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Despite Win, Michigan Shows It's Far from Lock to Reach Playoff

For three quarters, the Michigan Wolverines had considerable control of Saturday's tilt against the Michigan State Spartans.

But football is a 60-minute game.

Although Jim Harbaugh's team still recorded an important 32-23 victory, the ordinarily rock-solid bunch showed a few mildly concerning cracks during the final frame. Michigan remains a College Football Playoff favorite, but it's not a lock.

Overall, the Wolverines put together a respectable outing. They built a 30-10 advantage early in the fourth quarter, averaged 6.5 yards per play and kept Michigan State off the scoreboard on three of its six red-zone possessions.