Michigan isn't heading to the College Football Playoff, but college football fans can't be unhappy with this matchup of two marquee programs.
Jim Harbaugh's team will square off against Florida State in the Orange Bowl, the Wolverines tabbed for a spot in a New Year's Six game despite narrowly missing out on a Playoff spot.
Michigan came close to making the four-team Playoff field, its stellar resume earning it the No. 6 spot in the selection committee's final rankings. But the bracket only holds four teams meaning Michigan and Big Ten champion Penn State were on the outside looking in.
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The two-loss Wolverines still have a sour taste in their mouths after losing their final regular-season game in double overtime to rival Ohio State, which will be a part of the Playoff. They'll look for another big win over the 12th-ranked Seminoles in the Orange Bowl.
The Noles had a high-profile stumble early on this season, losing by 43 points to Louisville. Narrow losses to North Carolina and Clemson followed, but Florida State enters the bowl game on a four-game winning streak, while Michigan has dropped two of its last three.
This is the Wolverines' third-ever trip to the Orange Bowl and first since the 1999 season, when Michigan capped the campaign with a 35-34 win over Alabama.
This is the third all-time matchup between these two programs. Michigan won in 1986 — when Harbaugh was playing quarterback for the Wolverines — and Florida State won in 1991.