The Surprising Truth Behind Michigan Football’s Coaches Poll Ranking That Everyone’s Missing

Here we go again—another college football season sneaking up fast, and with it, those tantalizing, much-debated preseason top 25 rankings. Michigan’s landed at No. 14 in the Coaches Poll, which might just be the Goldilocks spot: not too high, not too low, but juuuust right. After all, the Wolverines stumbled to an 8-5 record last year following their championship glory and the loss of nearly everything but their defensive pride. But with a sturdy defense back and the quarterback situation looking a bit sunnier, could this be the bounce-back year that Michigan faithful have been craving? Or is this ranking a polite nod to potential that’s still hanging in the balance? Either way, it’s shaping up to be a season where every snap counts, and where Sherrone Moore’s rebuild might just find its rhythm. Ready to dig into the full landscape of college football’s hobbled powerhouses and rising contenders? LEARN MORE.

The college football season is just a few weeks away, and preseason top 25 rankings are starting to trickle in. The Coaches Poll was released on Monday, and the Michigan football team came in at No. 14. The Wolverines, who are led by second-year head coach Sherrone Moore, went 8-5 last season after winning the national championship the year prior. With a lot of defensive talent returning and what should be better quarterback play, Michigan is expected to be better. Here is a look at the full Coaches Poll (first place votes):

1. Texas (28)
2. Ohio State (20)
3. Penn State (14)
4. Georgia (3)
5. Notre Dame
6. Clemson (2)
7. Oregon
8. Alabama
9. LSU
10. Miami FL
11. Arizona State
12. Illinois
13. South Carolina
14. Michigan
15. Ole Miss
16. SMU
17. Florida
18. Tennessee
19. Indiana
20. Kansas State
21. Iowa State
21. Texas A&M
23. BYU
24. Texas Tech
25. Boise State

To put things into perspective a bit, the Michigan football team started last season ranked #9 in the country. That was after winning the national championship, but the Wolverines lost just about everything. Their head coach, much of the coaching staff, and pretty much the entire offense. Last season was a rebuild year for Sherrone Moore.

Despite taking a big step back last year, the vibes are high surrounding the Michigan football team because of the final two games of the 2024 season. After starting the year 6-5, the Wolverines finished things out with wins over #2 Ohio State and #11 Alabama. Michigan also landed a commitment from the top player in the 2025 recruiting class, quarterback Bryce Underwood. All of that made Wolverines fans feel a lot better about that 6-5 start.

Now, the season is right around the corner, and preseason top 25 rankings are beginning to surface. The coaches poll was first, and the AP Poll will come out next week. Michigan is in the perfect spot in the Coaches Poll, and the team will likely be right around No. 14 in the AP Poll as well.

Michigan’s ranking is perfect

The Michigan football team finished the 2024 season unranked, but the Wolverines definitely deserve to be in the preseason top 25. They had one of the best defenses in the country last year, and with just okay QB play, they make probably end up winning 10 games and going to the College Football Playoff. The QB situation is going to be the major question this year, and it seems unlikely that it is on the same level as last season.

Michigan’s QB situation is a lot better this season, but the Wolverines still don’t deserve a top-10 ranking. After all, this wasn’t that good of a team last year. They had those two wins at the end of the year, and that covers up what was a very frustrating first 11 games for the Michigan fan base.

The Michigan offense was truly horrendous last season, and that is what needed to be fixed during the offseason. While all signs point to the unit being much better this season, we won’t truly know if the Wolverines have solved their problems until we see them play a few games. Michigan fans should be cautiously optimistic about this season, and this is a very cautiously optimistic ranking. If people didn’t expect the Wolverines to be a lot better, they wouldn’t be ranked. The expectation is for there to be significant improvement, but we just don’t know quite how much.

Michigan opponents in the Coaches Poll

Ohio State Buckeyes quarterback Will Howard (18) takes a snap against Michigan Wolverines during the third quarter during the NCAA football game — © Kyle Robertson/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

While we’re at it, let’s take a look at which Michigan football opponents landed in the preseason top 25 Coaches Poll. Of the 12 teams on the Wolverines’ schedule, there is only one that showed up, and it’s Ohio State. The Buckeyes are ranked #2.

It’s a bit surprising to see only one Michigan opponent in the rankings given that there are some very tricky matchups on this schedule. Games against Oklahoma, Nebraska and USC are all on the road, and those could very well end up being top 25 showdowns.

They might not have a lot of opponents ranked to begin the season, but the Michigan football team will be ranked. This is a huge season for Sherrone Moore and the Wolverines.

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