Joel Klatt predicts Michigan to reach College Football Playoff, setting up rematch

Fox Sports' top college football analyst predicts the Wolverines to reach their fourth consecutive appearance in the College Football Playoff, where a regular season rematch would await...

Jan 27, 2024; Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA; Michigan Wolverines head football coach Sherrone Moore addresses the basketball crowd during a time out against the Iowa Hawkeyes at Crisler Center. / Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports

Opinion surrounding Michigan football heading into the 2024 season has varied wildly, with some expecting a major dropoff for the Wolverines while others see this team as the "biggest threat" to preseason Big Ten favorites Ohio State and Oregon.

Regardless of which group one falls into, the general belief is that Michigan will at least take a step back from last season's 15-0, national championship-winning ball club. The Wolverines enter the season with the 10th-best odds of reaching the new, expanded 12-team College Football Playoff (via Circa Sports). Fox Sports' lead college football analyst Joel Klatt likes Michigan's chances of reaching the postseason tournament, predicting the Wolverines to get in as the final at-large team as the No. 11 seed in the latest episode of his podcast, The Joel Klatt Show.

"I think Michigan gets into the playoff," Klatt said. "Michigan's floor is nine wins. Now, is nine wins going to get them in? I'm not totally sure. I think Michigan is going to have to knock off one of the following three during the course of the year — Texas, Oregon or Ohio State. They've got to beat USC, and if you're thinking about those four games, if they split them and go 2-2, they are in the playoff."

What gives Klatt confidence that Michigan can go 10-2 a year after losing head coach Jim Harbaugh, starting quarterback J.J. McCarthy, its entire defensive coaching staff and 17 other starters?

"I think Sherrone Moore understands who he is and he understands who his program is," Klatt said. "They've got great running backs and an elite defense, so they're going to be Michigan and their going to be very difficult to face. Their floor is nine wins, and let's not put it past Michigan picking off one of those teams that I just mentioned, getting to 10 wins, and while they wouldn't be in the Big Ten Championship game in this model, I do believe they go to the College Football Playoff."

As the No. 11 seed, Klatt has the Wolverines in a rematch with No. 6 Texas in a first round game, which would be hosted by the Longhorns in Austin. Michigan will host Texas at the Big House on Sept. 7 in Ann Arbor.

"This is a rematch, and yet it's a different location," Klatt said. "Regardless of what happens in that Week 2 matchup, which I can't wait for by the way, I think Texas at home, with that pressure, with that quarterback, Quinn Ewers, they get it done and Texas beats Michigan and will face Utah in a 6-3 [seed] matchup."

Here's a full look at Joel Klatt's College Football Playoff bracket:

- Enjoy more Michigan Wolverines coverage on Michigan Wolverines On SI -

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