Michigan Football: Why Wolverines desperately need a ninth win
Michigan football will find out Sunday where it will play its bowl game and who its opponent will be, but all that matters for the Wolverines is getting a ninth win.
Soon, Michigan football and its fans will know the destination and opponent for the bowl game. Of course, we won’t know anything until the College Football Playoff rankings are released.
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If Ohio State makes the playoff, Michigan football will probably head to the Outback Bowl. However, if the Buckeyes are passed over for Alabama, then UM could wind up in the Holiday or Gator Bowl.
Hopefully, the Wolverines can get some breaks and wind up in the Outback Bowl on New Year’s Day. That would give Michigan football a chance to play in front of a national audience, against a solid team from the SEC such as South Carolina.
That’s a game that is certainly winnable for the Wolverines, but it would still rank as Michigan’s most significant win of the season. In fact, that will be true of whoever the opponent is.
That’s because the Wolverines haven’t beat a winning team yet in 2017, so knocking off someone like South Carolina or Kentucky would be a nice feather in the cap. Although a shot at Washington State or someone similar in the Holiday would be fun too.
Yet, no matter where the Wolverines end up or who they play, this bowl game is a must win for Michigan football.
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For starters, Michigan needs momentum, badly. Next season is going to be a pivotal season for head coach Jim Harbaugh. If he can’t beat Michigan State or Ohio State or win the Big Ten East, the critics will only grow louder.
Michigan can and probably will treat the bowl like the first game of 2018 and that’s exactly what it should do. Brandon Peters and Dylan McCaffrey will essentially start the QB battle during bowl practices and all young players can work on taking that next step.
For Peters, the opportunity to get a leg up for the starting job also exists. If he can play well and lead the Wolverines to a win, he will essentially become the incumbent. Confidence matters and beating a good team on a national stage would be great for the young signal caller.
It would also be great for a young Michigan football team. The Wolverines are returning most players on both offense and defense, so the bowl game can be a jumping off point for next season.
The ideal scenario would be the Outback Bowl. But any game against a good team will do. The Wolverines need to prove they can beat a quality opponent. Not just for their doubters, but for themselves.
This team is far too good to end the season with three straight losses. 9-4 isn’t great, but it’s more than respectable and would also give UM a chance to finish in the final AP Poll.
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More importantly, it would end the season on a positive note, while also giving a young team the confidence to know it can beat good teams in the future.