With a Win Over Wisconsin this Weekend, Michigan Will be Back

Now that we're over one-third of the way through the season, almost every College Football Playoff contender has at least a semi-signature win. Alabama beat the living hell out of USC, then won at Ole Miss. Ohio State and Houston both stomped Oklahoma. Louisville dominated Florida State. Stanford beat UCLA. Clemson … at least won at Auburn?

Of the current top seven teams in the AP Poll, and the ones making the biggest Playoff push at the moment, only No. 4 Michigan is missing a signature win.

To be clear, the Wolverines have looked every bit like one of the best teams in college football, even without a great win of their own. They've demolished every team they've played, including a Colorado team that is much better than anticipated. The defense ranks 12th nationally, giving up just 4.32 yards per play, and that number would probably be better if three of UM's four games weren't over by halftime.

But this week, Michigan has the chance to finally get a signature win and bolster its Playoff resume when Wisconsin comes to town. The Badgers are ranked eighth in the AP Poll, and this game is really the perfect opportunity for the Wolverines to assert their dominance. Yes, Wisconsin has arguably the most impressive resume in the country, with a win against LSU and a blowout win at Michigan State, but those opponents don't appear to be all they were cracked up to be. Still, the Badgers got a lot of credit for those wins, reaching the top 10, meaning Michigan has the chance to blow out a top 10 opponent.

That's important for the Wolverines, because in their quest to return to the greatness they haven't achieved since the mid-2000s, Michigan has lacked signature wins. Even in last year's impressive turnaround under Jim Harbaugh, the Wolverines lost to the two best teams they played—Ohio State (in a blowout) and Michigan State. In fact, Michigan hasn't beaten a top 10 opponent since 2008, and the Wolverines haven't beaten a top 10 opponent while they, too, were ranked since beating second-ranked Notre Dame in 2006. That was a decade and three coaches ago.

Since Harbaugh arrived, Michigan has proven itself to be a great team. The Wolverines won 10 games and finished 12th in last year's AP Poll, and the S&P+ statistical ratings had Michigan ranked even higher, at No. 6. This year, S&P+ ranks Michigan second nationally, and given the string of blowouts to start the year, there's no reason to doubt the data.

But to truly declare a program "back," at least in terms of championship readiness, fans want results. This weekend is Michigan's chance to get there. We know the Wolverines are good, and we know they'll contend for a Playoff spot, but the game against No. 8 Wisconsin is a chance for all of the statistical evidence to culminate in the result Wolverines fans have waited a decade to see.