After a bye week, No. 24 Michigan is seeking a season reset in the final six games of the year behind a new starting quarterback, seventh-grader Jack Tuttle.

That starts this weekend when the Wolverines (4-2, 2-1 Big Ten) travel to 22nd-ranked Illinois (5-1, 2-1) for their second road game in three weeks following Michigan’s 27-17 loss at the Big Ten Hands of Washington on October 5th. The Fighting Illini are off to a strong start under fourth-year head coach Bret Bielema and are looking for their first win over the Wolverines since 2009.

It’s a game that has likely been on Illinois’ minds for some time. The last time these two programs met in 2022, the Fighting Illini led for most of the second half until Jake Moody’s field goal with nine seconds left gave Michigan a 19-17 win in Ann Arbor. This year’s meeting will be the first since 2001 with both teams represented in the rankings.

After starting out as a slight favorite, Michigan has become a 3.5-point favorite over Illinois on Saturday. Below, Michigan Wolverines on SI Editor Chris Breiler, senior writer Trent Knoop, and contributing writer Matt Lounsberry share their thoughts on the game Two bold predictions, Game previewsAnd Final result predictions.

1. Michigan outscores Illinois in the second half

It’s concerning that this is a bold prediction for the Michigan Wolverines, but it’s also the sad reality of what the last four weeks have looked like. Michigan has been outscored in the second half of its last four games, including Arkansas State (15-7), USC (21-13), Minnesota (21-6) and Washington (13-7). There’s no telling exactly how things will play out on Saturday, but I think the Wolverines put an end to their streak of poor second-half play on Saturday.

2. Jack Tuttle sets new career highs at Michigan

Seems daring at first glance, but not exactly daring upon closer inspection. Tuttle set new career highs two weeks ago in the loss to Washington. But those career highs included 18 attempts, 10 completions, 98 yards, 1 touchdown and a 22-yard completion through the air. I believe that after a full two weeks of preparation, Tuttle will have an extremely productive afternoon on Saturday – 20+ attempts, 15+ completions, 125+ yards, two touchdowns (or more) and a 22+ yard completion. All reasonable expectations for a seventh-year veteran.

1. Jack Tuttle throws for 175 yards

When Tuttle came on for Alex Orji against Washington two weeks ago, he provided a spark to the Wolverines’ offense. Michigan took a 17-14 lead with Tuttle at the helm, but two late turnovers cost Michigan the win. Now that Tuttle has had a full week to prepare and practice for Illinois, I think Michigan is finally getting what it needs from the quarterback spot. He probably won’t be elite, but Tuttle is experienced enough to make something happen for the Wolverines.

2. Amorion Walker grabs 3 receptions

It has remained largely unused since Walker’s return to Ann Arbor. However, we saw a connection between Tuttle and Walker against Washington that resulted in a 22-yard reception. Walker played a season-high nine snaps against the Huskies, and Sherrone Moore said earlier this week that he believes the wide receiver role will continue to expand. Since I believe Michigan will get better quarterback play with Tuttle at the helm, I think the Wolverines are looking to get their athletic freak more involved as well.

1. Michigan exceeds 300 yards of total offense

That doesn’t sound like a bold prediction, nor would it be for most college offenses, but the Wolverines have only managed more than 300 total yards twice this season, and only once against a Power 4 opponent (322). against USC). That being said, I feel better about Michigan’s offense now than I ever have this season, and that’s because I believe they finally have the right guy at quarterback. That’s a bold statement in itself, as Jack Tuttle is making his first start to his career with the Wolverines and we’ve only seen him in this offense for three quarters so far, but I stand by that opinion. While I believe Michigan will need to make some plays through the air, this prediction also takes into account that Illinois ranks just 77th nationally in rush yards per game. This is good news for Kalel Mullings and Donovan Edwards, and with finally having a passing threat in the backfield, these two could have big days ahead.

2. Kalel Mullings and Donovan Edwards both exceed 75 rushing yards

I’m going to double down on the last sentence of my previous bold prediction and repeat it here. Mullings was under pressure for much of the game against Washington, and I bet he can’t wait to get back on track after two weeks off. Meanwhile, we saw Edwards compete with conviction against the Huskies, and I hope that’s reflected in this game. Edwards is too important and too much of a face of this program to be forgotten again. Michigan needs him to be the leader and focal point of this offense.

Michigan is such a wild card team. If they play well, it could be over by halftime. If they play like they have in the first six weeks, this could be a complete four-quarter battle. At this point, I’m willing to give the coaching staff the benefit of the doubt and believe we’ll see better football in the second half of the season. At the same time, Illinois is no slouch this year, and Champaign will be rocking with fans waiting to see the Fighting Illini hand the Wolverines their third loss of the season.

Result prediction: Michigan 20, Illinois 17

I’m leaning toward Michigan this week, and while that might be naive – I thought the Wolverines would win in Washington – I think a full week of practice will benefit the maize and blue. Plus, Purdue narrowly beat Illinois last weekend, and the Boilermakers are one of the worst teams in the Big Ten with a backup quarterback. Illinois’ weakness is Michigan’s strength. The Illini fight to stop the run and protect Luke Altmyer. Michigan enjoys playing football and putting pressure on opponents. If Michigan’s secondary can step up and make plays, this game could be more than the 10-point win I’m predicting. But if Jyaire Hill and Zeke Berry continue to struggle, Altmyer could be in for a big day and Michigan could be in for another long day.

Result prediction: Michigan 31, Illinois 21

Let’s be honest, it’s hard to know what to expect in this game. Michigan is coming off a bye week, and that has given Tuttle additional time to acclimate to the first-team offense and prepare for Illinois’ defense. That, combined with the Fighting Illini’s vulnerability to the run, leads me to believe we’ll see one of Michigan’s better offensive performances of the season this week. That being said, Tuttle doesn’t play defense, and the Wolverines’ secondary still needs a lot of improvement before I start trusting this unit. Perhaps the departure also gave some of Michigan’s struggling defensive backs time to recover and be ready to play, but that’s no guarantee. We’ve seen good and bad from cornerback Jyaire Hill, but nickelback Zeke Berry has consistently been targeted by opposing quarterbacks, often with great success. I’m worried about what Illinois quarterback Luke Altmyer might do in this game, but I’ve been rooting for Michigan in this matchup all week.

Result prediction: Michigan 30, Illinois 24

– Enjoy more Michigan Wolverines coverage on Michigan Wolverines On SI –

For additional coverage of University of Michigan athletics: