Michigan Football: Breaking down bowl scenarios for Wolverines

With seven wins, Michigan football is guaranteed a bowl berth but with three games to go, a lot can be done by the Wolverines to determine where it will be.

Following the blowout loss to Wisconsin, it was fair to question where the Michigan football season was headed.

But now that the Wolverines have righted the ship and beaten two ranked opponents, including formerly No. 8 Notre Dame, the season no longer has a doom and gloom feel to it.

In fact, it feels like a typical Michigan football season of Jim Harbaugh, one that includes a lot of winning, a bunch of weeks being ranked in the top 25 and a bowl game on or around New Year’s Day.

Harbaugh has won 10 games in three of his four seasons in Ann Arbor and after back-to-back wins over Maryland and Notre Dame, Michigan football will have a chance to make it four in five.

Of course, much of that will depend on what happens in the last three games. The outcome of those games will also determine where the Wolverines will go bowling, so here’s a look at some possible scenarios.

3-0 — New Year’s Six Bowl

This is the most unlikely scenario because it would include a win over Ohio State, however, with the defense playing great and the offense not shooting itself in the foot, it’s possible. The running game will need to be better than it was Saturday because if the Wolverines can run the way they did against Notre Dame, running the table seems much more realistic.

Obviously, the hope is that Michigan could somehow sneak into the Big Ten title game by winning out but it’s not likely. However, a 10-2 record with a win over the Buckeyes would make a New Year’s Six berth just about a sure thing.

2-1 — Solid but not spectacular

This seems like the most likely scenario for Michigan football with Michigan State and Indiana also on the schedule along with Ohio State.

A win over the Spartans in two weeks is important. For one it’s a rivalry game and two, a loss, plus another at Indiana or Ohio State would really push the Wolverines down the bowl pecking order. If UM can at least get to nine wins, it should have a good chance at playing in the Outback or the Gator Bowl, although the Holiday Bowl in a marquee matchup against USC also seems possible as SI projected.

1-2 or 0-3

Not to be pessimistic but Indiana is a pretty solid team and the Wolverines have always found success in Bloomington. We also know Mark Dantonio won’t go quietly into the night and will have the Spartans ready for what is essentially their Super Bowl and a chance to relieve some pressure.

It’s possible at 8-4 or 7-5 the Wolverines would still wind up in the Holiday Bowl because of the matchup possibilities but then again, there could be a certain appeal for the Pinstripe Bowl to get Michigan football into Yankee Stadium.

At the end of the day, Michigan will find its way into an exciting matchup, but how the Wolverines feel heading into the postseason is still very much up in the air.