Michigan football had a chance to clinch bowl eligibility this past weekend against Michigan State, but failed to do so, falling 15-6 to one of the worst teams in the conference.

The path doesn’t get any easier for the Wolverines, with three huge games on the horizon. UofM will head to Oregon this weekend, followed by showdowns with UCLA and Ohio State. Three of the more challenging games on their schedule.

I think there is a strong chance the Wolverines go 0-3 over the final three weeks and don’t reach the six-win threshold to guarantee a spot in a bowl game. Here is what the analysts and experts around the sport see happening for the Maize and Blue.

ESPN

This is getting repetitive for Kyle Bonagura and Mark Schlabach (ESPN), who have stayed consistent in their selection for five weeks. The duo released their week ten predictions Monday morning (Nov. 9) and both saw Michigan in the Cactus Bowl.

Both Bonagura and Schlabach also have the Wolverines playing Cincinnati, which is coming off back-to-back losses against nationally-ranked opponents. The Bearcats are also 5-4 overall and finish the season against Iowa State, Colorado and BYU.

If that ends up being the destination for Michigan, the Wolverines would play at 7:30  p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 26 in Tempe, Ariz.

Sports Illustrated

Here is something new for the Wolverines: Bryan Fischer of Sports Illustrated doesn’t have the Wolverines in a bowl game at the conclusion of the season.

Previously, he had Michigan in the Music City Bowl for multiple weeks leading up to now.

CBS Sports

In the same spot as  ESPN, Brad Crawford of CBS Sports projected that Michigan will compete in the Cactus Bowl against Cincinnati.

If Michigan can pull off an upset down the stretch, that could be a really realistic destination for the Maize and Blue.

Final Takeaways

Not only are Michigan’s College Football Playoff (CFP) hopes gone, but its bowl eligibility is in question. Before the season, if Michigan fans were told this would be the scenario, I think everyone would be shocked and disappointed.

However, the hope for the Wolverines is that they have one of the better defenses not only in the conference, but in the country. The Maize and Blue have been handicapped by a terrible offense.

On Sunday, the Wolverines made the decision to fire offensive coordinator Jason Beck.

Maybe that will be the saving grace of the 2026 campaign, and the Wolverines can get back on track to end the season.