5 reasons Michigan can still make the College Football Playoff
By John Buhler
1. Michigan controls its own College Football Playoff destiny
This is really the only thing that matters for Michigan: the Wolverines control their own College Football Playoff destiny. Michigan needs to beat Indiana, Ohio State, and the Big Ten West Champion to get to the College Football Playoff.
With quarterback Wilton Speight out for the year, that’s quite the parlay for the Wolverines football program. However, Michigan was at times winning games in spite of Speight’s lackluster play from the quarterback position.
The Wolverines will have to lean on their defense, special teams, and the ground game to reach the Playoff, but they have an opportunity to get there even without Speight. To be in control of one’s own College Football Playoff destiny in the third week of November is a huge deal.
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It won’t be easy, but the Wolverines have a clear path to reach the Playoff. If the arch rival Ohio State can win the 2015 College Football Playoff with a backup signal caller in Cardale Jones, why can’t the Wolverines? Michigan still has a Heisman contender in linebacker Jabrill Peppers, so we’ll see. The Wolverines are down, but certainly not out of the College Football Playoff picture.