Where Michigan football’s three CFP teams rank among all 64 playoff teams

The College Football Playoff began in 2014 -- January of 2015 -- and it started as a four-team Playoff. But as time went on, the Playoff expanded to 12 teams -- as of last season. In total, there have been 64 teams participate in the CFP.

The Michigan Wolverines have had three different teams go to the CFP. The Wolverines went three years in a row from 2021-23. So where do the Wolverines' three teams stack up amongst the rest?

Here's how ESPN ranked Michigan's teams.

40th -- Michigan's 2021 team

Michigan QB J.J. McCarthy — Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK

En route to an 11-1 regular season, the 2021 Michigan team was the first team to not only beat Ohio State since 2011, but the Wolverines also won the Big Ten title and made their first College Football Playoff.

Michigan would be outmatched, however. The Wolverines found their match against a much better Georgia team, where they lost 34-11. ESPN ranked that UGA team No. 6 in its rankings.

"A loss to Michigan State set Jim Harbaugh's Wolverines back early on, but they took down Ohio State for the first time in a decade, then stomped Iowa to win their first outright Big Ten title since 2003. This was an excellent team and the champion of an excellent conference, but the Wolverines ran into a slight problem in the Orange Bowl: They weren't better than Georgia at a single thing. That will catch up to you."

26th -- Michigan's 2022 team

Michigan WR Roman Wilson — Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

The Wolverines were even better in 2022, starting J.J. McCarthy and going undefeated. Michigan entered the first-round of the College Football Playoff as big favorites over TCU, but the Wolverines appeared to overlook the Horned Frogs. Michigan fell behind early, tried to make a late comeback, but fell short, 51-45. ESPN ranked that TCU team No. 37, despite beating the Wolverines.

"Jim Harbaugh's Wolverines improved significantly after their brief stay in the 2021 CFP. They were even better at their go-to manball routine, and they proved to have more explosive offensive weapons as well. (Just ask Ohio State.) They were well-rounded and probably the second-best team of 2022, but they fell victim to an onslaught of TCU big plays and couldn't pull off a last-minute comeback."

No. 4 -- Michigan's 2023 team

Michigan RB Donovan Edwards — Melanie Maxwell / USA TODAY NETWORK

For the second year in a row, Michigan went 12-0 in the regular season. The Wolverines were the most dominant team in the country and beat Alabama in a thrilling OT win in the Rose Bowl. Then, in the national title, Michigan thumped Washington, 34-13, to win its first CFP Title.

The only teams ranked above Michigan were: 2022 Georgia (third), 2019 LSU (second), and 2020 Alabama (first).

"The Wolverines beat Penn State and Ohio State without suspended head coach Jim Harbaugh, and even with off-field matters swirling in the background, they were rarely challenged on the field, winning 11 games by at least 21 points. They extended their Big Ten winning streak to 25 games, they handed Nick Saban a Rose Bowl loss in his final game as a head coach, and with the national title on the line, they put on a defensive clinic. They dominated a brilliant Washington offensive line, holding the prolific Huskies to just 301 total yards and rolling to their first national title in 26 years."

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