Last year marked Sherrone Moore‘s inaugural season as head coach following Jim Harbaugh‘s exit. The Wolverines got off to a bumpy start, standing at 5-5 through ten games, which made many wonder if the magic had expired. But then, in typical Michigan style, the team came together. They executed a masterful upset over Ohio State as three-touchdown underdogs, then finished the season on a high note with a victory over Alabama in the ReliaQuest Bowl, going 8-5 and putting some life back in the program. But it hasn’t all been roses. The specter of the 2023 sign-stealing scandal continues to cast a shadow. Moore will miss a self-suspended two games in 2025, sitting out Weeks 3 and 4 against Nebraska and Central Michigan, as part of an attempt by Michigan to move past the scandal.
The timing of the suspension is interesting—it will have Moore sitting out Michigan’s season opener and, importantly, one of the biggest nonconference games of the year: a trip to Norman to play Oklahoma, Moore’s former school. And that’s where things start to get interesting. Michigan vs. Oklahoma isn’t any old game—it’s a statement. The Wolverines, ranked No. 17 in ESPN’s preseason Football Power Index, are determined to show that they can prove last season’s final push was not a one-time event and that Moore can lead them back to national contention. However, Oklahoma sits just a single spot above at No. 16, making this a battle of giants to watch very early in the season.
In his latest reel, CFB insider David Pollack expressed his excitement regarding the Michigan vs. Oklahoma game. “I think Oklahoma is gonna come in with more continuity with quarterback and play caller,” said Pollack. Oklahoma has a significant advantage at QB and play-caller chemistry. Sooners’ quarterback John Mateer isn’t an average transfer—rather, he played a full season at Washington State under Ben Arbuckle, where they threw big numbers together. Mateer passed with 3,139 yards and 29 TDs, and he added 826 rushing yards and 15 touchdowns.
Arbuckle is importing that same system to Norman, and Mateer is along for the ride. That’s a massive benefit—while most teams are still figuring things out in spring and fall camp, these two already have the same language in football. ESPN’s David Hale even listed Oklahoma’s quarterback situation in the upper echelon of the country for 2025, and On3’s Andy Staples listed Mateer among the top-10 QBs in the nation.
Let’s consider Bryce Underwood. Michigan’s quarterback situation has been unsettled ever since J.J. McCarthy departed. They signed the most touted QB recruit in their history, and scouts consider him a generational player. The coaches are asking Underwood to fill a national championship-sized gap immediately. His first real test? Week 2, at Oklahoma. That’s quite a tall order for any freshman, regardless of talent level. The heat is on Underwood. He’s not playing to win—he’s playing to validate an eight-figure investment and to make Michigan a playoff contender. Mateer, on the other hand, has already burned. He’s at ease, he’s confident, and returning talent on offense and defense backs him, including a defensive front that experts are touting as the best in the SEC.
Why Oklahoma would be a problem for Michigan
David Pollack thinks Brent Venables‘ Sooners will be ‘lightyears better’ defensively this year, with huge changes to their coaching staff and personnel. That’s something to be concerned about for the Wolverines. “Oklahoma has the best defensive line in the SEC,” Pollack said.
As for that defensive line—Oklahoma’s not only good, they’re stacked. The depth is particularly in the middle, where Jayden Jackson, Gracen Halton, Damonic Williams, and David Stone provide a rotation that is deep, talented, and disruptive. Jackson burst onto the scene as a freshman, while Halton and Williams established themselves as veterans, and Stone emerged as a five-star talent.
Cole Cubelic previously explained the tackle depth is “off the freakin’ charts,” and Oklahoma possesses a “40-yard head start on everybody else” in the SEC. Finally, Pollack said, “Oklahoma, I think, is going to be one of the most improved teams in the country, period.”
Oklahoma returns a ton of production on both sides of the ball, 10th in the nation in returning production. Their offensive line, which was a revolving door with injuries last year, is now in place and returns four of the five starters who played to the finish, providing Mateer with legitimate protection and time to operate. For Michigan, this is a worst-case situation. They’re coming into Norman to play a team that has a new identity, a dynamic offense, and a defense that only continues to improve.
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