Michigan football bowl projections: Several destinations in play
The Michigan Wolverines, barring unforeseen circumstances, will miss the College Football Playoff for the first time since 2020 sitting at 4-3 on the season. Bowl eligibility is still up in the air with this weekend’s rivalry game against Michigan State one of the most “winnable” games left on the schedule.
Should Michigan get past the Spartans this weekend, they will be one win away from being eligible for bowl season with four more opportunities for win No. 6. It’s a far cry from where people thought they would be in year one under Sherrone Moore, but that is the reality of their situation.
Heading into the Week 9 slate of games, here is where a few prominent outlets have the Wolverines projected to go.
CBS Sports: Duke’s Mayo Bowl vs. Louisville (Jan. 3, Charlotte, North Carolina)
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. Of course, the headlining aspect of this game is the winning head coach taking a mayo bath out of a water cooler.
Kyle Bonagura, ESPN: Bad Boy Mowers Pinstripe Bowl vs. Virginia Tech (Dec. 28, Bronx, New York)
This matchup, which takes place in the new Yankee Stadium, would be a rematch of the 2012 Sugar Bowl, which was a 23-20 Michigan victory. That meeting was the only time the two have faced off in series history.
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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.
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.
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.
College Football News: Bad Boy Mowers Pinstripe Bowl vs. Louisville (Dec. 28, Bronx, New York)
Another fun fact: It would be the first time these programs meet on the field, but no mayo bath in this scenario.
