Despite enjoying the bye last weekend, Michigan made a positive movement in Week 11’s CFP rankings, as it rose from No. 21 to No. 18 because of other teams’ upsets. Now, they are among the six Big Ten teams ranked in the top 25, joining Oregon, Ohio State, Indiana, and Iowa. For them to reach the final four, they needed to finish strong in the remaining games — at least that’s what Kirk Herbstreit was suggesting, making it a bit of a bittersweet family moment.

“We’ve been talking for weeks; can the Big 10 potentially get a fourth? We kept kind of pointing to Michigan. Like if they get to nine and two, they win their next two against, I think it’s Northwestern and maybe Maryland. I’m not sure who that next one is. If they’re nine and two and they beat Ohio State, they’re 10-2. We were like, they’re going to be in,” Herbstreit said on NonStop with Kirk and Joey about Michigan’s playoff chances. The next three games against Northwestern, Maryland, and Ohio State are very crucial for Michigan to cement its spot in the playoffs. Even one loss can end both their championship and title run hopes. On top of that, winning against Ohio State will push their fate even further.

Now, here’s the interesting part: Michigan hasn’t played a very tough opponent this year, which makes their schedule a weaker one that might not impress the playoff committee much. Their best win is a 24-7 win over Washington, and they even lost badly against USC and Oklahoma. So now, the only game that can save them is against Ohio State, a team they’ve already beaten four years in a row.

But here’s another scenario: the No. 17th-ranked USC Trojans might also take out a team. They, too, are left with three games against Iowa, Oregon, and UCLA. And if they win against Oregon, there’s a high chance that Oregon is out of the playoffs. Even Herbstreit points out that saying, “I guess if they beat Oregon, that would knock Oregon out, and that would probably put USC as a team.” 

Apart from all the odds of Michigan making it to the playoffs, Kirk Herbstreit pitching in for them feels odd. Everyone knows the Herbstreit family bleeds Scarlet — his father, grandfather, and son Zak all played for the Buckeyes. That was until Chase Herbstreit chose a different path, committing to the Michigan Wolverines. So now, with Michigan having a chance to make the playoffs, it puts Herbstreit in a rather awkward family dynamic.

With that, Herbstreit is also turning heads, naming his favorite QB.

Kirk Herbstreit spits his favorite QB name

Kirk Herbstreit knows exactly how to turn up the heat, and he did that again by naming quarterbacks who have impressed him most this season. Now, you might think Arch Manning, Drew Allar, and LaNorris Sellers are expected to dominate his list, as they were preseason favorites, but everyone knows how that turned out.

So there are new names, and Herbstreit revealed his QB1 for the draft process on the Pat McAfee Show. “To answer your question, I would say Ty Simpson,” Herbstreit said. “He’s not sexy, he’s not going to go to the combine, and he’s not going to be like, ‘Look at this guy!’ But he seems to be a guy that has an ability to read, recognize coverage, process, and get the ball out. He can move around just enough to be able to be dangerous, to be able to keep plays alive.”

No wonder Ty Simpson is his favorite. After waiting for two years, this guy finally showed what he is capable of, throwing for 2,461 yards with 21 touchdowns and just 1 interception. So, you know why Kirk Herbstreit is going all crazy over him. Now, let’s wait and see if Herbstreit’s favorite becomes the nation’s favorite or not.