Can Michigan’s offense help the Wolverines reach the College Football Playoff?

The Michigan Wolverines look like they finally have the firepower on offense, but will it be enough to carry them to their first College Football Playoff appearance?

For the first time in what feels like ages, the Michigan Wolverines have a legitimate offense and a quarterback that can run it. However, will Shea Patterson and company be able to stay hot to lead the Wolverines to the College Football Playoff for the first time in program history?

Defense hasn’t been the issue for Michigan in a while, and that’s still very much the case this season. The Wolverines are first in the nation with just 220 yards allowed per game, a full 42 yards fewer than the next-closest team. Not only is it hard to move the ball, but teams struggle to score as well, averaging just 14.4 points per contest.

The big difference for the Wolverines this year is that their offense is capitalizing and making the most  of their opportunities. The offense is more balanced than it’s ever been under Jim Harbaugh, averaging 36 points per game this season.

Ole Miss transfer Shea Patterson has been exactly what Michigan has needed from their starting quarterback, which is stability. Despite dealing with cramps against Notre Dame in the season-opening loss, Patterson has righted the ship and looked strong. He’s currently completing 66.8 percent of passes for 1,523 yards, 12 touchdowns and just three interceptions.

Patterson isn’t blowing up the stat sheet, but he’s managing the game and limiting his turnovers. It also doesn’t hurt that Patterson has been a significant upgrade in the mobility department compared to previous quarterbacks, extending plays with his legs or even taking off downfield from time to time.

On the ground, Karan Higdon has been an absolute workhorse for the Wolverines. The senior has already carried the ball 153 times, eclipsing 25 carries in three different games. Higdon has made the most of all of those carries, racking up 831 yards and six touchdowns.

Other athletes including Donovan Peoples-Jones and Tarik Black (who is finally getting close to being healthy and making his 2018 debut) round out what is the most talented offense Harbaugh has had to work with.

With all of this talent, can the Wolverines finally get over the hump and make the College Football Playoff?

The Wolverines have four regular season games left, with two easier matchups against Rutgers and Indiana sandwiched between Saturday’s game against Penn State and The Game against the Buckeyes.

Given the current Big Ten standings, the Wolverines could win their next three games and it still wouldn’t matter if Ohio State also wins out. Despite losing to Purdue, the Buckeyes are still in charge of their own destiny, but it will all come down to the contest against their dreaded rival.

Wolverines fans should be extremely optimistic with the team this year, but before they can get too ahead of themselves, this offense will need to keep proving itself and hold off the Nittany Lions before they can take a breath.

Offense may have been a concern for Michigan in previous years, but that’s simply not the case this season.