Bowl Projections: Where Michigan football lands following win over Fresno State

The Wolverines were a little sluggish before pulling away late against Fresno State, and it's impacted Michigan's postseason projections...

Matt Lounsberry | Sep 4, 2024

Michigan wide receiver Semaj Morgan (0) before the start of the game against Fresno State at Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor on Saturday, Aug. 31, 2024. / Kimberly P. Mitchell / USA TODAY NETWORK

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Michigan Wolverines

Following our first full weekend slate of college football in 2024, new opinions are being formed surrounding contenders for the new, expanded 12-team College Football Playoff in 2024. No. 10 Michigan entered the season with its sights set on a fourth consecutive playoff appearance and remains a popular pick following a 30-10 win over Fresno State in Week 1.

Below, we've compiled a list of bowl projections for the Wolverines from various publications, giving us an idea of how Michigan's season is expected to play out. Let's dive in...

ESPN

Kyle Bonagura: Michigan vs. Oregon (College Football Playoff)
Mark Schlabach: Michigan vs. Tennessee (Citrus Bowl)

The world-wide leader in sports has dual projections from college football reporters Kyle Bonagura and Mark Schlabach. Like in his preseason bowl projections, Schlabach has Michigan outside the College Football Playoff after Week 1. He projects Michigan to square off with Tennessee in the Cheez-It Citrus Bowl on New Year's Eve (Dec. 31). Bonagura, meanwhile, has the Wolverines making the field of 12 as the No. 9 seed, with a first round matchup at No. 8 Oregon in Eugene (Dec. 20 or 21).

Athlon Sports

Projection: Michigan vs. Ole Miss (College Football Playoff)

Michigan is projected to reach the College Football Playoff here, sneaking in as the final at-large team with the No. 11 seed. The Wolverines are projected to face No. 6 Ole Miss (Dec. 20 or 21) on the road in Oxford, where Athlon expects the Rebels to defeat the Wolverines and advance to the quarterfinals.

CBS Sports

Projection: Michigan vs. Ole Miss (Citrus Bowl)

Like Athlon, CBS projects a matchup between the Wolverines and the Rebels, but here the hypothetical meeting would come in the Cheez-It Citrus Bowl (Dec. 31) in Orlando, Fla. Michigan and Ole Miss have met only once on the football field, a 35-3 win for the Wolverines in the Gator Bowl back in 1991.

USA Today

Projection: Michigan vs. Ole Miss (Citrus Bowl)

More of the same here. In these scenarios, the Wolverines and the Rebels are two teams that likely just missed the cut of the College Football Playoff and instead meet in one of several Big Ten vs. SEC bowl games.

Action Sports

Projection: Michigan vs. Missouri (ReliaQuest Bowl)

College football reporter Brett McMurphy also sees the Wolverines missing the playoff, but has Michigan squaring off with a different SEC opponent in a different venue with Missouri in the ReliaQuest Bowl in Tampa, Fla. (Dec. 31). The Wolverines and Tigers have split four previous meetings, each of which were played in Ann Arbor. However, Michigan and Missouri have not met on the gridiron since 1975, a 31-7 win for the Wolverines.

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