The Michigan Wolverines are on the outside looking in at the moment when it comes to the College Football Playoff. While no one really expected this young team to have a chance at the CFP this season,
hope is still alive.
The Wolverines need to finish the season with wins over Northwestern, Maryland, and Ohio State to even have a chance at making the CFP, but they may still need some help along the way. With Michigan on a bye this week, here are a few games to pay attention to and which teams you should be rooting for if you want Michigan to have a better shot at making the playoffs.
No. 3 Texas A&M at No. 22 Missouri
The SEC has a few too many two-loss teams right now. While you should also be rooting for Auburn to take down Vanderbilt this weekend, I didn’t want to overlook the Top-25 matchup between Texas A&M and Missouri. The SEC has the best chance at getting as many or more teams into the CFP as the Big Ten. A win for Missouri would significantly bolster its resume and put it ahead of Michigan’s.
Conclusion: Root for Texas A&M to win
No. 7 BYU at No. 8 Texas Tech
You have to assume Michigan’s chances of making the CFP depend on conferences like the Big 12 and ACC having a two-loss conference championship loser. If BYU beats Texas Tech this Saturday and then loses in the Big 12 Championship, it’s harder to argue against the Big 12 getting in two teams.
Conclusion: Root for Texas Tech to win
Navy at No. 10 Notre Dame
While Notre Dame might be ranked in the Top-10, it’s tough to imagine a three-loss independent team getting into the CFP. Right now, Notre Dame is 6-2 with losses to Miami and Texas A&M. If the Irish drop this game to Navy, it’d be tough to argue they deserve a spot in the CFP this season.
Conclusion: Root for Navy to win
No. 9 Oregon at No. 20 Iowa
Oregon and Iowa are both 4-1 in the Big Ten, but Oregon only has one loss overall, while Iowa lost to Iowa State earlier this year. This weekend, the Ducks make their way to Kinnick Stadium, where we all know crazy things have happened before. If Michigan wants to stay at the top of the Big Ten standings, it’s going to need some other teams at the top to fall.
Conclusion: Root for Iowa to win
Wake Forest at No. 14 Virginia
Somehow, Virginia is sitting at the top of the ACC. While the Cavaliers are 5-0 in conference play, they do have a loss to NC State that counted as a non-conference game this season. Similarly to the Big 12, you want more losses in the ACC if the Big Ten is going to stand a chance at getting four teams into the CFP.
Conclusion: Root for Wake Forest to win
No. 5 Georgia at Mississippi State
Right now, the committee has six SEC teams ranked in the Top-12. While rankings don’t necessarily mean those teams are going to the CFP, it’s clear the committee likes a lot of the one-loss SEC teams. Another conference loss for Georgia, especially to a poor team like Mississippi State, definitely wouldn’t hurt Michigan’s chances. That would also give Georgia its second conference loss, making it more difficult to secure an automatic bid.
Conclusion: Root for Mississippi State to win the game
No. 2 Indiana at Penn State
There’s a reason the Indiana Hoosiers are the No. 2 team in the country, but bigger upsets have happened, right? If you really have your sights set on something crazy like Michigan making the Big Ten Championship, you might want to consider rooting for Penn State. While it’s extremely unlikely, a loss for Indiana would certainly make things interesting.
Conclusion: This game doesn’t affect Michigan’s chances at the CFP too much, but it could make for an interesting Big Ten Championship chaos scenario. If you like that, root for the Nittany Lions to upset the Hoosiers.
