The Michigan Wolverines are set to play out a stretch of the season they’d hoped would be a precursor to competing for a Big Ten Championship.

That is not even close to what is happening this season. The Wolverines are 5-4 and looking to get one more win to achieve bowl eligibility.

When the schedule came out, Michigan versus Oregon was supposed to be one of the premier games on the Big Ten schedule.

Instead, here we are. The Ducks are fighting for a spot in the playoff. Michigan is fighting for pride.  

Here are our game predictions for Michigan’s final road test before Ohio State.

Michigan’s Defense Finally Cracks

It took until November, but this is the week Michigan’s defense will give up more than 21 points. The simple answer to this is that Michigan’s offense is bad, which will keep them on the field a lot longer than they should be.

Oregon’s offense is also explosive and has found its footing under interim offensive coordinator and play caller Jay Johnson. Dylan Raiola has an assortment of weapons that surround him, including Evan Stewart and Jamari Johnson.

This Oregon team is the best offense that Michigan has seen this season by far. That means the Wolverines will be challenged, even if Michigan’s offense is able to put up a fight.

They’ll do their part to hold things in check long enough, but the dam should break in the fourth quarter where Oregon really pulls away to make the score look lobsided.

New Offensive Coordinator, Same Offense

For all the fanfare about the firing of offensive coordinator Jason Beck, that alone is not going to solve the issues that plague Michigan’s offense. Despite the play calling and offensive scheme coming into question, at some point players have to make plays. Michigan’s skill group has not made enough plays this season. This week should not be any different. Michigan’s quarterbacks have been limited for one reason or another.

Their wide receivers are good, but not great. The tight end group is banged up and they’ve struggled even when they are healthy.

Jim Harding taking over at offensive coordinator is not solving all of those problems. Maybe some minor tweaks will lead to Michigan leaning into what they are good at, but this group is only going to be fixed after it is exorcised in the offseason.

The Noise Gets Louder

Eventually, this game is going to turn for the worse. Michigan has not been blown out this year thanks to their work on the defensive side of the ball. This week, that could change. The Wolverines do not have the horses to run with an Oregon team that is rolling. Yes, there are failures on the coaching staff, but at some point the players have to make some plays too.

Michigan’s offense being dreadful is not solely a byproduct of Jason Beck attempting to fit a square peg into a round hole all season. Michigan’s offense is severely limited in the passing game, and they will be playing with another new offensive line combination.

Oregon will also likely be playing with an edge after Kyle Whittingham’s not-so-subtle shot at the Ducks earlier in the week.

The noise surrounding Kyle Whittingham is already loud. It will get even louder if he’s blown out this week in Eugene. We don’t expect a firing after the game or anything like that, but be prepared for some not-so-conspicuous chants next week for the home finale.