Michigan Football needs a statement win in the Outback Bowl

With the rest of the Big Ten dominating during bowl season, Michigan football could really use a statement win in the Outback Bowl against South Carolina.

The Outback Bowl matters for Michigan football for a lot reasons. The Wolverines want to win nine games, they want to avoid a three-game losing streak and they want to end the season with some momentum.

But after watching the way top Big Ten teams like Michigan State and Ohio State are dominating their bowl games, if makes you think Michigan football, really needs to make a statement in the Outback Bowl.

Through five bowl games, the Big Ten is 5-0. Penn State takes on Washington in the Fiesta Bowl Saturday, followed by Wisconsin and Miami in the Orange Bowl. If those teams win, it would be up to Michigan to complete the perfect bowl record.

The Wolverines have the easiest opponent of any of the games left in South Carolina, an 8-4 team from the SEC. I wish Michigan football got a chance to play a ranked team. Then, an impressive win would mean something more. The Gamecocks are a solid team, but it will be hard for UM to turn heads by beating them.

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All season long we have made the argument that Michigan is young, that the Wolverines were held back by quarterback John O’Korn. If that’s true, it’s time for the Wolverines to prove it. Brandon Peters has had weeks to prepare for this game and if Michigan has a chance to be as good as we all think, then this game shouldn’t be close.

South Carolina has some players, but it ranks 107th in total offense. The defense isn’t even in the top 50. The Wolverines offense also ranks 100th, but they are third in total defense. And when it comes to NFL talent, it’s not even close.

Michigan has two players that are probably going in the first round in 2018, Maurice Hurst and Mason Cole (possibly). Chase Winovich, if he decides to leave, is another that should go fairly early. South Carolina just doesn’t have that same pedigree, they certainly don’t have anyone like Rashan Gary.

Of course, getting a win by any means, whether it’s by one point or 20, is important. The Wolverines need a ninth win, they need to wash their hands clean of that two-game losing skid to Wisconsin and Ohio State.

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The only way to do that, is by beating the doors off South Carolina. A narrow win will be good, but if the Wolverines have a chance to do something special in 2018, they need to kick it off by making a statement. And the way to do that, is winning the Outback Bowl going away.