Michigan Football: 3 reasons UM can fulfill AP playoff prediction

UM will have plenty of chances to impress the selection comittee

While Michigan football has the talent and the quarterback to make a playoff push, there is another part of the recipe that’s needed and that’s a good schedule. Of course, if a team is good enough, it won’t matter but in the case of the Wolverines, they have plenty of chances to score quality wins.

Michigan Wolverines

The first game of the season at Notre Dame will be a perfect opportunity to build the resume. A win, on the road, will immediately put UM into the title picture. Then, Michigan will get chances to play Wisconsin, Penn State, Ohio State and Michigan State, as well as Northwestern and a resurgent Nebraska program in conference play.

With that slate, a 10-2 record could keep Michigan in play for the playoff, as long as UM wins the Big Ten East. But, 7-2 in the conference might not be good enough to make the playoff, unless the losses come to non-division teams like Wisconsin, Nebraska and Northwestern.

Michigan has to take care of business in the Big Ten East. The Wolverines play Penn State at home, followed by Michigan State and Ohio State, on the road, later in the season. Those three games are must-win if UM wants to make the playoff. One loss wouldn’t be bad but if that loss comes against Ohio State, it won’t be good enough to win the division.

Michigan football has seven really tough games this season and if it can win five or six of those, its resume will be strong enough that as long as it wins the Big Ten title, it will be a playoff team without a shadow of a doubt.