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Playoff Pulse: Michigan, Florida moving into playoff race

The rebuilding projects at Michigan and Florida have been kicked into overdrive, with new coaches turning the Wolverines and Gators into unexpected College Football Playoff contenders.

The 18th-ranked Wolverines pitched a third straight shutout, hammering previously unbeaten and No. 13 Northwestern 38-0 Saturday to set up a huge Big Ten rivalry game next week in Ann Arbor against No. 4 Michigan State.

The Spartans have owned Michigan in recent years, winning six of seven meetings. But this is Jim Harbaugh's Michigan and this looks like a very different bunch of Wolverines. Meanwhile, the Spartans (6-0) are unbeaten but laboring.