The bigger they are, the harder they fall. No phrase could be more befitting for the mighty Michigan Wolverines. The defending champs now find themselves a measly 4-3 through week 8 of this season. As first-year HC Sherrone Moore prepares to host arch-rivals Michigan State (4-3) at Ann Arbor this weekend, one questions whether “The Battle for the Paul Bunyan Trophy” holds any weight in terms of their playoff prospects or if that ship has sailed away along with Jim Harbaugh. Can they still make the postseason?

With the new playoff format, the short answer is – possible but very unlikely. See, with 12 teams now poised to make it through, there is a glimmer of hope for Moore’s outfit. There is no precedent for a 12-team playoff and how the committee is going to pick teams come December. A scenario where Michigan finishes the season 9-3 does exist in theory, however implausible it may seem for a team coming off back-to-back losses. If that were to happen, a fascinating rationale would open up.

The remainder of Michigan’s schedule includes games against no. 1 Oregon, no. 13 Indiana and a regular-season finale in “The Game” against no. 4 Ohio State. Those are three B1G rivals standing at a combined 19-1. This means that were the Wolverines to go on a tear here on out and finish 9-3; they’ll have major scalps on their resume and, as a byproduct, induced losses on the direct competition. This sort of turnaround is bound to give the selection committee food for thought when it comes to Michigan’s prospects. Oddsmakers currently give them a +3000 chance to make it through.

From this precarious position, the more likely turn of events is Michigan ending up with a losing record for the first time since the shortened 2020 season than actually making it to the playoffs. But the road to the playoffs inadvertently does go through Ann Arbor. Coach Moore definitely cannot afford his players downing tools either way.

Coach Moore seeks to turn his fortunes versus Michigan State

Transitioning over to a new head coach after a tenured veteran departs has not been particularly smooth for massive programs this season; just ask Alabama. Replacing a coach of Harbaugh’s ilk was going to be a tall task. The belief that the in-house promotion from the offensive coordinator for Sherrone Moore would be astute was not out of place. He had previously helmed the team during Harbaugh’s infamous suspension. But the team heads into Saturday’s game not just with bragging rights on the line but perhaps their coach’s job.

Fans have been voicing their disdain for Sherrone Moore’s tenure so far. In particular, his inability to settle on a quarterback after JJ McCarthy went pro. These murmurs are only in their infancy so far, but an upset against Michigan State would certainly be brutal. Just last season, Michigan thrashed MSU 49-0, inflicting the largest-ever loss by a margin at Spartan Stadium.

If that wasn’t enough motivation, the prospect of putting a nail in their rivals’ playoff hopes would have the Michigan State players and fans brimming with excitement. Sherrone Moore and his team look to defend the home field and spark life into their season on Oct 26th.