​Kyle Whittingham was brought to Michigan to win right away.This isn’t a rebuild, and there’s little grace period. He’s supposed to steady the ship after a rocky time off the field, and he’s supposed to beat teams like Western Michigan without having to work too hard.But that team over in Kalamazoo is coming off a MAC championship season, and has the experience and makeup to not only do that again, but also give the Wolverines a tough battle.Michigan vs Western Michigan: Quick HitsThese two schools are only 100 miles apart, but they’ve only met eight times. Michigan is 8-0 with the first meeting a 17-13 fight in 1917.Michigan has won its last seven season openers and nine of the last ten since dropping the 2015 season opener against … Kyle Whittingham’s Utah team.Western Michigan has lost four of its last five openers, with all the losses coming to Big Ten teams.How To Watch Michigan vs Western MichiganDate: September 5, 2026Game Time: 7:30 pm ETTV: NBCLocation: Michigan Stadium, Ann Arbor, MI– CFN Week 1 Schedule, Predictions– CFN Week 1 Expert PicksWhy Western Michigan Will WinThe Oklahoma Sooners are coming to Ann Arbor next week.It’s the season opener with a new coaching staff, and of course, Michigan will care about this against Western Michigan. However, all anyone seems to want to talk about is the showdown coming up next.The Broncos have one of the best backfields in the Group of Six, with veteran quarterback Broc Lowry and running back Jalen Buckley good enough to give a tweaked Michigan defense a few fits. This is a Western Michigan team that thinks it can win.Why Michigan Will WinWestern Michigan is better on the defensive front, but that’s because four new parts are in from the portal. That’s not a negative, but they haven’t had a game or two to get ready for a Michigan offensive front that’s loaded with returning starters.Quarterback Bryce Underwood might be the star, but there likely won’t be anything funky about the game plan. Hand it off to Jordan Marshall and great-looking freshman Savion Hiter, and keep on pushing.Michigan vs Western Michigan Prediction, Betting LinesMichigan won’t mess with this. The coaching staff wants to get in, win the game, and get out, because Western Michigan is just that scary if things start to go wrong.It was 18 years ago when App State came into Michigan Stadium and pulled off one of the most shocking upsets in college football history. That won’t happen – the Wolverines will block, tackle, and do everything right without taking too many chances.Michigan 38, Western Michigan 10Latest Consensus Line: Michigan -27.5, o/u: 48.5ATS Confidence (out of 5): 3Must See Rating (out of 5): 3Consensus line based on BetMGM, Caesars, DraftKings, and FanDuel. Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem and wants help, call 1-800-GAMBLER.