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Michigan junior left guard Ben Bredeson had some strong words Monday for those who said the Peach Bowl didn’t matter.

First, though, he confirmed he was going to return for his senior year.

“I’ll be here,” he said, later adding “probably” … and then saying again, “yeah, I’ll be here.”

“It’s not official yet,” he said …

But it will be after he gets his NFL evaluation and talks to head coach Jim Harbaugh, he said.

He’s hopeful and said he “expects” junior quarterback Shea Patterson to return, as well, and is excited to see what the offense can do next season. They hope to use the Peach Bowl as a springboard, and Bredeson had a message for those saying they didn’t think the Bowl Game was important.

“It matters,” he said. “We’re tired of losing the last game of the year.”

Bredeson maintained he was indifferent to the opponent, excited to see an SEC team again.

He also said he was extremely proud of left tackle Jon Ruynan Jr. and how far he came after getting beaten up in the opener against Notre Dame. Runyan admitted he surprised himself with the way he played down the stretch … he went back and looked at last year’s South Carolina game and said he completely lacked technique, and now he knows how important it is.

Runyan admitted he was a bit nervous when new coach Ed Warinner put him at left tackle.

“It was in the back of my mind, protecting the quarterback’s blind side and stuff,” he said. “They asked me if I’d rather play left or right tackle, and I said I didn’t care. Whatever would get me on the field.”

Now he’s a first team All-Big Ten guy, and he’s got one more year in which to improve. Both Runyan and Bredeson said there are much better days ahead for the line, and that the two of them have really forged a solid connection on the left side.

That alone could keep that side of the line intact next year. Bredeson said redshirt freshman Andrew Stueber did pretty well at Ohio State given the enormity of the situation, his first start in that environment.

Both said they didn’t listen to the narrative that U-M would never be able to compete at Ohio State’s level anymore.

“I think it’s ridiculous,” Bredeson said. “We’ll see what happens.”

Runyan said he was looking forward to the opportunity to silence that talk next year. Senior safety Tyree Kinnel, too, said the program is still building, and he believes it’s only going to get better.

Donovan Peoples-Jones was among those also looking forward to the Bowl game. He wants to get win No. 11.

Junior Josh Metellus, meanwhile, said he would wait to get his feedback from the NFL before deciding whether or not to return for his senior season. He has a vested interest in beating the home state Gators.

“I’d never hear the end of it,” he said of going home with a loss.

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