Fansided

5 reasons Michigan can still make the College Football Playoff

By John Buhler

Nov 12, 2016; Iowa City, IA, USA; Michigan Wolverines head coach Jim Harbaugh walks the sidelines during their game against the Iowa Hawkeyes at Kinnick Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Reese Strickland-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 12, 2016; Iowa City, IA, USA; Michigan Wolverines head coach Jim Harbaugh walks the sidelines during their game against the Iowa Hawkeyes at Kinnick Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Reese Strickland-USA TODAY Sports /
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Nov 12, 2016; Clemson, SC, USA; Clemson Tigers quarterback Deshaun Watson (4) walks off the field after the game against the Pittsburgh Panthers at Clemson Memorial Stadium. Panthers won 43-42. Mandatory Credit: Joshua S. Kelly-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 12, 2016; Clemson, SC, USA; Clemson Tigers quarterback Deshaun Watson (4) walks off the field after the game against the Pittsburgh Panthers at Clemson Memorial Stadium. Panthers won 43-42. Mandatory Credit: Joshua S. Kelly-USA TODAY Sports /

2. Every Power 5 team but Alabama has at least one loss

Despite losing in Iowa City to the Hawkeyes on Saturday night, all the college football chaos on November 12th was great for Michigan’s College Football Playoff chances.

It wasn’t just No. 3 Michigan who lost on Saturday. No. 2 Clemson fell at home to Pittsburgh. Clemson hadn’t been keeping it tight all season and was bound to lose at some point. Also losing on Saturday was No. 4 Washington, who lost at home to USC. The Huskies were outmatched by a more physical Trojans team.

So seeing five of the Top 10 teams in the College Football Rankings fall on Saturday yields only one undefeated team left in the Power 5. That would be the No. 1 Alabama Crimson Tide in the SEC. Alabama will almost certainly make the College Football Playoff at 13-0 after winning the 2016 SEC Championship in Atlanta.

Unless undefeated Western Michigan steals a Playoff spot out of the Group of 5, there will be three teams in the College Football Playoff with at least one loss on their résumé. Michigan’s one-point defeat on the road in Iowa City is not a terrible loss. Undefeated Clemson or Washington would have hurt Michigan’s Playoff chances, but all three Power 5 teams lost on the same day.

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