How Michigan Football can make the College Football Playoff

One-loss Michigan football would need help

This scenario is very possible, but not a scenario we’d love to see. I think that if Michigan loses The Game, it’ll be a close one (knock on wood). If Michigan gets blown out, they’re likely out unless there are no other one-loss teams.

For the sake of this scenario, Michigan loses a close one in Columbus. Michigan would need the other fringe playoff teams to struggle and likely lose a game. This means Michigan fans should be rooting for whoever TCU is playing every week, whoever USC is playing every week, and really whoever any top 10 team is playing every week.

Washington beating #6 Oregon last week was absolutely huge for Michigan’s chances, as Oregon looked, and in my opinion still looks like, the best team in the PAC-12. Oregon is essentially out of the playoffs with two losses.

That leaves four teams competing for two playoff spots- like I said earlier the undefeated SEC champ and Big Ten champ will be one and two. The four teams competing for the final two spots would be a one-loss Michigan, a one-loss Tennessee, a one-loss TCU, and a (hopefully) two-loss USC.

USC gets knocked out for having two losses and a very unimpressive resume.

Michigan, Tennessee, and TCU for the final two spots. I think it’s safe to say that Tennessee gets the #3 spot since we all know the SEC bias. One loss Michigan vs. one loss TCU. I think Big Ten bias takes over, and Michigan gets the final spot over TCU, but I’m not very comfortable with that prediction.

If TCU were to have one loss, we’d rather it come in the Big 12 Championship. If they lose one of their final two games but win the Big 12, their odds get a bit higher than if they lost the Big 12 as a whole. That would be another scenario that we wouldn’t like to see, and at that point, it might as well be a coin flip for Michigan.

For Michigan football to 100% clinch a playoff spot with a loss in Columbus, they would need USC to lose once, and TCU to lose twice. If this happens, Michigan is in. If it doesn’t happen, things get a little scary. Right now, I like Michigan’s chances.

I’m confident USC will drop a game (again, knock on wood), and I think TCU will lose at least one. This path would put Michigan against Georgia in the first round of the playoffs, which would definitely be a game to watch.

I’m not going to think about this scenario because I want the Wolverines to beat the Buckeyes in Columbus and ruin their season yet again. But, if you’re a Michigan fan, everything gets easier if TCU and USC lose.

I’d love to see a Big Ten National Championship to shut down some of the SEC bias, but only time will tell if we’ll get the opportunity to see that.

Go blue. Beat Ohio.