Most fans had very different expectations for both Michigan and Michigan State as the headed into the 2017 college football season.
While Wolverines fans hoped their team could make a run in the Big Ten East, Spartans fans just hoped that Mark Dantonio could right the ship following an awful 3-9 2016 season.
Well, the regular season is in the books and it was Michigan State who rose to the occasion and flipped their 3-9 season to a 9-3 season, including a win over the Wolverines. Michigan, on the other hand, finished the regular season 8-4, losing to MSU, Ohio State, Penn State, and Wisconsin, their four toughest opponents.
Now, both Michigan and Michigan State fans wait to see which bowl game their respective team will be playing in.
According to College Football insider Brett McMurphy, the Wolverines will be playing in the Outback Bowl against South Carolina on New Year’s Day. This comes as a bit of a surprise as many believed Michigan played their way out of a Jan. 1 game by losing to their four toughest opponents.
I’m told Michigan (8-4) is pretty much a lock to play in Tampa for the first time since 2012. The Wolverines are expected to face South Carolina (8-4). The Wolverines and Missouri are the only Power 5 teams that have winning records this season but no wins against an opponent that finished with a winning record. Michigan can change that with a bowl victory.
The Spartans, according to McMurphy, will also be playing on New Year’s Day. They will take on LSU in the Citrus Bowl, which will take place in Orlando, FL.
LSU (9-3) appears headed to its second consecutive Citrus Bowl, and the Tigers leapfrog Mississippi State for the SEC’s top non-New Year’s Six bowl after the Bulldogs’ upset loss to Ole Miss. This will be a nice matchup of top 20 teams.
Nation, if these bowl matchups are indeed correct, are you satisfied?
The actual bowl announcements will be revealed on Sunday.
