What bowl games could Michigan Wolverines play in to close out their 2024 season?

With their 50-6 win over the Northwestern Wildcats, the Michigan Wolverines have officially clinched a bowl-game berth for their 2024 season. While it means that Michigan will miss the College Football Playoff for the first time since 2020, they get an additional 15 practices for their bowl game, something this team needs as it prepares for life after talents like Mason Graham, Will Johnson, and Colston Loveland.

What bowl games could Michigan be in when their regular season ends following their game against Ohio State?

There are seven Big Ten-affiliated bowls this season. Which one Michigan will play in depends on how the standings finish.

Here are the seven bowl games in chronological order:

• GameAbove Sports Bowl in Detroit vs MAC opponent (Dec. 26, 2:30 PM ET)
• Rate Bowl in Phoenix vs Big 12 opponent (Dec. 26, 5:00 PM ET)
• Bad Boy Mowers Pinstripe Bowl in New York vs ACC opponent (Dec. 28, 12:00 PM ET)
• Transperfect Music City Bowl in Nashville vs SEC opponent (Dec. 30th, 2:30 PM ET)
• Reliaquest Bowl in Tampa vs SEC opponent (Dec. 31st, 12:00 PM ET)
• Cheez-It Citrus Bowl in Orlando vs SEC opponent (Dec. 31st, 3:00 PM ET)
• Duke’s Mayo Bowl in Charlotte vs ACC Opponent (Jan. 3rd, 7:30 PM ET)

While this will likely change, here is who ESPN projected to play in each bowl game from their latest bowl game projections who could be Michigan’s bowl game opponents:

• GameAbove Sports Bowl: Ohio/Miami (Ohio)
• Rate Bowl: TCU/Kansas State
• Pinstripe Bowl: Pittsburgh/Louisville
• Music City Bowl: LSU/Florida
• Reliaquest Bowl: South Carolina
• Citrus Bowl: Tennessee/Texas A&M
• Mayo Bowl: Duke

Which one is Michigan most likely to play in? That depends. Keep in mind that this will mostly be determined by standings, but not always. Bowl games are allowed to choose teams based on their own respective criteria, and certainly don’t base it entirely on standings.

If I had to project a game for Michigan to play in, I would bank on them being selected for the Music City Bowl in Nashville. Pitting them up against a top brand in college football like either LSU or Florida would be terrific for TV ratings, and would be a good showcase of NFL talents (depending on who all plays for either team).

However, if Michigan pulls off the unlikely upset of Ohio State, then the math could easily change. That could put them in range of making the Citrus Bowl against Tennessee or Texas A&M. Given Michigan’s recent momentum and buzz with their recruiting wins and a huge upset over Ohio State, that game could draw in plenty of buzz on its own.

Regardless, it’s a huge victory for Sherrone Moore and the Wolverines to earn a bowl game bid and a chance to build even more momentum going into Moore’s second season.