There are plenty of preseason rankings, but ESPN's SP+ is one of the most trustworthy, and Michigan fooball is looking strong in the post-spring update of the rankings.
Bill Connelly is the college fooball guru that puts together these rankings for ESPN which take into account players who are returning, as well as recent recruiting rankings, and also recent history.
The Wolverines have a strong recent history, winning at least 12 games from 2021-2023. Michigan football took a step back in 2024, mostly due to a weak quarterback position.
Michigan still won eight games and beat two top-10 teams. On the strength of a defense that's expected to be one of the best in college football, as well as five-star quarterback Bryce Underwood, expectations are high.
There is at least hope that Michigan can make the College Football Playoff once again. ESPN's SP+ certainy gives Michigan a good chance of doing that as the Wolverines are ranked 10th overall in the post-spring update.
Ohio State, the defending national champions are No. 1, followed by Alabama, Penn State, Georgia, Texas, Notre Dame, and Oregon. Clemon and LSU are also in the top 10 just ahead of the Wolverines.
Michigan's offense is projected to take a step forward and is rated 32nd, which would be a major improvement from last season. SP+ projects the defense to rank third. That might be underselling it a little bit, but with two first-round picks out the door on the defensive line, it's understandable.
The rankings also reinforce the favorability of Michigan's schedule. Ohio State is the only team rated higher than the Wolverines on the schedule. The only other top-30 opponent is Oklahoma. USC, Nebraska, and Wisconsin are all ranked outside the top 30.