Michigan football was not playoff bound. This much we knew. But the Wolverines didn’t fall in the final College Football Playoff ranking, either. Sherrone Moore’s team rose one spot, up to No. 18, in the final iteration of this year’s Top 25, keeping it outside the 12-team field.

Michigan Wolverines head coach Sherrone Moore said the Texas Longhorns had a playoff-worthy resume during his preview of the Citrus Bowl matchup.

As a result, the Hurricanes will go on the road to face Texas A&M and Alabama will travel for a rematch with Oklahoma as the two standout games of the first round. The first round is rounded out by another rematch between Tulane and Ole Miss, and James Madison taking on Oregon as the biggest underdog of this year's playoff.

At 8-2, the Wolverines are ranked at No. 18 in the most recent College Football Playoff ranking, where the top 12 teams at the end of the season will earn a trip to the playoff. That means Michigan still has some work to do to climb into contention, but its road to the playoff is pretty clear.

The College Football Playoff bracket prize payouts are finally revealed, and it’s clearer than ever which conferences are benefiting the most. With millions on the line, the expanded playoff picture is giving more schools a big financial boost.

After the Michigan Wolverines' 27-9 loss to Ohio State this past Saturday, Sherrone Moore's team got a look at where they are ranked during the second to last r

The 12-team College Football Playoff field is set. Here's how each team could make it to the national championship game.

The Cougars allowed just 20.2 points per game as part of a wide-open Pac-12 schedule and scratched into a bowl game under Jimmy Rogers, who left for the Iowa State job. Utah quarterback Bryson Barnes had 27 total touchdowns for the Aggies this season. This will be Bronco Mendenhall's first bowl appearance with Utah State.

Ohio State Buckeyes head coach Ryan Day spoke out with a warning to opponents ahead of the College Football Playoff.