Heading into the 2021 season, not many expected that the Michigan Wolverines would be sitting at 6-0 and ranked No. 8 in the nation.
But, the Wolverines have looked very good so far this season and according to ESPN’s FPI rankings, they have a 40% chance of making the College Football Playoff.
That being said, on Monday, ESPN writer Bill Connelly published a piece in which he breaks down the ‘fatal flaw’ for every College Football Playoff contender.
Here is what Connelly believes is Michigan’s fatal flaw.
From ESPN:
Michigan (6-0)
Rankings: eighth in the AP poll, eighth in SP+, fifth in FPI
CFP odds: 40%
Fatal flaw: finishing drives. The Wolverines survived a miserable third quarter to outlast Nebraska, 32-29, in Lincoln on Saturday. It was a solid win over a solid (despite its record) opponent, but it wouldn’t have been nearly as much of a nail-biter had Michigan converted scoring opportunities into touchdowns. The Wolverines twice attempted field goals on fourth-and-3 in the first half (a 21-yarder and a 35-yarder), and they got pushed behind the chains twice in the fourth quarter and attempted 31- and 39-yarders.
This is a bit of a trend. Michigan’s goal-to-go touchdown rate is just 77%, and their red zone TD rate is 62%. Both rank 68th in the country. With three SP+ top-20 opponents left on the slate, UM will need six-point scores to remain in the CFP conversation, not three-pointers.
Nation, do you think Michigan can overcome this ‘fatal flaw’ and make a run at the College Football Playoff?
