How U-M Has Fared In Bowls Following Its Most Recent 10-Win Regular Seasons

Although Michigan's regular-season ended in disappointment with a loss at Ohio State last weekend, the Wolverines still finished with a solid 10-2 record and an 8-1 mark in Big Ten play.

The program now awaits its bowl fate, which will be revealed on Sunday.

The 10-win regular-season was the fifth for Michigan in the last 16 years, but the bowl games that have followed haven't always been kind to the Wolverines.

In fact, Michigan has struggled mightily in the aforementioned postseason contests dating all the way back to the 1970s, but will have a chance to buck that trend in four weeks.

Michigan's Bowl Results Following its 10 Most Recent 10-win Regular Seasons

Year	Regular Season Record	Bowl	Opponent (Result)

2016	10-2	Orange	No. 10 Florida State (L, 33-32)
2011	10-2	Sugar	No. 17 Virginia Tech (W, 23-20)
2006	11-1	Rose	No. 8 USC (L, 32-18)
2003	10-2	Rose	No. 1 USC (L, 28-14)
1997	11-0	Rose	No. 8 Washington State (W, 21-16)
1991	10-1	Rose	No. 2 Washington (L, 34-14)
1989	10-1	Rose	No. 12 USC (L, 17-10)
1986	11-1	Rose	No. 7 Arizona State (L, 22-15)
1978	10-1	Rose	No. 3 USC (L, 17-10)
1977	10-1	Rose	No. 13 Washington (L, 27-20)

The graph above obviously states that Michigan has a dismal 2-8 record in bowls following 10-win regular-seasons, with the only triumphs being the 1997 Rose Bowl against Washington State to take home the national title, and the thrilling Sugar Bowl overtime victory over Virginia Tech in Brady Hoke's debut season of 2011.

If there is one positive trend in the defeats, though, it's that five of the eight have been decided by seven points or less, with only one of the losses coming by more than 14 (a 20-point setback to No. 2 Washington in the 1991 Rose Bowl).

There is no use in finding solace in moral victories, though, nor is there any sugarcoating how poorly U-M has fared in its recent major bowl games (usually the Rose Bowl).

Former head coach Bo Schembechler (1969-89) had incredible success during his tenure in Ann Arbor (13 Big Ten titles), but had a tendency to struggle mightily in postseason showdowns (5-12 record).

IF the Maize and Blue are able to grab a victory in this year's bowl, however, the program will have won two of its last three major postseason affairs, with the 2016 loss to Florida State being the only setback.

With the College Football Playoff model now in existence, the major bowl contests are a part of the "New Year's Six," with the six games being the Rose, Orange, Sugar, Cotton, Peach and Fiesta Bowls.

If Ohio State winds up in this year's College Football Playoff, then the Wolverines are heavily expected to wind up in the Rose Bowl, but if the Buckeyes find themselves in Pasadena, then U-M seems likely headed to either the Peach or Fiesta Bowl.

Michigan's last Rose Bowl appearance was a 32-18 loss to USC following the 2006 season, while its last Fiesta Bowl trip was a 27-23 victory over Nebraska after the 1985 campaign.

Michigan has never been to the Peach Bowl.

Regardless of which matchup the Wolverines wind up in, a win would give the program its 11th victory in a single season for just the 10th time in school history (Michigan has been playing football since 1879).

The previous nine occurrences — in chronological order — were 2011, 2006, 1997, 1986, 1971, 1905, 1903, 1902 and 1901.

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