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College Football Playoff: Michigan learns top-4 seeding following 2023 season
By Paul Harvey
Published:
The College Football Playoff field is set following the conclusion of the 2023 regular season! In the end, Michigan was a safe bet to land in the final four, and Jim Harbaugh’s squad learned their fate Sunday.
After a 13-0 run through the B1G and a third straight conference title, Michigan received the No. 1 seed for the upcoming Playoff. The Wolverines were No. 2 in the CFP rankings entering Championship Week, and previous No. 1 Georgia fell to Alabama.
It is the third straight trip for Michigan to the Playoff, but this will be the first time Harbaugh’s program enters as the No. 1 seed. So far, the Wolverines are 0-2 in the CFP semifinals with losses to Georgia and TCU.
As the No. 1 overall seed, Michigan will face No. 4 seed Alabama. The rest of the bracket will feature No. 2 Washington facing off against No. 3 Texas. As the top-seeded team, the Wolverines will get their preference of semifinal locations between the Rose Bowl and Sugar Bowl.
Michigan’s prospects for the Playoff have been strong all season long, including in the face of an ongoing sign-stealing investigation into Harbaugh’s program. The CFP committee has maintained all season long that the investigation is an NCAA issue, and it ultimately did not deter Michigan’s spot in the final four.
On the field, the Wolverines have been dominant for much of the year on both sides of the ball. Blake Corum leads the FBS in rushing touchdowns with another 1,000-yard season and JJ McCarthy has blossomed into a true leader and legitimate threat at quarterback.
Defensively, Michigan has been ferocious at all three levels and should present plenty of problems for their matchup in the CFP.
Paul is a lifelong fan and student of all things college football. He has been covering college football since 2017 and the B1G since 2018.