Welcome from The Staff 
Steve, Craig, Tim, and Steve B welcome you to The Wolverine Den!
- For a preview of the next game, see below.
- For a look back (and to see the incriminating pictures), choose a game on the Last Week menu.
- If you plan on attending a tailgate at The Den for the first time, see the blog menu for Den Law and the house rules to many of the usual tailgate "activities".
- Click on Buy Gear for TWD shirt!
This Week at The Wolverine Den
Game Weather
Northwestern at Michigan (Senior Day/Olympian Recognition)
Michigan Stadium
November 23, 2024 - 3:30 p.m. ET
Game Preview
The Michigan Wolverines are back in action after a bye week. The team needs one win in its final two games to become bowl eligible. It's senior day in Ann Arbor and the Maize and Blue will honor 44 seniors before the game. The good news is that of the 44 seniors, only 5 of them will have exhausted their eligibility. This bodes well for the depth and leadership that could return for 2025. The bad news is that most of the best players and leaders on this team are juniors who will become draft-eligible. These include Mason Graham, Kenneth Grant, Colston Loveland and Will Johnson. All are likely to go pro.
Pre-game Menu
BBQ Chicken
Coleslaw
Potato Salad
Mac & Cheese
Post-game Menu
Burgers
Brats
Snacks
And I neglected to mention that we are playing Northwestern this week. The Wildcats are 4-6 on the year and need wins in their final two games to earn a bowl bid. They average only 284.4 yards of offense (130th in the nation) and only 18.0 points per game (126th in the nation). QB Jack Lausch is versatile, but his passer rating is 116th in the nation (out of 119 quarterbacks). The NW rushing attack averages only 3.5 yards per carry. The leading receiver is Michigan-transfer AJ Henning. On defense, the Wildcats are a little better, ranking 58th in the nation. They are a disciplined team that doesn't commit many penalties and doesn't turn the ball over very often.
The Wolverine Den Trivia
For the first time ever, Michigan has all seven football trophies that they play for in their trophy case today. How many can you name?
This is a game that Michigan should win handily. But with the offense not having any explosive plays over most of the season, expect the game to be closer than it should. Northwestern should not score many points against the improving Michigan defense and the Wolverines should grind out a victory.
The two teams have not played much recently, only twice in the last 8 years. But, as you would expect, the Maize and Blue have dominated the series 59-15-2. Michigan has won the last 7 in a row over Northwestern and are 31-4 over the Cats since the start of the Bo era. Don't look for a high scoring game since both defenses are better than their opposing offenses on what is expected to be a blustery, windy day in Ann Arbor.
The Wolverines are a 11-point favorite.
Craig's Prediction
TBA
Steve's Prediction
TBA
Tim's Prediction
TBA
Brown's Prediction
TBA
Craig 26½, Tim 25, Steve 25, Brown 23½