Michigan Moves Up In CFP Rankings Following Bye Week

The Michigan football team was idle last weekend, still the College Football Playoff committee moved the Wolverines up in the most recent rankings.

Rising from No. 21, the committee ranks Michigan at No. 18 in the country.

Notably, two Big Ten teams had their playoff hopes crushed by close losses on Saturday. Then-No. 20 Iowa lost a heartbreaker on a last-second field goal to Oregon, marking the Hawkeyes’ third loss on the season. In the inaugural season of the 12-team format last season, no 9-3 teams made the field. While Iowa is still ranked No. 21, its strength of record wouldn’t be enough to break that trend.

Then-No.23 Washington also picked up its third loss of the season, this time giving Wisconsin its first Big Ten win of the season. While the Huskies can still enjoy the fruits of what is undoubtedly an encouraging bounceback season, they are all but out of the playoff hunt.

Both of the Wolverines’ losses continue to be ‘good losses’ as Oklahoma and USC continue to rise in the ranks themselves, sitting at No. 11 and No. 17, respectively.

Here are the complete CFP rankings from the second reveal:

Michigan takes on a scrappy Northwestern team at Wrigley Field next Saturday, and will seek to handle business.

This isn’t the same Wildcats team that the Wolverines beat 50-6 last season, they are much-improved and definitely capable of completing the upset. Even with Michigan being the better team on paper, it has to take Northwestern very seriously.

The Wildcats are relatively turnover prone, however, with nine interceptions and six lost fumbles on the season so far. The Wolverines are rather good at forcing turnovers, so they may be able to generate a few extra possessions by taking the ball away.

When it comes to boosting its rankings, Michigan isn’t going to see a large jump simply from beating Northwestern. While the Wildcats are a better team than they were last year, they still aren’t in the upper echelon of the Big Ten, and the Wolverines emerging victorious is the expectation, not the goal.

That doesn’t mean that the game isn’t important — it is — but Michigan stands to lose more in a loss than it gains in a win. But the Wolverines know where they ultimately stand: They have to win out, meaning handling business against Northwestern and Maryland, then slaying the beast that is No. 1 Ohio State.

The path to cracking the CFP field is quite clear, and Michigan most likely controls its own destiny, but that doesn’t make it any easier. The Wildcats will certainly put up a fight this weekend, and the Wolverines will have to answer the call.