After the College Football Playoff field was announced, the bowl picture became finalized for Michigan football. It will play Texas in the Citrus Bowl.
The Wolverines finished ranked 18th in the final playoff rankings. Texas is 13th. Arch Manning and the Longhorns will also head into the bowl game 9-3.
For Texas, missing the playoffs was an even bigger disappointment. Michigan wasn't expected to. The Wolverines had a true freshman quarterback, and it showed. They were still maybe just a win away from making it. The same can be said for Texas. If each team had beaten Ohio State, they would probably have made the field.
This Citrus Bowl has meaning for Michigan football
This game matters for Michigan for a few reasons. For one, you don't want to get blown out by another top-25 team.
The Wolverines went 0-3 against top-25 teams this season, losing by 11, 18, and 18. That's not good enough. This is a chance to rectify that. We don't know how motivated Texas will be, but the Longhorns are as talented as any team in college football. That's why they were ranked No. 1 to start the season.
Beating a good team would be important. It would give the Wolverines some much-needed momentum heading into next season. The bowl game also gives Bryce Underwood a chance to build some confidence.
These 15 bowl practices will be important for his development. The young quarterback has to take a step forward next season, and it starts with this bowl game. Another showing like the Ohio State game, where there were plays to be made, and Underwood either missed the throw or didn't throw it, would be troubling.
Most, if not all, of Michigan's players should be on the field. And after the way the season ended, the Wolverines should be motivated to prove they haven't fallen off as far as some have suggested.
Beat Texas, and it will be much easier to believe that.