Joel Klatt predicts Michigan football will make 2024 College Football Playoff

Michigan football is coming off of three straight Big Ten championships and three straight College Football Playoff appearances, and yet the Wolverines have been counted out from the former and are on the bubble in the latter. At least according to most of the pundits and national media.

However, many are starting to come around to the idea that the maize and blue aren’t falling much, if at all, in 2024.

While Joel Klatt isn’t quite as emphatic as, say, 247Sports’ Clint Brewster, or even ESPN’s Greg McElroy, he does think that the No. 8 team in the country (US LBM Coaches Poll) will make the playoff this season.

As Klatt broke down his preseason selections, the Wolverines barely sneak in at No. 11 of 12.

“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’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. You gotta beat USC. And if you’re thinking about those four games, if they split them and go two and two, they are in the playoff.

“I think Sherrone Moore understands who he is, and he understands who his program is they’ve got great running backs and an elite defense. So they’re going to be Michigan, and they’re 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 that they go to the College Football Playoff.”

If Michigan manages to beat USC and Ohio State, certainly fans would be happy, given the Buckeyes, but more likely, Texas and OSU would be the ones circled on the calendar. Without question, all four of those teams will be tough to beat, but with three of the aforementioned four games at home, Michigan will be tough to beat also.