Donovan Edwards of Michigan on Ohio State and Oregon as favorites in the Big Ten: “We don’t care”

Although Michigan won three consecutive Big Ten championships and a national title last season, the team is not exactly the favorite to win its conference again in 2024. In fact, the Wolverines are not expected to finish second or even third.

In sports betting provider FanDuel’s odds for the 2024 Big Ten champion, Michigan (+750) is listed behind Ohio State (+155), Oregon (+210) and Penn State (+500) ahead of the upcoming season.

In his podcast with former Michigan tight end Jake Butt The laboratoryCurrent UM running back Donovan Edwards was asked if the doubts about the Wolverines and the general belief that Ohio State and Oregon are the teams to beat in the Big Ten are good motivators for “Team 145.”

“Honestly, I don’t think it matters to us,” Edwards said. “I would say we don’t care, in the sense that we’re competing against everybody like we did last year.”

To further elaborate on his point, it’s clear that Edwards and Michigan feel they have something to prove this season, especially on offense, after losing head coach Jim Harbaugh and nearly 20 players to the NFL in the offseason.

“The way I look at it is, you can look at the offensive side of the ball – a lot of guys, myself included, have never been in a position where their number is called every single play,” Edwards said. “I want to be one of those guys whose number is called every single play. I want the coaches to be able to count on me.”

“It’s the same with all the guys on offense. C-Love (tight end Colston Loveland) is the only returner on offense, so it’s like that – you want that pressure. You want that expectation, and the guys live up to it.”

Michigan is not motivated by outside forces. Thanks to player-led leadership dating back to 2021, with guys like Aidan Hutchinson leading the call to arms, the Wolverines’ program has become one that is self-motivated and driven by more than outsiders realize.

“The guys were hungry,” Edwards said. “The guys were wondering, ‘Why wasn’t my number called?’ Well, now your number is being called. Let’s make some money. Let’s prove to people why your number should be called all the time. I think that’s the boat we’re in and the guys are going to face it. We pushed each other every day.”

This is what elite college football programs look and sound like. It’s the annual, internal drive that programs like Alabama and Georgia have benefited from for multiple seasons. If Edwards’ attitude is adopted by his teammates, Michigan has as good a chance as anyone to capture the Big Ten championship and a spot in the College Football Playoff, regardless of what the bookies say.

– For more coverage of the Michigan Wolverines, visit Michigan Wolverines On SI –

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