Bowl Projections: Predicting How Michigan Could Sneak into a BCS Bowl

The 10-2 (6-2 Big Ten) No. 15 Michigan Wolverines marched to their first win over their biggest rival, the 6-6 (3-5 Big Ten) Ohio State Buckeyes in seven years today. With the win, the Wolverines were able to move closer to a big bowl opportunity.

If the 9-2 (5-2 Big Ten) No. 16 Wisconsin Badgers are able to defeat the 9-2 (6-1 Big Ten) No. 19 Penn State Nittany Lions today, the Badgers will be on their way to the Big Ten title game. A win there and they will be guaranteed a berth into a BCS bowl game.

Will there be a chance for the Wolverines to make it to an at large bid in the BCS themselves? If Wisconsin drops Penn State and then goes to the Big Ten title game and beats the 10-2 (7-1 Big Ten) No. 14 Michigan State Spartans, Michigan would be the most logical “off the bench” choice for an at large bid from the Big Ten.

The Wolverines have been a fun team to watch this season as they have progressed markedly under first-year coach Brady Hoke, especially on the defensive side of the ball. The Wolverines are the sixth-ranked defense in points against this season. The Wolverines only allow 15.6 points a game.

The offense has been equally impressive on the ground as they are ranked 12th in the country, gaining 236.1 yards a game. Hoke has found a way to balance the Wolverines football team. Something that Rich Rodriguez was unable to due in his tenure in Ann Arbor.

With the way that the national title race is shaping up, there are likely to be two SEC teams playing in the title game. There isn’t another SEC contender that truly deserves a shot in a BCS bowl at this point. The Pac-12 has been impressive with some very good football being found out west, but only one Pac-12 team will find its way to the BCS.

With the SEC filing its slots in the title game, and the Pac-12 not having a viable at-large bid, the Big Ten becomes the next conference that will have a look. The ACC has been too inconsistent to have an at-large themselves, and with a Badgers win tonight and in the title game, Michigan is the next choice as an at-large.

Michigan pulls a national audience, and the Wolverines would make for a great football game against a fellow BCS opponent. Look for the Wolverines to pull the biggest surprise of the season and earn their at-large bid this bowl season.