Michigan’s College Football Playoff hopes aren’t dead yet, at least not in the minds of the players.
Jyaire Hill said Tuesday that the Wolverines still might have a shot if they can finish the season the right way. The message from the cornerback was simple: win out, and then see where things stand.
That’s the hard part. Michigan is 2-3 in the Big Ten, with its only conference wins coming against Penn State and Rutgers, two teams that have combined for just two Big Ten victories.
The win over Oklahoma doesn’t carry much weight either, and the missed chances against Iowa and Indiana loom large. Those were the kinds of games that could have changed the conversation.
Instead, Michigan is operating with no cushion at all, and even Ohio State’s loss didn’t really move the needle for the Wolverines.
The first College Football Playoff rankings came out Tuesday night, and the setup doesn’t exactly hand Michigan an easy argument. Ohio State checked in at No.
12, Oregon landed at No. 23, and those two teams are set to meet this week, meaning one of them will fall. UCLA is ranked No.
- Michigan still has games left against those teams in its final three, after Michigan State.
That’s where the path gets interesting, at least on paper. If Ohio State had been sitting in the top five and UCLA was also higher, Michigan could have made a stronger case by beating both.
A road win over Oregon would also carry real weight. But the rankings didn’t break in a way that gives the Wolverines much breathing room.
Before any playoff talk gets serious, Michigan has to show it can actually close games. The Wolverines had opportunities against Minnesota, Iowa and Indiana, and each time the fourth quarter slipped away from them. Michigan is the only Power-4 team that hasn’t trailed by double digits this season and isn’t ranked in the top 25.
So yes, the door is still cracked open. But it feels narrow.
There’s also the more immediate reality: Michigan still has to take care of Michigan State first. The Spartans are winless in the Big Ten, and if the Wolverines win on Saturday, that’s the result they should get.
The bigger issue is whether Michigan can clean up enough to make the final three games matter. The ground game against Rutgers wasn’t up to snuff, even though Tommy Carr was stellar. And while a win over Ohio State would obviously change the conversation, Michigan may need more than that to make anyone believe the playoff is truly in reach.
Win the last three, and then the discussion gets real. Until then, the Wolverines are still chasing proof as much as they’re chasing rankings.
In Other News...
Michigan Coach Just Made Bryce Underwood's Situation Even More Concerning
Tommy Carr is set to make his third straight start at quarterback for Michigan after Bryce Underwood was benched following a recent game filled with interceptions, a turn that has pushed the Wolverines into a more unsettled stretch under center. Underwood, still serving as a team captain, has spent the last few weeks backing up Carr from the sideline while dealing with a season marked by shaky passing accuracy and too many mistakes.
Quarterbacks coach Koy Detmer has spoken highly of Underwoods leadership and the way he has handled the demotion, but his comments also added another layer to the concern around the situation. Detmer said he wishes he had done a better job preparing Underwood for the season, a remark that underscores just how much Michigan is still trying to sort out at the position even as Carr takes another turn leading the offense. [Read more 🡒]
Michigan's O-Line Problem Is Becoming A Real Concern For Bryce Underwood
Michigans offensive line has turned into one of the more persistent issues of the season, and the effects have shown up everywhere from the trenches to the scoreboard. Injuries and constant lineup shuffling have left the unit searching for stability, with junior Jake Guarnera the only lineman to start all eight games. For a team trying to establish itself on the ground, that kind of turnover has made it hard to build any rhythm.
The run game has taken the brunt of it, with Michigan sitting 97th in rushing offense and too often looking out of sync when it tries to lean on the line. Coach Kyle Whittingham and offensive line coach Jim Harding have both acknowledged the problem and are pushing to make the group more physical and efficient, but the bigger question is how quickly that can happen before the pressure starts to mount on Bryce Underwood and the offense around him. [Read more 🡒]
Michigan Gets A Huge Boost For Its UConn Rematch Test
Michigans next big nonconference test comes with a familiar twist, as the Wolverines head to Bostons TD Garden for a national championship rematch with UConn. This time, though, they are expected to have Moustapha Thiam available after he missed the season opener because of illness, giving Michigan a major boost in the middle as it prepares for one of its toughest early-season challenges.
Thiams presence matters because of what he brings on both ends of the floor, from shot-blocking to the kind of offensive skill that can change how a game is played around the rim. Michigan should be close to full strength for the matchup, with the only notable absence being former coach Dusty May, now in the NBA, leaving the Wolverines to handle this one with a different sideline voice and a deeper frontcourt than they had a week ago. [Read more 🡒]