How Week 11 Shaped Michigan’s Postseason Path

College football Week 11 did not include the Michigan Wolverines in action, but the Wolverines’ Playoff Picture still shifted significantly based on national results. Michigan maintains their position in the College Football Playoff (CFP) race and Big Ten Championship Game contention with a 7–2 record and a 5–1 Big Ten conference performance. The results throughout the nation have produced an unusual postseason situation for the Wolverines, which makes their path to the playoffs potentially easier than winning their conference championship.

Big Ten Outlook and the Michigan Wolverines Playoff Picture

The current Big Ten standings are crowded at the top. USC, Oregon, Ohio State, and Indiana all earned victories this past weekend, leaving five teams, including Michigan, either undefeated or sitting with one conference loss. The competition has become extremely competitive as the regular season approaches its conclusion. The Michigan team needs to achieve more than its own victories to qualify for the Big Ten Championship Game. The Wolverines must win out while hoping the winner of the Oregon–USC matchup on November 22 loses one more time before the end of the regular season. If that doesn’t happen, the winner of that game would hold the tiebreaker advantage and claim the spot in Indianapolis. If Indiana were to finish undefeated in conference play, Michigan would own the tiebreaker over Ohio State, thanks to their head-to-head result. In that scenario, with Oregon and USC both carrying two losses, the Wolverines could end up facing Indiana for the Big Ten title. The path to success exists, but it remains unstable because it needs multiple positive outcomes and beneficial results in other areas.

College Football Playoff Path in the Michigan Wolverines Playoff Picture

The Wolverines face a more straightforward path to the College Football Playoff than they do to win their conference title. The expanded 12-team playoff system creates opportunities for multiple Big Ten teams to qualify, and a 10–2 Michigan team with three consecutive wins at the end of the season would have a good chance to enter the tournament. The Wolverines would need to win the Big Ten title game to reach the playoff, but they could still qualify even if they lose the championship game. With that in mind, there’s a growing argument that Michigan might actually benefit from being left out of Indianapolis. The team needs to win its next game to protect its current ranking position and obtain a better seed in the playoffs. The program should focus on three essential goals, which include winning their last three regular-season games while keeping players healthy, and then depending on the committee to choose their selection.