Michigan Wolverines news: Week 0 guide, PFF power rankings, and more

It’s Week 0 of college football and here’s what Michigan football fans need to know plus more Michigan Wolverines news. 

Today is a great day as college football returns officially. It’s Week 0 of the 2023 season and while Michigan football fans will have to wait one more week to see the Michigan Wolverines in action for the first time, there are some good games to whet the appetite this weekend.

And a lot of them have ties to Michigan football. The first game of the day includes one of the Michigan Wolverines top rivals as Notre Dame will battle Navy in Dublin (2:30 PM EST, NBC).

The Irish have Sam Hartman and are hoping to make the College Football Playoff. Maybe Michigan football and Notre Dame will actually play if they do since U-M has made it two years in a row.

That game is worth watching and all of these college football games are, because, well, it’s college football.

But former Michigan football head coach Rich Rodriguez makes his return as a head coach for the first time since 2019 with Arizona as the Jacksonville State (from Alabama) Gamecocks make their FBS debut against UTEP.

That’s not the only former Michigan football head coach in action on Saturday. Brady Hoke spent four seasons leading the Michigan Wolverines. He’s now in his fourth season back at San Diego State and the Aztecs will square off against Ohio.

Don Brown, the former Michigan defensive coordinator is still the head coach at UMass and will coach the Minutemen against New Mexico State on ESPN later Saturday (7:00 PM EST).

PFF Power rankings have Michigan football No. 3

Pro Football Focus released its preseason top 25 rankings for the 2023 season and the Michigan Wolverines took the No. 3 spot. Here’s what PFF wrote about U-M:

"“Michigan has completed some of their biggest goals over the last two seasons. They’ve defeated Ohio State, won the Big Ten, and made it to the College Football Playoff. However, that’s where it’s stopped for the Wolverines. They haven’t been able to advance to the national title game, despite having golden opportunities to do so. Jim Harbaugh earned himself some favor with fans for Michigan’s recent success, but with talented quarterback JJ McCarthy leading the charge, the Wolverines want more in 2023.”"

Michigan football recruiting target to announce commitment

Four-star safety Zaquan Patterson will be announcing his commitment on Saturday and while the Michigan Wolverines are among the top contenders, it looks like Florida State will win out.

Patterson is ranked 77th overall according to the 247 Sports composite rankings. He’s also one of the top players in the state of Florida in the 2024 class.

Michigan hosted him for two visits in July, and there was some positive momentum, but the Noles are on fire recruiting and it looks like that will continue with Patterson.

It’s another in a string of misses for Michigan football. Hopefully, the Wolverines can hold the commitments of Jacob and Jerod Smith too, who have been projected to flip to Kentucky.