Wolverines are re-focused on FSU

Loss of title chance still tough to handle

FORT LAUDERDALE —The toughest part for the Michigan football players is watching the video.

At times, they have been enjoying their trip to South Florida for the Orange Bowl but are quickly reminded of what could have been, after a highlight of their loss to Ohio State appears on television.

The defeat cost them a chance of playing for the national championship.

“That’s a bummer to sit there and watch film,” Wolverines quarterback Wilton Speight said. “It’s tough, yeah. I watched that Ohio State game a couple times that week, and then about two weeks ago I watched it again just in terms of finding little things that you maybe didn’t see before going through the film, just fine-tuning. But yeah, it’s a little pit in your stomach when you watch it.”

The Wolverines will have to settle for the opportunity to finish their season on a high Friday against Florida State at Hard Rock Stadium. Michigan would have qualified for the four-team playoff had they defeated the Buckeyes in their regular-sea-

son finale.

Still, they plan to take the bowl game serious.

“I mean, no, we just kind of take every game the same,” tight end Khalid Hill said. “We want to win. Coach Harbaugh has said we’re in it for the win. We’re going to work as hard as we can to make sure we get that win. We don’t look at any team different or any game different. We might look at this as a bowl game, but we take it just as a regular game in the regular season.”

The Wolverines thought they had a chance of making the playoffs because of their resume. They lost just two games and defeated the Penn State, the Big Ten champions, by 39 points earlier in the season.

With Alabama the only lock for the playoffs, the selection committee chose Ohio State, Washington and Clemson. An upset loss to Iowa in November was too much to overcome.

“I just think it’s a very important game because it’s the next game,” Speight said. “It’s been our mindset all year. Every week is a championship week, and this isn’t the playoffs, but it’s one of the closest bowls to it. That’s our mindset, and that’s why it’s vital for us to get this win.”

The biggest motivation is sending the seniors out with a victory. The Wolverines are also treating this as opportunity to begin building toward next season.

So there is no reason to expect a letdown due to the circumstances.

“It’s kind of scary to think about,” running back De’Veon Smith said. “Not scary, but it’s kind of bittersweet in a way because you don’t know what’s going to happen next. You’ll never play with the same guys ever again. You basically grew up with them. They’re basically your best friends for life. It’s really going to be an emotional day. I don’t know how I’m going to take it. You know, I’m just going to enjoy it while it’s here and enjoy each other’s company.