Michigan football against Penn State for the national title?

Yesterday, following an exciting slate of Week 6 college football games, Andy Staples of On3 released his newest 2023-24 bowl game predictions. In Staples’ CFP are two Big Ten teams: the Wolverines and the Nittany Lions. If they both get past the first round, Staples thinks that we could see Michigan football against Penn State for the national championship later this season.

Analyst projects Michigan football against Penn State for the national title is on the table

Since hiring Jim Harbaugh, Michigan football is 5-3 against Penn State, most recently downing the Nittany Lions 41-17 in Ann Arbor last October. Heading into this weekend’s slate, both Michigan and Penn State are undefeated and ranked in the top six nationally — according to most AP voters and college football analysts, these two Big Ten giants should be in contention for a College Football Playoff spot later this season.

Two Big Ten teams in the College Football Playoff?

If you ask Andy Staples, Michigan football and Penn State may face off twice this year — first in mid-November at Beaver Stadium, and second in the national championship game.

In his most recent bowl game projections via On3, the college football analyst has No. 1 Georgia facing No. 4 Michigan football in the Sugar Bowl (CFP semi-final) —  a rematch of 2021’s Orange Bowl CFP semi-final, which Michigan lost. Additionally, he has the Penn State Nittany Lions winning the Big Ten title and coming in at No. 2 nationally heading into the playoff. He pits the 2nd-ranked Lions against No. 3 Oklahoma in the Rose Bowl game.

In this scenario, if both Michigan football and Penn State were to win, we would see the Wolverines and Nittany Lions battle it out for this season’s national title in mid-January.

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