Michigan football is a 'dark horse' for College Football Playoff says Joel Klatt

Michigan football is going to be 6-2 as the calendar turns from October to November. The Wolverines are ranked 21st and in a prime position to crash the College Football Playoff.

If the Wolverines are going to get their fourth berth in the playoff in the past five years, although it would be their first in the 12-team playoff, they need to win out. 9-3 won't cut it.

Michigan probably has a better argument if it finished 9-3 and beat Ohio State, but losing to Purdue, Maryland, or Northwestern, even on the road, feels disqualifying.

Michigan will have a College Football Playoff resume if it wins out

What's interesting, though, is that Michigan's resume is pretty solid. The losses were each forgivable. Neither was pretty, but they were on the road against ranked teams.

Michigan has defeated two teams that are 6-2, Washington and Nebraska. Speaking of Washington, they were one of the teams mentioned by Joel Klatt as a "dark horse" for the College Football Playoff. Michigan football was the other, from the Big Ten at least.

Klatt cited the schedule for each. Washington could be 9-2 going into their last game, at home, against Oregon. From a Michigan perspective, that Washington win could look really good by the end of the season.

The Wolverines will be favored in their next three games. If they win them, it will be a win-and-in scenario against Ohio State, at the Big House. Here's the full quote from Klatt on Michigan football's playoff chances.

"Who are the dark horses for the College Football Playoff? I think there are two out of the Big Ten. Watch out for Washigton and Michigan. Both of those teams, if you look at their schedules, could be 9-2 going into their last game. Now they host rivals, each of them. Washington hosts Oregon. Michigan hosts Ohio State. If one of those teams were to knock off their rival, they would be 10-2 and have a great case to be in the College Football Playoff," Klatt said on his podcast.