Philadelphia, PA (My Sportsbook) - 2006 SEASON IN REVIEW: It seems as if every year Lloyd Carr's Michigan squad is considered among the favorites to capture the Big Ten title and make a run at the national championship, and 2006 was no exception. Although it was widely believed that Ohio State was the team to beat in the conference, the Wolverines gave the Buckeyes all they could handle both during the year and in their epic battle in the regular season finale. The Maize and Blue opened the campaign with a 20-point win over SEC foe Vanderbilt and then took out both Central Michigan and Notre Dame as tune-ups for the Big Ten slate which began with a 27-13 win over Wisconsin. Victories over Minnesota, Michigan State, Penn State, Iowa, Northwestern, Ball State and Indiana followed setting up a classic battle of unbeatens between the Wolverines and top-ranked Buckeyes. In that contest, Carr's troops were defeated in a wild 42-39 final, and while disappointment was the order of the day, it was short-lived as Michigan was rewarded for its fine season with a BCS berth in the Rose Bowl and a date with USC. The Wolverines were handled in that bout, losing to the Trojans 32-18, but it was clearly another successful year for Carr and a Michigan program which has posted 39 straight winning campaigns and has reached 32 consecutive bowl games.

2007 ANALYSIS:

OFFENSE: With three of the top skill players in the country on the roster, the Michigan offense is set to break records and lead the Wolverines back to Big Ten prominence. It all starts with senior QB Chad Henne, a 6-2, 224-pounder who completed 61.9 percent of his passes for 2,508 yards, 22 TDs and only eight INTs last season. Henne, who has nearly three times as many TD passes as he does INTs in his career, is the latest in a long line of talented signal callers to play at Michigan and he will have the luxury of throwing to an ultra-skilled receiving corps led by junior speedster Mario Manningham. The 6-0 Manningham caught 38 balls and led the team with 703 receiving yards and nine TDs in '06. He was hobbled a bit by an ankle injury at one point but should be poised for a breakout year. Helping ease some of the burden from the passing game, senior RB Mike Hart is back to pick up where he left off last year when he rushed for 1,562 yards and 14 TDs. Hart needs just 794 yards to become UM's all-time leading ground gainer, and with a big, experienced line in front of him, as long as he stays healthy, it should be a lock. Senior OT Jake Long is among the best at his position in the Big Ten, as is senior OG Adam Kraus.

DEFENSE: With the potent Michigan offense predicted to chew up yards and light up the scoreboard almost at will, the Wolverine defense could be on the field quite a bit this year. Not good for a unit that returns just four starters. Carr's defense was brilliant against the run in '06, yielding a national-best 43.4 ypg, but defending the pass was another story as foes picked up nearly 225 ypg. A pair of defensive backs who finished among the club's top four tacklers last year return for their senior seasons, as FS Jamar Adams and CB Trent Morgan look to elevate their game in the absence of any notable superstars. The front seven consists of solid players in junior DT Terrence Taylor and senior LB Shawn Crable, but there are also some unknowns on which the Wolverines will have to rely. Linemen Will Johnson and Tim Jamison have some experience in big games, and one guy to keep an eye on is LB Austin Panter, the first juco transfer to come to Michigan in a decade and the reigning Junior College Defensive Player of the Year.

SPECIAL TEAMS: The only given on special teams for Michigan is punter Zoltan Mesko, a 6-4, 240-pound junior who averaged better than 41 yards per boot last season. Replacing standout kicker Garrett Rivas will be difficult, but sophomore Bryan Wright has ability and will likely get the nod. Carr has any of a number of talented return men to choose from, so that aspect of the game should be fine.

OUTLOOK: With eight home games, including four straight to open the season, Michigan's schedule is favorable although certainly not without its pitfalls. Facing Oregon, Notre Dame and Penn State in consecutive weeks will tell alot about the team's character and if they come out of that stretch unscathed, the Wolverines should make it through to the Wisconsin game on November 10th undefeated. Win in Madison and a visit from Ohio State awaits with a shot at the BCS title game on the line. If Michigan runs the table, it will claim its first Big Ten championship since 2004 and its first national title since 1997 and eighth overall