ANN ARBOR, Mich. – The Michigan football team is heading into the final game of the season with all of its goals intact.
At 9-2, the Wolverines have a chance to get into the College Football Playoff for the fourth time in five seasons. They also have an outside shot to get into the Big Ten Championship Game, which they’ve won three times in the last four years.
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But it’s going to be a tall task. Standing in Michigan’s way is the No. 1 team in the nation: undefeated Ohio State. The Buckeyes look like an even better team than the one that won the national championship last year.
And they’re coming to Ann Arbor as a double-digit favorite with revenge on their mind. Michigan has won four head-to-head meetings in a row, and it’s been over 2,000 days since Ohio State won The Game.
If Michigan can pull off an upset, there’s a chance The Game could see its first rematch in history. It’s a slim chance, but Michigan and Ohio State could technically end up facing each other again in Indianapolis for the Big Ten title.
Here’s what would have to happen:
- Michigan beats Ohio State
- Washington beats Oregon
- Purdue beats Indiana
In this scenario, Oregon would have two Big Ten losses and finish in fourth place. Indiana, Ohio State, and Michigan would all be 8-1 in conference play, but Indiana’s loss to Purdue would give Michigan and Ohio State the leg up in the “common opponents” tiebreaker.
So Michigan would get the top seed, and Ohio State would be No. 2.