Michigan Football: Preseason AP poll was fair to Wolverines

The annual AP preseason poll was released Monday, and Michigan football was ranked No. 8. This is the highest preseason ranking since 2019, when the Wolverines started the year ranked seventh, their highest ranking of the season.

It’s pretty cut and dry who the top 4 teams are, as it seems like its some combination of each 4 every year, this time it goes as such.

To no ones surprise, the Alabama Crimson Tide will start the season #1 again, making it the 13th time in a row they started the season as a top 5 team.

It sounds like some people believe Michigan football was disrespected a little bit, by being placed behind teams like Notre Dame, Texas AM, and Utah (5-7). Michigan comes in right above big 12 leaders, Oklahoma and Baylor, followed by Oregon.

As of right now, Michigan is set to play only two ranked teams this year, Michigan State (#15) and of course, Ohio State (#2). Surprisingly not making the poll were Iowa and Penn State, both teams ranked in the top five at one point last season.

Other teams in the big 10 making the preseason poll are Ohio State, Michigan State, and Wisconsin, while Iowa, Penn State, Purdue, and Nebraska all received votes.

One reporter seemed to not place Michigan in his top 25, which seems a tad crazy. While it is clear the Wolverines have lost Aidan Hutchinson, David Ojabo, Daxton Hill, Hassan Haskins and others to the NFL, there will be no shortage of players to take their spots.

Michigan football will be better than people think

It is clear people around the organization expect this team to have no setbacks this upcoming season defensively, if anything, take a step forward. The players themselves seem to hold the defense to a standard, as junior defensive back R.J. Moten publicly stated his team will “be the best defense in the nation”.

I personally believe Michigan football’s ranking to be a fair one, as the Wolverines lost key pieces from last year, while having players stand up to take their places.

Every team loses key players almost every offseason, and most develop new guys to take their place, that’s just run of the mill football.