Michigan Football: Where the Wolverines rank in each top 25 poll
SportingNews and Sports Illustrated
SportingNews
We are starting to develop a pattern here at least for Michigan. For SportingNews, the runner-up takes home the preseason No. 1 for the 2019 season. Alabama is the top dog followed by Clemson, Georgia, Oklahoma, and Ohio State.
For Michigan, they stay at No. 9 and here’s what SportingNews had to say.
"The Wolverines have the eighth-best record among Power 5 teams since Jim Harbaugh arrived at Ann Arbor in 2015, but the only record that gets air time is 0-4. Harbaugh still hasn’t beat Ohio State, and the schedule features the same potholes with an early matchup against Army and road trips to Wisconsin and Penn State. The hire of offensive coordinator Josh Gattis and the promise of #SpeedInSpace on offense will build some enthusiasm around quarterback Shea Patterson and a talented group of receivers that includes Donovan Peoples-Jones, Nico Collins and Tarik Black. The Wolverines still need to find a running back, and defensive coordinator Don Brown has several pieces to replace on defense."
Sports Illustrated
Sports Illustrated played it safe like most. Clemson, Alabama, Georgia, Ohio State, and Notre Dame round out the top five, proceeded by Notre Dame and Oklahoma. At No. 7, Michigan football is one spot above the team who beat them in the bowl game.
Sports Illustrated mentioned the new offense as a plus and the running back situation as a work in progress.
"It still remains to be seen whether Jim Harbaugh can fully pass off control of the offense to one of his assistants, but the hiring of offensive coordinator Josh Gattis and the emphasis on speed-in-space sounds like a step in the right direction. Among the issues the Wolverines have going into fall practice is settling the running back rotation; there are plenty of returning starters elsewhere on offense, which should set a high ceiling for quarterback Shea Patterson. Christian Turner, Tru Wilson and Zach Charbonnet will be sharing carries if projected starter Chris Evans doesn’t return from his academics-related spring suspension."