Michigan Football: 5 reasons to buy Wolverines as top-5 team in 2019

Fans might get sick of the hype but after Michigan football ranked fifth in the ESPN’s preseason football power index, here are five reasons to buy the Wolverines being a top-5 team next season.

When it comes to Michigan football, there has been a ton of hype over the past few seasons and also a lot of let downs as far as fans are concerned.

So when ESPN released its preseason rankings for the 2019 college football power index, which put Michigan football firmly among the top five, trailing only Clemson, Alabama, LSU and Georgia, it might have caused some eyes to roll.

I mean how many times have we, as Michigan fans, heard that the Wolverines were going to be back and were going to finish in the top five. Since the end of Jim Harbaugh‘s first season in Ann Arbor, the expectations have gone up and up and up.

However, the Wolverines still haven’t met them. Last season, Michigan looked on its way after a 10-game winning streak and three straight wins over ranked teams. But losses to Ohio State and Florida to end the season were a crushing blow, leaving UM still without a conference championship since 2004. A top-5 finish has been even longer ago, all the way back when Tom Brady was the starting quarterback.

Seriously, it’s been that long. Brady led the Wolverines to a 10-2 campaign in 1999, which was capped with an Orange Bowl victory and a No. 5 ranking in the AP poll. While Bo Schembechler had 16 top-10 seasons, Lloyd Carr also had five.

Harbaugh’s team have had chances, especially in 2016 and 2018, but the Wolverines couldn’t get it done. Yet, here are five reasons they can in 2019.