Bryce Underwood assesses if Michigan is still alive for the College Football Playoff: 'Of course we are'

Michigan suffered its second loss of the season this past weekend in the Coliseum, which has the maize & blue on the brink of being out of contention for the College Football Playoff. That said, QB Bryce Underwood thinks otherwise when it comes to the Wolverines’ postseason hopes.

Underwood was asked to end his media availability on Monday if Michigan was capable of winning out to make the CFP. He said they are because of their work ethic, which, if they did win their final six, have them in consideration for the playoff.

“Because of how hard we work every single day,” said Underwood. “So, of course we are.”

Coming out of Week 7, Michigan sits at 4-2 overall and at 2-1 in the Big Ten. With that, the Wolverines do still control their own destiny as both avenues are still available for them to make the playoff, whether as just an at-large at a finish of 10-2 overall or as a representative from out of their league after either appearing in or winning the Big Ten Championship. Regardless of how unlikely it may or may not seem with two losses already at the midway point of the season, that’s the fact of the matter based on their record this morning, with an at-large bid looking like the more likely path for them considering the current state of the conference race coming into mid-October.

Now, though, if they want to end up down either path in order to be in playoff contention by November, Michigan will have to win some notable matchups left over their final six. They’ve already lost to arguably the two best opponents they’ve played so far on the road in No. 6 Oklahoma in Norman and USC in Los Angeles. So, in order to get to double-digit wins, it’ll mean wins for the Wolverines over Washington on Saturday, Michigan State in a rivalry game in East Lansing, Northwestern and Maryland in competitive road games in conference, and, obviously, against Ohio State in The Game. So, halfway through the season, nothing is out of play for the Wolverines, whether a decent record of say 8-4 or so or winning out to finish at 10-2.

Michigan has six games left over the next seven weeks, needing to win out to be in consideration to return to the CFP. Underwood knows they can do it too, with them starting their case again this weekend when they host the Huskies, in a national title rematch from two years ago no less, in Ann Arbor.