Michigan football bowl projections roundup: NY6 matchups coming into focus
Michigan football has a pair of regular-season games left to play, but it is never too early to peek ahead. There was snow on the ground in Michigan this weekend, which means we are inching closer to bowl season.
It is worth noting that most of this involves projecting conference races and how seasons will end. These are not computer projections and are put together based on guesses and conference bowl ties. The fluctuation will sort itself out on the field over the next several weeks.
SITE MOVE SPECIAL: Join TheWolverine.com for $1 for your first year!
Here is a look at what Michigan’s bowl future might hold.
ESPN’s Kyle Bonagura: Peach Bowl (Atlanta): Michigan vs. Wake Forest, Dec. 30
Michigan football is 2-0 all-time with wins over Wake Forest in 1976 and 1988. The Demon Deacons got back in the win column over the weekend in a victory over NC State.
ESPN’s Mark Schlabach: Fiesta Bowl (Glendale) vs. Notre Dame, Jan. 1
From Schlabach:
The Fighting Irish and Wolverines are two of the true blue bloods in college football, but they’ve never played each other in the postseason. They’ve met 44 times during the regular season, with the Wolverines coming out on top 25 times. Michigan has won five of the past eight meetings, including a 45-14 victory in the last one on Oct. 26, 2019. The schools played each other in 31 of 37 seasons from 1978 to 2014, but sadly they’re not scheduled to play again until 2033 and 2034.
CBS Sports’ Jerry Palm: Rose Bowl (Pasadena) vs. Oregon, Jan. 1
Michigan fans would take the Rose Bowl as consolation for any setbacks they suffered this season. This would hinge on Michigan State losing to Ohio State and the Wolverines beating Maryland this weekend. The Rose will take the highest-ranked non-playoff team from the Big Ten. If last Tuesday set a precedent for how the College Football Playoff committees view U-M and MSU, the nod likely goes to Michigan if records are equal.
Top 10
- 1
Kirby Smart
Jab at Johnny Manziel
- 2
Paul Finebaum
Warns of SEC letdown in March Madness
- 3Hot
AP Poll Top 25
Massive shakeup
- 4
New No. 1
Women's AP Poll Top 25
- 5Trending
College Baseball Top 25
Upsets rock rankings
Get the On3 Top 10 to your inbox every morning
By clicking "Subscribe to Newsletter", I agree to On3's Privacy Notice, Terms, and use of my personal information described therein.
More on Michigan smelling Roses
Both Athlon Sports and College Football News have the Wolverines heading to the Rose Bowl, so it is easy to see a trend start taking shape. Ohio State is the odds-on favorite to make the CFP out of the Big Ten, so Michigan’s chances of heading to Pasadena could be solidified this weekend.
A Spartan win in Columbus (as 18.5-point underdogs) puts them in the driver’s seat for the Big Ten title game with OSU heading to the Rose Bowl if it beat Michigan next week. Michigan fans have to swallow their pride this weekend to have a shot at playing for the Big Ten East title next weekend, but it also puts the Rose Bowl consolation firmly in play, as well.
Barring a disastrous setback at Maryland this weekend, it seems Michigan has played itself out of the running for the Citrus and Outback bowls. This gives the Wolverines a chance at a marquee matchup in a meaningful bowl game to close out the season. Not many expected that ahead of the year, but there is still work to be done.
