Preseason rankings don't mean much. They do make for offseason fodder, and on Monday, the Coaches Preseason Poll was released, with Michigan football checking in at No. 14.
Texas is No. 1, followed by Ohio State, Penn State, Georgia, and Notre Dame. Five of the top six teams, Clemson included, received first-place votes, but no team got more than 28 (41 percent).
That shows that there isn't a true favorite this season in college football. It's wide open which is sort of the perfect scenario for the Wolverines.
Michigan being ranked 14th is just right. It's not too high, but it's not too low. The ranking does matter because it does lead to a positive perception among the committee, at least if you take care of business early.
Michigan has big upside in 2025 tied to Bryce Underwood
If the Wolverines can beat Nebraska and Oklahoma early in the season, it will be hard to knock them out of playoff contention, unless there are some unforeseen losses. Oklahoma is on the outside looking in, sitting at 26th, but there will be shakeups before the game in Norman.
The ranking also reveals that most coaches believe Michigan will be a playoff contender. U-M finished 8-5 last season. However, it won its last three games, including a win over Ohio State, which should give this program plenty of momentum going into 2025.
Carrying that over will depend on Underwood, although the defense will be elite. Maybe as good as any in college football. The ranking reflects the defense, the running game, and a freshman quarterback who is talented but unproven.
If Underwood is better than expected, this is easily a top-10 team. Yet, even if he's average, or doesn't meet expectations, he would still likely be better than the QB's last season.
So that's why Michigan is ranked where it is, but if Underwood is the real deal, the Wolverines will easily out-play that.