ESPN’s Paul Finebaum would like for everyone to pump the brakes though on much a slide this season for Michigan — well, sort of. In fact, the SEC mouthpiece believes the Maize and Blue can crash the College Football Playoff for a third year in a row.

“I think they (Michian) have a shot. Right now, I would take them,” Finebaum said. “And to do that really — they’re gonna have to change the outcome of a couple games that they’d be favored to lose. They’ve got an early game the second week against Texas — which will be a top-three or four team. They have Oregon later in the year at home — another top-three team. Obviously, we know about Ohio State at the end. And I think if they can win either Texas, Oregon, or Washington, they can finish 10-2. They have to win two of those, by the way, because I don’t think they’ll beat Ohio State. “I think 9-3, depending on where the wins are, this would probably be the rare team that could make the playoff with more than two losses.”