Michigan will very likely play in the 8-9 game next Thursday at the Big Ten Tournament in Indianapolis, and there are only a few opponents that are very likely.
One Big Ten fan came up with this site in which fans can determine seedings based on the outcomes of the remaining Big Ten games:
Current Big Ten standings:
Remaining schedules for the teams that Michigan (9-9) is contention with for seeding (teams with seven to 11 losses with two games remaining):
PENN STATE (11-7): Michigan State (March 3), at Northwestern (March 7)
Michigan can not catch the Nittany Lions unless there's a tiebreaker with three or more teams. PSU owns the head to head tiebreaker with U-M after winning the only meeting between the two in Ann Arbor ... and it's highly unlikely, regardless, that U-M wins its last two (including a road game at Maryland) and PSU loses its final pair.
IOWA (11-7): Purdue (March 3), at Illinois (March 8)
Michigan split with Iowa, but again, it seems unlikely U-M would catch the Hawkeyes. In a four-way tie with Penn State, Iowa and Ohio State, PSU gets the five seed, Iowa the six and OSU the seven. Michigan would then play Purdue in the 8-9 game if the Boilermakers won one of their final two to get to 10-10.
OHIO STATE (10-8): Illinois (March 5), at Michigan State (March 8)
The Buckeyes have two tough games remaining but hold the tiebreaker over Michigan. It's unlikely U-M passes the Buckeyes, and we haven't found a scenario in which the Wolverines are seeded higher with the same record given OSU's sweep in the regular season.
RUTGERS (9-9): Maryland (March 3), at Purdue (March 7)
The Wolverines are very likely to finish ahead of the Scarlet Knights and own the tiebreakers based on their 2-0, head-to-head performance this year. U-M could play them in the 8-9 game. That would happen if U-M finished 10-10 and Rutgers won its last two and finished 11-9 with Ohio State and Penn State.
PURDUE (8-10): At Iowa (March 3), Rutgers (March 7)
A loss to Iowa tonight means Purdue can't catch U-M, and Michigan swept the Boilermakers this year. Even if they win both and the Wolverines go 1-1, the Wolverines get the tiebreaker. But these two teams could play in the 8-9 game if there's a four-way tie at 10-10 with U-M, Purdue, Rutgers and Indiana. They'd be seeded in that order.
INDIANA (8-10): Minnesota (March 4), Wisconsin (March 7)
The Hoosiers could feasibly win both to finish 10-10, but U-M holds the tiebreaker head-to-head in winning the only meeting between the two. Michigan would have to lose to Nebraska for IU to pass the Wolverines, in which case the Wolverines could feasibly slip to the No. 11 seed and play Wednesday against the Cornhuskers again.
MINNESOTA (7-11): at Indiana (March 4), Nebraska (March 8)
U-M would have to lose two and Minnesota win both, in which case the Golden Gophers hold the tiebreaker after Michigan's disappointing loss in Minneapolis. U-M would likely bet the nine seed, however in a three-way tie with Purdue and Minnesota at 9-11.
MOST LIKELY SCENARIOS
If Michigan finishes 10-10, the Wolverines are almost a lock for the 8-9 game. The opponent would likely be one of Rutgers, Indiana or Purdue.
A lot would have to go right to get to the 7-10 game — Penn State losing out, for example, including a loss at Northwestern in the finale, or a three-way tie at 11-9 with Iowa and Rutgers, which would mean Iowa losing two and Ohio State winning two, including a game at Michigan State.
We'll know soon enough how it plays out.
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