Head coach Jim Harbaugh of the Michigan Wolverines holds the Big Ten Championship trophy after a win over the Purdue Boilermakers at Lucas Oil Stadium on December 04, 2022 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Justin Casterline/Getty Images)
The College Football Playoff Preview Continues--Michigan. I will be previewing all four CFP teams this week. Next up, the Michigan Wolverines.
#2 Michigan Wolverines (13-0)
After winning back-to-back Big Ten titles for the first time since 2003-04, Michigan will also be making back-to back Playoff appearances. Sitting at 13-0, this Michigan team has already achieved the most wins in a single season in program history.
With a win vs TCU, Michigan would join 2002 Ohio State and 2014 Ohio State as the only Big Ten teams to win 14 games in a season. No Big Ten team has ever won 15 games in a single season.
Michigan finished the regular season with a +347 points differential, its best in a regular season since 1905 when the Wolverines outscored their opponents 495-2.
Most of that damage this year came in the 2nd half. Michigan has the best 2nd-half scoring margin by any team entering bowl season in the College Football Playoff era. The only better 2nd-half scoring margin in the last 15 seasons entering bowl season belongs to 2013 Florida State (+243).
With Blake Corum out for the season, Donovan Edwards is leading the running game for Michigan. Edwards has 401 rushing yards in his last 2 games, the most over a 2-game span by a Michigan player since Denard Robinson in 2010. He is the first Michigan running back with 400 rushing yards over a 2-game span since Mike Hart in 2004.
Michigan Fun Facts
Overall, Michigan ranks 7th in scoring offense and 5th in scoring defense. The Wolverines are 1 of 2 teams to rank in the top 10 in both this season, along with Alabama.
Entering the College Football Playoff, the 13.4 PPG allowed by Michigan is the team’s fewest since winning the AP National Championship in 1997 (9.5 PPG allowed).
Michigan hasn’t faced a Big 12 opponent under Jim Harbaugh. The Wolverines have lost their last three games against Big 12 teams dating back to before his tenure:
2013 Buffalo Wild Wings Bowl (L, Kansas State)
2005 Alamo Bowl (L, Nebraska)
2005 Rose Bowl (L, Texas)
On Thursday I will be previewing TCU. Don't forget to check out Chris' piece on if a college football were in place for this year. It's very interesting. Sorry Craig!
What a 12 Team College Football Playoff Would Look Like
The College Football Playoff is set. Top ranked Georgia will play Ohio State in the Peach Bowl while TCU and Michigan will face off in the Fiesta Bowl. The matchups are solid, and most people thing the Selection Committee got it right. But this will be the penultimate version of the 4-team playoff. It was announced last week that the playoff will expand to 12 teams for the 2024 season. It has been the Rose Bowl as the only obstacle in the way of expansion. But last week they put their ego aside for the betterment of the sport. Thank you, Rose Bowl. What a 12 team playoff would look like for the 2022 season.
The 12 team playoff will consist of the 6 highest ranked conference champs, with the next 6 highest ranked teams. The four highest seeded conference champions will get the 1st round bye. So because TCU and Ohio State are not conference champs, they would have to play in the opening round. Clemson and Utah would join Georgia and Michigan as teams getting the bye. The six conference champions in a 12 team playoff would be the four previously mentioned along with Kansas State and Tulane out of the AAC. The at-large teams would be TCU, Ohio State, Alabama, Tennessee, USC, and Penn State.
For the opening round matchups, the higher seeded team would host the lower seeded team. Or they could play it at the venue of the home teams choosing. I can't think of many instances where this would happen. Maybe LSU moving a game to the Superdome, or a Texas school going to Jerry's World. So let's take a look at what a 12 team playoff would look like.
(9) Tennessee @ (8) Kansas State
Your Big 12 Champs would host a Tennessee side without Hendon Hooker. Winner would get the Georgia Bulldogs.
(12) Tulane @ (5) TCU
TCU is not a conference champ, so they would not get the first round bye. Tulane gets in as the 6th highest ranked conference champion. Winner here would get Utah, who is the 4th highest ranked conference champ.
(11) Penn St. @ (6) Ohio State
Can you say rematch. Ohio State beat Penn State 44-31 back in October. That game was in Happy Valley. This would be in Columbus. Winner here gets Clemson- who is the 3 seed.
(10) USC @ (7) Alabama
This would be the biggest matchup in the 1st round of the CFP. Alabama beat up on bad teams, but had a tough time against the upper echelon of college football. USC had a tough loss against Utah for the 2nd time this season. Winner here would get Michigan.
