Joel Klatt explains why Michigan is better suited for postseason success than in past years

Fox Sports’ Joel Klatt loves Michigan’s chances in the postseason this year compared to the last two seasons.

Michigan won the Big Ten the last two years but fell in the College Football Playoff semifinals to Georgia and TCU, respectively. But this time, Michigan could be the No. 2, if not the No. 1 overall team in the CFP with a win and some help.

One thing is for sure, the Wolverines are better prepared in 2023.

“I think that they’re better suited this year than either of the two previous years they went to the playoff,” Klatt said on his podcast. “They obviously still have to beat Iowa, but they’ll be favored to do so in the conference championship game, but this is a better team, I think, more well rounded, than either of the previous two. Even though they don’t quite have the pass rush that the ‘21 team did and maybe, you know, last year’s team.”

Klatt reeled off what Michigan has this season compared to the last couple.

“This one has elements of everything that can throw the ball … they can run the football when they need to and want to,” Klatt said. “Saw that against Penn State. You saw that at times against Ohio State. The defense can put pressure on the quarterback. We saw that each of the last two weeks when Maryland and Ohio State started to get some rhythm in the passing game.

“They’ve got guys that can make plays on the outside. They’re terrific and special teams. Their coaching staff is legit and they make aggressive decisions and they put their team in the best chance to win the game.”

Michigan better prepared in 2023 compared to last two CFP teams

The cohesion amid the sign stealing allegations seemed to make Michigan better this season. That’s easily what Klatt sees.

“This is a team that I think has a better chance to succeed in the postseason than each of the previous two seasons that they’ve been there,” Klatt said. “They also have this togetherness you know, the past three years, man it’s been an interesting juxtaposition from the Michigan teams I was covering before COVID to the Michigan teams I was covering after COVID.

“They believe in one another. There’s a love that’s palpable within that organization and that program.” 

Not to mention, Jim Harbaugh is back on the sideline for Michigan this weekend for the Big Ten Championship.

“They love Jim Harbaugh, they talk about each other with respect,” Klatt said. “It’s not a program that you go in and talks about things that are going wrong or things that they don’t have. All they talk about are things that they do have, things that are going right and why they’re going to be successful. 

“They really love each other and it shows when I go and meet them. And this seems like a culmination of that culture change since COVID. That’s what this year has felt like for me.”