Michigan Can Still Rally To Make A Bowl Game

By Sam Mattfolk @MattSamFolk on October 14, 2014

It didn’t save Brady Hoke his job, but Michigan (3-4, 1-2 Big Ten) got a much needed win over Penn State on Saturday night. It was a special night for the 113,085 people inside Michigan Stadium. The football was sloppy as neither team eclipsed 300 total yards, but fans in attendance enjoyed the joy of victory in a big time environment for the first time this season. While the game wasn’t full of memorable moments like Michigan’s two previous “Under the Lights” contests, the lasting image of QB Devin Gardner hobbling onto the field to lead the Wolverines’ game-winning drive will be a bright moment of pride in an otherwise forgettable season. Perhaps the game will be most remembered by fans for return man Dennis Norfleet dancing to George Clinton’s “Atomic Dog” before every kick.

The Wolverines face an uphill climb to a bowl game with road games against rivals Michigan State and Ohio State looming, but Saturday’s performance, particularly on defense, was encouraging and gives the players something to play for. The best thing going for Michigan right now is this week’s schedule. No team is happier to have a bye week than the Wolverines, especially with Gardner limping out of Michigan in a walking boot. Luckily for Michigan, Gardner’s ankle injury doesn’t seem serious as he insisted he would be ready for the Spartans in two weeks, but the extra week will be vital in maximizing his effectiveness moving forward.

Outside of the major rivalries, Michigan has a manageable stretch of games in November featuring matchups with Indiana, Northwestern and Maryland. The Hoosiers lost QB Nate Sudfeld for the season to a shoulder injury and have no viable backup after Tre Roberson transferred to Illinois State. The Wolverines will travel to Northwestern, but Ryan Field is hardly hostile territory as Michigan has won its last five contests in Evanston. The Maryland game could be tricky, but Michigan’s stout front seven should be able to contain Terrapin QB C.J. Brown, putting most of the burden on his arm. With three winnable games, the Wolverines certainly have a chance to rebound from a dreadful September.

No Michigan fan will accept 6-6 as anything but a disaster season, yet a resurgence would be huge for the current players, recruiting and next year’s team. If Michigan can notch a win against one of its chief rivals on the way to a bowl game, the program would look more attractive to elite coaching candidates as well as potential recruits. Perhaps equally important, the younger players will have reason to stay as well as a foundation to build on moving forward.

The 2014 season has already been a failure by Michigan’s lofty standards, but a bowl appearance is both an achievable goal and a critical achievement for the program’s future.