Michigan football could miss the CFP due to one fatal flaw

If the Wolverines don't win out, it could be because of this fatal flaw.

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Michigan is now off of its bye and with three games left, everything is still on the table for the Wolverines. Michigan might not have the best odds to reach the College Football Playoff, but it's quite simple for the miaze and blue. You beat Northwestern, Maryland, and Ohio State -- Michigan will make the CFP.

However, Michigan has to play really good football to reach that goal. The Wolverines need more out of their offense and most importantly, Michigan needs to develop a capable passing attack. Bryce Underwood has looked like a true freshman in the past two games against Michigan State and Purdue, and with Ohio State looming -- the passing game needs fixed in a hurry.

ESPN's Billy Connelly, the advanced analytics guru, shared what every team's fatal flaw is. Teams may not win the national championship or even make the College Football Playoff due to these flaws.

Not enough risk or reward

ESPN's Connelly believes the Wolverines could miss the College Football Playoff due to the lack of risk on the offense. Michigan runs the ball well, but with little risk or reward, the Wolverines aren't going to trip too many defenses up.

"Michigan runs the ball well, prevents big plays and takes as few risks as possible with freshman quarterback Bryce Underwood. The issue: The Wolverines can't force the issue very well. They can't knock opponents off schedule to take advantage of a good pass rush, and among 132 QBR-eligible QBs, Underwood ranks 95th in completion rate (60.9%) despite ranking 86th in air yards per attempt (7.6)."

Final thoughts

There is no question that Michigan's passing attack is leaps and bounds better than it was last year, but the bar was set very low. The Wolverines also won just eight games a year ago, and with a 12 team playoff, Michigan should be in consideration every year.

The Wolverines have one of the best rushing attacks in the country, led by both Justice Haynes and Jordan Marshall. But if Michigan wants to seriously threaten the opposition, the passing attack does need to get better.

It's not all on Bryce Underwood, either. The pass protection has been average and dropped passes remain an issue. We know Michigan has been working on these issues, but getting it fixed on the field is a must, and that starts Saturday against Northwestern.

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