Kirk Herbstreit, Nick Saban warn rest of college football about two-loss program

In discussing the remainder of college football's vast regular season, one particular under-the-radar squad stuck out to both ESPN analyst Nick Saban and broadcaster Kirk Herbstreit. The two-loss squad that is currently lying in wait as a danger to the rest of its league and the CFP field is the Michigan Wolverines. Both ESPN personalities saw the potential for big things from Michigan down the season's stretch run.

Herbstreit's Take

We're all clear on Oregon and Indiana and Ohio State. I do look at Michigan. Michigan lost to USC, they came back the next week and beat a good Washington team. You look at the rest of their schedule, obviously, they have Ohio State at the end. But there's a very good chance they run the table. If they're 9-2, going into that game at home against Ohio State, 60 minutes away from possibly winning that game, being 10-2 with a win over Ohio State. They could be a team that you're sitting there and talking about.
Kirk Herbstreit

To Herbstreit's point, the three biggest players in the Big Ten race seem to have CFP spots all but sewed up. Michigan's 5-2 season has them currently outside the conversation (ESPN's FPI gives the Wolverines a 15% chance at a CFP spot). But a 10-2 Wolverines team would certainly make the Big Ten and Playoff races a little more interesting. Herbstreit wasn't alone in seeing that chaos potential.

Saban Comments

How about Michigan? If they can run the table and beat Ohio State, then somebody's gotta be talking about them.
Nick Saban

The Michigan Path

5-2 Michigan has three road trips in its next four games. But the opponents: Michigan State, Purdue, Northwestern, Maryland-- are all pretty much imminently beatable. Of the four, ESPN gives Maryland the best shot at pulling an upset of the Wolverines (just 21% per current FPI game predictions), but the Wolverines should be in good shape heading into the Ohio State game.

Against odds, the Wolverines have won four in a row over Ohio State in that epic rivalry matchup. Michigan was an underdog in three of those four games and would likely be an underdog this season as well. But the Wolverines have won the last two games in Ann Arbor and at this point, may have legitimately gotten into Ryan Day and the Buckeyes' collective heads.

With two epic college football minds seeing the same potential, the Big Ten race may well not be finished. It's a five game run away, but both Saban and Herbstreit aren't willing to shut the door on Michigan.