Michigan Football: 5 things we learned from Peach Bowl loss to Florida

The program took only a small step forward in 2019

It’s funny how two games change the outlook of a season but when you get blown out by 26 and 23 points against a pair of top-10 teams in back-to-back games to end the season, it’s hard to call it a success.

Michigan Wolverines

Michigan football wasn’t a failure in 2018. But it wasn’t a success either. It was just another season stuck in neutral. The Wolverines did achieve some notable things. They won 10 straight games; they were co-Big Ten East champs; beat three ranked teams and most importantly, they beat Michigan State.

Getting to the New Year’s Six for the second time in three years is a big deal. Playing and winning on the big stage is always important, however, UM fell flat on its face. Michigan is now 1-9 against top-10 teams under Harbaugh and 1-3 in bowl games. It was also the third straight season that ended with consecutive losses.

Beating Florida would have given Michigan its first top-10 win away from home in 13 years, its first 11-win season in 13 years, its first major-bowl win in eight years and may have led to the Wolverines first top-5 finish since 1999.

Winning 11 games and finishing in the top five of the final AP poll isn’t a bad season by any measurement. It would have given the program momentum and confidence heading into 2019. Instead, we are left with the dark cloud of failure that continues to hang over Michigan football.