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Michigan football bowl projections: MSU win increases eligibility chances

Anthony Broomeby:Anthony Broome•10/29/24•

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Syndication: Detroit Free Press
Michigan tight end Colston Loveland (18) celebrates a touchdown against Michigan State during the first half at Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor on Saturday, Oct. 26, 2024. (USA Today Syndication)

The Michigan Wolverines, barring unforeseen circumstances, will miss the College Football Playoff for the first time since 2020 sitting at 5-3 on the season. Bowl eligibility is still up in the air, but took a big step forward this weekend with a win over Michigan State.

What lies ahead for Michigan is a game against No. 1 Oregon this weekend, followed by a trip to No. 13 Indiana before a second bye week. The regular season ends with a home date against Northwestern and a trip to No. 4 Ohio State to end the year. To get to bowl eligibility, the Wolverines will need to win one of their final four games. Of course, Michigan fans would prefer more wins and better bowl trips than the current projected spots.

Heading into the Week 10 slate of games, here is where a few prominent outlets have the Wolverines projected to go.

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Kyle Bonagura, ESPN: Rate Bowl vs. Baylor (Dec. 26, Phoenix, Arizona)

Michigan is 1-0-1 all-time against Baylor, tying in 1975 and beating the Bears 38-3 in 1997. Both games were in Ann Arbor.

Mark Schlabach, ESPN: TransPerfect Music City Bowl vs. Missouri (Dec. 30, Nashville, Tennessee)

The Missouri program has been copying a lot of Michigan traits of late, right down to beating Ohio State on the field. The two could settle somewhat of a score in Nashville here, and renew a series that has not been played on the field since 1975. Michigan is 2-2 against Missouri all-time.

CBS Sports: Duke’s Mayo Bowl vs. Duke (Jan. 3, Charlotte, North Carolina)

Michigan is 6-0 against Duke all-time in football with all of the games in the series played between 1960-78. Playing against Duke in the Duke’s Mayo Bowl would be quite the storyline. The headlining aspect of this game is the winning head coach taking a mayo bath out of a water cooler.

College Football News: Bad Boy Mowers Pinstripe Bowl vs. Louisville (Dec. 28, Bronx, New York)

A matchup with Louisville could be intriguing on several fronts. The first is Moore’s ties to the program as a grad assistant and tight ends coach from 2009-13. The second would be a showdown with former Purdue head coach Jeff Brohm, whom Michigan defeated in the 2022 Big Ten Championship game. 

Action Network: Reliaquest Bowl vs. Tennessee (Dec. 31, Tampa, Florida)

Michigan and Tennessee will forever be linked in college football history over the 1997 Heisman Trophy race and Charles Woodson getting the nod over Peyton Manning, but the two have only met once on the field. It was a 45-17 Vols win in the 2002 Citrus Bowl.

Athlon Sports: Bad Boy Mowers Pinstripe Bowl vs. Duke (Dec. 28, Bronx, New York)

Michigan is 6-0 against Duke all-time in football with all of the games in the series played between 1960-78.

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