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Michigan ranked just right in the AP Poll, Penn State is overrated

Michigan football is ranked 14th in the new rankings, which is right about where the Wolverines should be heading into the 2025 season.
ByChris Peterson|
Michigan head coach Sherrone Moore watches a play behind quarterback Bryce Underwood (19) during the second half of the spring game at Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor on Saturday, April 19, 2025.
Michigan head coach Sherrone Moore watches a play behind quarterback Bryce Underwood (19) during the second half of the spring game at Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor on Saturday, April 19, 2025. | Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The 2025 college football season is close. The latest sign was the release of the AP's preseason poll, which features the same No. 1 as the Coaches Poll: Texas. Michigan football checked in at 14.

There was a slight shakeup after that. Ohio State was ranked second by the coaches. However, Penn State got the nod this time. The Nittany Lions were also recognized as the conference favorite by the Big Ten Media in the Cleveland.com poll.

After Texas, Penn State, and Ohio State, Clemson is ranked fourth, followed by Georgia and Notre Dame at No. 6. Oregon is ranked seventh, with former Michigan recruit Dante Moore expected to be their starting quarterback, followed by Alabama, LSU, and Miami.

The Wolverines are ranked 14th. That's the same spot they started in back in 1997 when they went undefeated and shared the national championship with Nebraska.

The defense should be one of the best in college football. It's crazy to say that after losing a ton of early-round picks but just about everyone on the field against Alabama is back, plus the Wolverines have added two defensive line transfers, a starter in the secondary, and they have other players who have grown into larger roles.

Continuity matters in all sports. Michigan has that. The offensive line will be better -- it can't be worse, and the same can be said about the quarterback situation.

Michigan football beat the 2024 national champion, on the road, with 65 passing yards and two interceptions. The offense couldn't have been more anemic, outside of Kalel Mullings, and Michigan still found a way.

With Bryce Underwood, if he comes anywhere close to living up to the hype, the ceiling is the playoff. It's actually even higher but there are stll question marks so it makes sense.

It's also notable that Oklahoma is ranked 18th. The Sooners weren't in the Top 25 in the Coaches poll. That sets up a top-20 matchup in Week 2.

As far as the rankings, they are mostly justified. Yet, as much as I hate to say it, Penn State doesn't deserve to be ranked No. 2. That should be Ohio State, at least until the Nittany Lions prove they can beat them, as Michigan has done the past four years.

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