Michigan Football: Game-by-Game Predictions for the Month of November

This past Saturday’s 35-11 loss to Michigan State proved one thing: Michigan isn’t going to catch any breaks; it’s going to break.

The worst-case scenario for Brady Hoke's reeling Wolverines played out in East Lansing; they were tossed, bagged, sacked and pummeled by their bitter rivals for the sixth time in seven years. It was Hoke’s third loss in four meetings with Mark Dantonio, and it was Team 135’s fifth setback of the season (3-5, 1-3).

Needless to say, October didn’t end on a high note. As a matter of fact, the entire month yielded one victory in three attempts, an 18-13 nail-biter Oct. 11 versus Penn State—and November doesn’t look like it’ll be much better.

The Wolverines close the season—thankfully—on Nov. 29 in Columbus. Despite struggling Saturday night with the Nittany Lions, needing double overtime to escape 31-24, Ohio State holds steady as one of the Big Ten’s best.

That won’t be a pretty finale.

However, before closing the book of 2014 against its most hated foe, Michigan must play Indiana, Northwestern and Maryland.

In years past, that would have been a relatively easy task.

Not this year.

Welcome Home?

Darron Cummings/Associated Press

Here’s the schedule, via MGoBlue. Kickoff’s at approximately 3:30 ET.

Well, it turns out that Michigan isn’t the worst team in the Big Ten East division (that’s debatable). Record-wise, that woeful distinction belongs to the Hoosiers (3-4, 0-3), who are in last place—one spot below Team 135.

Consider Michigan’s advantage in the standings as the only “positive” heading into this one.

The Wolverines have struggled with top-tier running backs: Minnesota’s David Cobb carved Greg Mattison’s defense for a season-high 183 yards; Michigan State’s Jeremy Langford racked up 177.

In terms of yardage, Cobb’s the No. 4-ranked back in the Big Ten; Langford’s No. 5.

Hoosiers star Tevin Coleman is No. 1, leading the way with 1,192 yards; his 11 touchdowns are No. 4 in the league. There’s a strong chance that he’ll join Cobb and Langford in the “We Ran over Michigan Club.”

As for the score, well, it gets tricky. Indiana scored against Iowa, but lost 45-29. It also put up points during a 31-24 loss to Missouri, which is certainly a better team than Michigan.

However, the Hoosiers also lost 37-15 to Maryland, a team that Michigan can beat. But keeping with the trend, predicting a Wolverines loss Nov. 1 is only right.

Score: Hoosiers 27, Wolverines 14

Stats: Michigan gives up more than 100 to Coleman. Devin Gardner hands over the ball at least thrice, and the Wolverines will yet again fail to establish any rhythm on the ground or through the air.

And don’t plan on seeing Jabrill Peppers, who hasn’t played in eons. He sat out Saturday’s game versus Michigan State with a lower-body injury. He could be done for the year. There’s no sense in playing him now anyway.

Lunge a stake into 2014. It’s over.

Southward Skid Continues at Northwestern

Nam Y. Huh/Associated Press

Game time is TBD

By the time Nov. 8 rolls around, Michigan’s record should be 3-6, 1-4, and the heat underneath Hoke’s seat should be at inferno levels. That said, this one seems easy to predict. Northwestern (2-2, 3-4 as of Oct. 26) is always a pesky bunch, regardless of record.

Ask Wisconsin, one of the Big Ten’s leaders, about its meeting Oct. 4 with Northwestern. The Wildcats pulled off a huge upset by winning 20-14. The week prior, they creamed Penn State, 29-6.

In 2013, Michigan needed three overtimes to upend the Wildcats, 27-19. In 2014, a similar score could hold true for the home team—which happens to be Northwestern.

Score: Wildcats 28, Wolverines 13

Stats: Again, recent trends suggest a meltdown on the road for Team 135, which hasn’t won away from Ann Arbor all season.

Gardner will likely struggle—he has zero passing touchdowns during road games, but he’s thrown six picks in those three games. His average of 5.95 yards per attempt away from The Big House speaks volumes. 

And, of course, running the ball will probably be akin to pulling teeth, as De’Veon Smith’s average of 3.9 yards per carry away from home is, well, average.

Michigan Can Beat Maryland

GAIL BURTON/Associated Press

Game time is TBD

The Wolverines will have an extra week to prepare for Maryland, which was abused this past Saturday by Wisconsin, 52-7, and shelled three weeks ago by Ohio State, 52-24.

But if there’s a winnable game on the schedule, it’s this one.

Maryland is in the midst of its first season in the Big Ten—it’s taking its lumps on a regular basis. However, it beat Iowa, 38-31, two weeks ago. But being at The Big House can be intimidating, making it easy to predict a victory for Team 135.

Score: Wolverines 31, Terps 24

Stats: This could end up being Michigan’s best game of the season. Gardner, for a change, could come out firing and deliver a gutsy, fifth-year-senior performance. Forecasting a season-high in passing yardage seems right.

The same goes for rushing, as Maryland has the Big Ten’s No. 13-ranked rushing defense (212.4 YPG), surpassed only by Illinois’ downtrodden defense.

The Terps get sacked a lot. As of Oct. 26, their quarterback had been nailed in the backfield 19 times. Only Illinois and Penn State, each with 25, have been worse in the department. Projecting a couple for Frank Clark, Brennen Beyer and Joe Bolden is a must.

Time to Take a Beating in Ohio

USA TODAY Sports

Funeral time is TBD

Nov. 29 is the day that Michigan’s season will be put to rest. Forget the Buckeyes’ difficulty with Penn State—that won’t mean a thing when it’s time for “The Game.” And imagine if the Spartans beat Ohio State—that’ll make Urban Meyer’s boys very angry.

Michigan doesn’t want an angry Joey Bosa, who is one of the top defensive linemen in the country. His game-ending sack of Nittany Lions quarterback Christian Hackenberg this past Saturday proves that much. The 6’5”, 285-pound sophomore won’t show any mercy for Gardner, who might want to invest in one of those protective bubble things.

Just a thought.

Score: Buckeyes 45, Wolverines 17

Stats: It’s taken Michigan more than two full seasons to mold Gardner into a solid starting quarterback, which doesn’t seem like it’s going to happen. Why? He doesn’t have any more eligibility. That’s why.

Bosa will frequently meet Gardner, who’ll probably be pulled at some point—either due to a safety concern or because he just can’t get the job done. Then it’ll be Shane Morris’ turn to face the fire. He isn’t ready for that, either.

On the other hand, it’s taken Ohio State less than two years to prep a backup, redshirt freshman into a star-caliber player; J.T. Barrett, despite struggling versus Penn State, has been incredible this season.

He’ll probably lead the charge with four touchdowns or so, two through the air and two on the ground prior to giving way to the next guy sometime in the fourth quarter.

What does all of this mean? It means that Michigan will likely finish with a 4-8, 2-6 record, that's what. 

Follow Bleacher Report’s Michigan Wolverines football writer Adam Biggers on Twitter @AdamBiggers81

What are you thoughts on Michigan's remaining schedule? What teams can the Wolverines beat? Which teams can't they beat?

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