2019 wrap-up
With the loss, Michigan fell two spots to a No. 19 finish in the Amway Coaches Poll. That’s not particularly much of a punishment, but it does represent a lost opportunity–for both Michigan and the Big Ten.
Jim Harbaugh had a chance to make a statement that he is an elite coach capable of competing for national titles, not just ranked seasons. This was further a chance to chip away at Nick Saban’s and Alabama’s aura of invincibility. Instead, the Crimson Tide walked away with a three-score win, and Michigan finished just inside the Top 10 instead of in the Top 10.
As far as the Big Ten is concerned, I’ll quote myself from the Indiana vs Tennessee recap, because the exact same point applies:
We could have seen the conference have a nation-leading seven ranked teams. Instead, the conference will tie the SEC with six ranked teams (assuming Texas A&M gets in the final polls, which it should). The SEC will have the national champion and a 2-1 head-to-head record against the Big Ten. Before bowl season began, the Big Ten had a serious claim to being the best conference this year. Now, though, that claim seems impossible to make–and this game played a big part in it.
2020 Impact
Like Indiana, this loss actually has minimal impact moving forward. A win would have been huge for Michigan heading into 2020, but the Wolverines get enough hype as it is. Michigan opens with a road trip to Washington, and the Wolverines will also face Wisconsin, Penn State, and Minnesota by October 17th. Get through that schedule with one loss (or zero), and Michigan will be in the thick of the CFP hunt. A win over Alabama in this game might have meant a higher starting position in the polls, but Michigan has the schedule that that doesn’t matter.