Championship week rooting guide for Michigan Football

Here is the rooting guide for Michigan football fans if you want the Wolverines in the playoff and Ohio State out.

If you are watching the Pac-12 title game on Friday night, you aren’t alone. It’s an important game in the College Football Playoff race and with Michigan football sitting at No. 2, it’s certainly relevant.

The Trojans are Utes are tied 17-17 at the half and this also concerns Michigan football fans because if the Trojans lost to Utah, Ohio State would essentially be guaranteed a berth in the playoff.

The Buckeyes are ranked fifth this week and it’s easy to see them jumping an 11-2 USC team without a conference championship. Alabama is ranked sixth but since the Crimson Tide also don’t play, they seem to be stuck at No. 6.

I said earlier this week that Michigan football has already clinched a playoff spot and outside of like a 42-3 loss or something, I see them making it even with a loss.

However, a loss by USC would only further cement that and if Ohio State makes the playoff, you know Michigan is going to make it especially after beating OSU at the Shoe 45-23 last Saturday.

In that scenario, if TCU won, the Horned Frogs would likely move to No. 2. Georgia would be No. 1 assuming a win over LSU and Michigan would be third, followed by Ohio State.

Michigan and Ohio State rematch possibilities

If USC and TCU lost, it’s possible we could see a Michigan-Ohio State rematch. Alabama might even sneak it, although 12-1 TCU should be at least fourth and could even remain third with Ohio State fourth in that scenario.

TCU has a strong case to make as a 12-1 team compared to Ohio State and the people arguing that a loss in a conference title game, which teams like Ohio State failed to qualify for, shouldn’t hurt TCU but it all depends on how the games go, make a fair point.

Of course, if you want to see Ohio State denied a playoff berth, then USC needs to beat Utah and TCU needs to beat Kansas State. Michigan football would be No. 2 in that scenario with a win and with a loss, it should be fourth.

Again, I don’t see how Ohio State would jump Michigan in that scenario. Fourth would put Michigan into a matchup with Georgia, so that’s motivation enough to win on Saturday against Purdue, outside of winning the Big Ten title.

Michigan should be in the playoff already and outside of repeating as Big Ten camps, Saturday is about seeding. But in reality, having all of the other favorites win, along with the Wolverines would be the best-case scenario.

The Wolverines would be in the playoff as the No. 2 seed, with TCU as a likely opponent and Ohio State sitting at home. Then, U-M could avoid seeing Caleb Williams or Georiga in the first round which sounds like the toughest possible road.