ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- Michigan is off to the Citrus Bowl.

The Wolverines, 8-3 after a 26-20 loss to Ohio State on Saturday, will meet a Southeastern Conference team in the New Year's Day game in Orlando, Fla.

Michigan (No. 16 ESPN/USA Today, No. 17 AP) had a chance to qualify for a Bowl Championship Series game as co-Big Ten champions with Illinois, but the loss to the Buckeyes knocked the Wolverines into a lower-tiered bowl.

"We are looking forward to a return trip to the Florida Citrus Bowl as the Big Ten representative," Michigan athletic director Bill Martin said Monday in a news release. "This should be an outstanding game against a great SEC opponent."

Last season, Michigan beat Auburn 31-28 in the Citrus. It also played in the Citrus Bowl in 1999 and beat Arkansas 45-31.

Michigan will be going for its fifth consecutive New Year's Day bowl victory and will be playing on Jan. 1 for the sixth straight year.