That puts the Wolverines on the bubble between 8-4 and 9-3, right about where the final berths for the 12-team College Football Playoff might be. As a result, ESPN puts Michigan's chances of making the CFP at 25.3%.

Athlon Sports ranks Michigan football in top 25 for 2025, citing a strong defense and easier schedule. Can the Wolverines return to the playoff?

The College Football Playoff's expanded 12-team format made its debut last season, reshaping the postseason as we knew it and showing just how brutal the path to a national championship can be. Add in a flurry of conference realignments (with the grueling travel schedules they created),