Michigan football projected to make College Football Playoff again
![Michigan defensive lineman Mason Graham looks to tackle Washington quarterback Michael Penix Jr. during the second half of U-M's 34-13 win in the College Football Playoff national championship game in Houston on Monday, Jan. 8, 2024. Michigan defensive lineman Mason Graham looks to tackle Washington quarterback Michael Penix Jr. during the second half of U-M's 34-13 win in the College Football Playoff national championship game in Houston on Monday, Jan. 8, 2024.](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_crop,w_2400,h_1350,x_0,y_0/c_fill,w_720,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/images/ImagnImages/mmsport/148/01j1cqrb0nym613dzkc9.jpg)
You can tell we are getting closer to the start of the 2024 season because now, we are starting to get bowl projections and playoff projections.
Michigan football is the defending national champion but many are overlooking the Wolverines. They aren't really mentioned as a national title contender, even though Michigan football was recognized by the Blue Chip Ratio as one of the 16 teams talented enough to win the College Football Playoff.
First though, you have to make it. With the expansion to 12 teams, that will make it much easier for Michigan football to make it after three straight appearances in the four-team playoff.
The schedule is daunting though. An early home game against Texas, plus other home games against USC and Oregon as well as road games against Ohio State and Washington, make for a challenging slate of games.
U-M probably needs to win one of the three big matchups against Oregon, Ohio State, or Texas. If Michigan football does that and wins nine games, the Wolverines will have a good chance of making the playoff, although a 10-win season would make them a lock.
Michigan football projected to the playoff by Athlon Sports
Athlon Sports just released its bowl projections for the 2024 college football season and the Wolverines are projected as the No. 9 seed in the 2024 College Football Playoff.
Ohio State is projected as the No. 1 seed. Michigan football would play at Alabama, the No. 8 seed in that scenario in a rematch of the Rose Bowl Classic in last year's CFP. The winner would face Ohio State in a bowl game.
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Athlon projected Alabama to win and Georgia and Ohio State to eventually meet for the national title.