Michigan Football: Jake Rudock Could Play in Bowl Game

Michigan Quarterback Jake Rudock was knocked out of the Wolverines’ loss to Ohio State with a shoulder injury but could return for the team’s bowl game.

Injury was added to insult in the Michigan Wolverines’ loss to the Ohio State Buckeyes when a monster hit from defensive end Joey Bosa resulted in a shoulder injury to quarterback Jake Rudock.

That necessitated Wilton Speight finish the game but that doesn’t mean Speight will be called upon to finish the season.

According to a report from ESPN’s Dan Murphy, sources tell him that Rudock should be healthy enough to play in the team’s bowl game:

"Michigan quarterback Jake Rudock sprained the AC joint in his non-throwing shoulder but should be healthy enough to play in the Wolverines’ bowl game, according to a source with knowledge of the injury.Rudock left Saturday’s game against Ohio State in the fourth quarter after being driven to the turf by Buckeyes defensive end Joey Bosa. Coach Jim Harbaugh said Rudock injured the joint, which connects the collarbone and the shoulder blade, but he wasn’t sure how serious the injury was immediately after the game."

While a blowout loss to the rival Buckeyes isn’t the way the Wolverines wanted to end the regular season, the success of Jim Harbaugh’s first season in Ann Arbor has the team in position to play a New Year’s Day bowl game.

A later bowl date means more time for Rudock’s shoulder to heal, allowing enough time for a healthy Rudock to cap off his one year as a Michigan Wolverine on the field rather than on the sideline.

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The loss to the Buckeyes knocked Michigan out of contention for a spot in the Big Ten Championship Game (which wouldn’t have happened even with a win based on Michigan State’s win over Penn State), but likely took Michigan out of contention for one of the six major bowl games. Even still, most bowl projections have Michigan playing on January 1 in the Citrus Bowl against and SEC opponent.