michigan to make a statement. Here’s the thing: Since Harbaugh arrived, the Wolverines’ national statements have been largely negative, including his stubbed-toe debut against the Utes, the shocker against the Spartans and the blowout to the Buckeyes.

“We started at the beginning of the season, looking at every team on our schedule as teams we were going to have to highly prepare for,” Harbaugh said.

“We would have to have our best week of practice and play our best game, knowing that we’d be tough to beat. Every opponent on our schedule would be treated that way. That’s what we’re striving for.”

We know Michigan will draw attention, win or lose. With a win on Saturday, the Wolverines would make headlines on their own merits: as one of the top teams in college football. But based on four games, Michigan is already there.

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