Stanford at 2 is a major stretch, but at least the Cardinal will be a good team next year. I think Michigan is going to be no better than decent next year.
For 3 years, Michigan has scared teams for one reason -- Denard Robinson. With him gone, who on that roster scares you? Where are the difference makers? Green may eventually be a great back, but he'll be a frosh next year (and one in his second game when we see him). No other backs are difference makers. The receivers are decidedly mediocre. Lewan is tough, but the entire interior of their line is being rebuilt.
On D, they have ... uh ... well ... a bunch of OK guys. The kid from Ignatius is tough, but everone else is just a decent guy filling a position. They lose Demens, Kovacs, Roh, and Campbell -- arguably 4 of their top 5 guys on D.
I think this all boils down to Gardner. I guess some people think he showed great promise at the end of last year. I think he showed that he'll be an above average guy, but not the danger that Robinson was. Now that everyone has film on Gardner, and now that Robinson is no longer looming as a threat in the backfield beside him, I'm not worried about him. And since they have no depth, the Skunks can't afford to run him much, eliminating that threat.
Michigan has beat us 3 of the last 4, argubably when we were the better team each year. They can certainly beat us again next year. But it won't be because they match up with us athletically, because they don't. Hoke and Mattison are great recruiters, and they'll have the talent in another year or so, but they won't be our problem anymore at that point.
