It was a shocking loss for Michigan last year against Utah. Utah walked into the Big House on a cold and rainy Saturday and beat Michigan 26-10.
It will be a fresh start for Michigan this year as Jim Harbaugh will take over as the head coach of Michigan football. After the horrible ending he had with the San Francisco 49ers, Harbaugh will look to remove all doubt with a dominant win over Utah.
But it won't be easy as the Utes are a dangerous team that can catch Michigan off guard.
Utah has an experienced offense with a star running back in Devontae Booker. Booker and quarterback Travis Wilson will look to take advantage of a rebuilding Michigan defense. Expect Utah to use the run to set up the pass. They will likely have the same gameplan as last year as they had Booker rush for 102 yards, although they caused the most damage through the air. But credit to Michigan's defense for making Booker earn the yards on 26 carries.
Utah also boasts one of the top defensive lines in the country. Although the Utes lost Nate Orchard to the NFL, they are going be led by Hunter Dimick, who is no slouch in his own right. Michigan will likely have Jake Rudock behind center and the former Iowa Hawkeye will have his hands full with the Utes defensive line. How the offensive line holds up against this pass rush will be key for Michigan. Utah had the 90th ranked defense in the country last year and they have lost their best corner. If Rudock can find time in the pocket, he will find holes in the Utah secondary and hopefully for Michigan he can exploit them.
Another big concern for Michigan will be the kicking game. They still have yet to name a starter and it could be a problem. Although it is good to keep your options open, not having a clear solid starter hurts. Just ask Alabama, who struggled against Auburn in the famous "Kick Six" Iron Bowl with two kickers. In what will likely be a close game, special teams could be a deciding factor.
This will be a crucial game for Michigan and Harbaugh. He will likely implement his offense he used in the NFL and at Stanford. He will pound the ball and the power running game will be the catalyst for his offense. It is key that Michigan can start out well and this is a must win game. With Michigan having to keep up with the likes of Michigan State and Ohio State, they must start out strong, otherwise Utah could be running all over them.
Michigan will looking for revenge against Utah but going to Salt Lake City and winning is not easy, while Utah will look to stun Michigan again.