5 reasons Michigan can still make the College Football Playoff
By John Buhler
The Michigan Wolverines lost to the Iowa Hawkeyes on a last-second field goal, but here are five reasons Michigan will make the College Football Playoff.
The No. 3 Michigan Wolverines lost a heartbreaker in Iowa City to the Iowa Hawkeyes in Week 11. Iowa drained a game-winning field goal to sink previously undefeated Michigan, 14-13 on Saturday night.
Though Michigan’s chances a perfect 15-0 season have come to an end, the Wolverines’ College Football Playoff dreams are still very much alive. Here are five reasons that Michigan can still make the 2017 College Football Playoff.
5. The Big Ten will get a team into the College Football Playoff
Barring anything absolutely shocking, the Big Ten will be one of the four Power 5 conferences that will be getting a team into the 2017 College Football Playoff. The Big Ten has more elite teams at the top of its conference than the other Power 5’s this season.
The Big Ten has roughly five teams than can vie for a trip to the College Football Playoff. A two-loss Big Ten champion is not guaranteed to get a Playoff invite, but one has to believe that the Selection Committee would take a two-loss Big Ten Champion over another two-loss Power 5 conference champion.
Could this be the year that an at-large team will be getting in despite not winning a conference championship? Last week’s chaos across the Power 5 definitely makes it a possibility.
In all honesty, Michigan probably needs to win the Big Ten to guarantee its place in the College Football Playoff. One would have to believe that either the Ohio State Buckeyes or the Penn State Nittany Lions would have a better shot at getting in as an at-large team over Michigan.
Regardless, Michigan is one of a few teams that has multiple ways of getting into the 2017 College Football Playoff. Big Ten Champion is the easiest route, but an at-large bid isn’t mathematically impossible.