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Michigan heads to the New World Bowl without its team captain 1,000-yard running back, team captain leading-tackler middle linebacker and a former five-star defensive lineman.

All are choosing not to participate, although one — junior linebacker Devin Bush Jr. — legitimately mentions a hip injury incurred in the Ohio State game impacting his decision.

There’s obviously a perception danger regarding the NWB (also known as the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl). A Michigan fan might (not unreasonably) think, well, if some of the team’s best players don’t care much about the Wolverines’ final game this season, why should I?

Here’s why.

They’re going to play football in The Big House in 2019, regardless of who deigns to perform. Michigan should be strong, too, a top-10 team coming in with a returning quarterback and a skilled and seasoned group of wide receivers, a veteran offensive line, plenty of talent on defense and strong special teams.

That season starts Saturday, for all practical purposes. There is no lack of Wolverines excited to show what that might look like.

Start with junior quarterback Shea Patterson. He doubled down, in no uncertain terms, regarding the continued effort to climb to the top of the Big Ten and beyond. That includes taking down Ohio State, which humiliated the Wolverines in the final regular-season game.

In his announcement regarding coming back to Michigan in 2019, Patterson said this: “I’ve been thinking about it for the past month, ever since after that game. I just thought to myself there’s no way in hell I’m leaving this place on that note. Regardless of a draft grade, whatever the case may be, I would never end my career with an opportunity to come back with a loss to that team. That’s the one thing that has ignited me. I think one of the biggest things that impacted me coming back — one of them — was that last game in Columbus.

“I just felt we worked so hard and had such a good season leading up to that game. I was more upset that I couldn’t do enough to get us a win. I love the guys so much and let down the Michigan fan base, and I just felt like we all did that that day. That just brought a lot of emotions. Anger. I think anger was the biggest one. I hated to lose and even more, I hated to lose to them, especially with what we had in front of us.”

He can unleash a whole lot of anger on Florida’s Gators, channeled into pinpoint passing to the likes of second-year wideouts Donovan Peoples-Jones, Nico Collins and Tarik Black. And he should be given every opportunity to do so.

Think Michigan-Florida, the last time the Wolverines took down Urban Meyer. There’s a nice blueprint to get the most juice out of these peaches, and maybe out of 2019.

Lloyd Carr’s last team out-gunned the Gators 41-35, with Chad Henne throwing for 373 yards and three touchdowns. Now, Carr enjoyed running the football as much as his former boss, Bo Schembechler, and every bit as much as Michigan’s present head coach.

But on that day, it was bombs away. It needed to be, and the Wolverines held nothing back. It should be that way again, which obviously doesn’t preclude a rushing attack (Mike Hart went for 129 yards and two touchdowns on the ground in that triumph).

Patterson and his wideouts can, and should, make a statement in Atlanta. But so should many more.

Sophomore linebacker Josh Ross posted 50 tackles (fourth on the team) as a backup linebacker this year. On Saturday, he could post his intentions to take over up the middle for the Wolverines in 2019.

A host of other defenders could make their own declarations. Junior linebacker/defensive end Josh Uche can blitz the notion that the Wolverines might lack a pass rush in ’19. Sophomore defensive end Kwity Paye can build on his already strong contributions, while rookie lineman Aidan Hutchinson can further demonstrate his potential impact.

Junior tailback Chris Evans gets a crack at another start, and showing he’s ready to step up against the Gators and when the gates open next fall. If he doesn’t, nobody’s waiting. Freshman Christian Turner made a push in bowl practices. Four-star recruit Zach Charbonnet can likely see the hole from California and intends to hit it hard as an early enrollee.

All over the field, there will be Wolverines with a point to prove. There’s an 11th win up for grabs and massive pain from the last time out to assuage.

It’s not going to heal itself. There’s no better salve in football than passing the pain on to someone else, and reason to watch closely what happens.

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