UM top 3 in several Way too early 2023 Football Rankings
As the title says, "Way too early" but still fun to look at. UM returns a loaded roster and should be the favorites for the Big Ten and a return to the CFP. When the actual pre-season rankings come out they should still be the highest ranked Big Ten Team and anywhere from 2-5. (Obviously these should be taken with a grain of salt)
College football rankings: Way-too-early top 25 for 2023 season (247sports.com)
January 9th, 2023 at 9:00 AM ^
I think that will depend on whether Harbaugh comes back. If yes, then top 3 is justified. If not, still top 10 but not top 3.
January 9th, 2023 at 9:17 AM ^
doubt it matters too much in the first year, unless we get a real dud.
January 9th, 2023 at 9:35 AM ^
How, as a Michigan fan, can you assume anything other than a turbulent nosedive of a coaching transition?
January 9th, 2023 at 11:02 AM ^
I believe Michigan's stocked roster and recent success position us well to attract an excellent coach. The fact that Brady Hoke went 11-2 in his first season at UM gives me hope that the 2023 season, at least, can be successful even if Harbaugh leaves.
January 9th, 2023 at 11:22 AM ^
+1 from me for answering a rhetorical question that was directed to a totally different person
January 9th, 2023 at 11:46 AM ^
How can a rhetorical question be directed at anyone? Was that rhetorical enough for you?
January 9th, 2023 at 1:21 PM ^
*almost*
January 9th, 2023 at 11:31 PM ^
Every new coach has lost to MSU the first season.
January 9th, 2023 at 11:23 AM ^
I love the optimism, but who the hell is going to catch the ball outside of Loveland and Edwards?
Bell is gone and Anthony transferred. The WR room is completely unproven.
2023 could be a repeat of 2022 where we just run forever until we can’t.
January 9th, 2023 at 11:39 AM ^
Loveland who dropped three balls against TCU?
How about CJ?
Transfer TE from Indiana?
Wilson?
Henning?
January 9th, 2023 at 11:46 AM ^
It was a bad game for Loveland, no doubt. The WR room will be OK despite losing Ronnie Bell. The transfer TE from Indiana could make some noise. I am a big Roman Wilson fan.
Let's factor in JJ being more experienced with more accurate throws, better reads and becoming the team leader that he already is.
January 9th, 2023 at 12:37 PM ^
And no doubt Loveland will be great.
All dropped a lot of balls when he was young.
I think we are in great shape at TE.
And will be fine overall catching balls.
January 9th, 2023 at 12:50 PM ^
IMO, the program has a higher bus factor than that. If JH were to leave, the team should be fine as long as most of the core staff remains in place, e.g., Moore, Hart, Clink/Minter, JayBaugh (c'mon Jay, time to step out on your own).
January 9th, 2023 at 9:04 AM ^
im still so angry about that L. about 80% on the L, and 20% on how it happened.
January 9th, 2023 at 9:11 AM ^
Good - Lets hope the team feels the same way and that motivates them.
January 9th, 2023 at 9:05 AM ^
We should be good but the road trip to Happy Valley is scary. PSU has a ton of talent coming back. I think we will be very good. We have never finished top 5 in the AP poll in 3 straight seasons in the history of the poll. This will be the first time we have been top 3 in back to back seasons since 1947-48. It is good to be a Michigan football fan right now.
January 9th, 2023 at 9:10 AM ^
maybe so (we have had some rough outings there lately) but still.....
January 9th, 2023 at 9:15 AM ^
It is good to be a Michigan football fan right now.
No, everything is shite, always has been. And next season will be worse.
-The Collective (NTC) Michigan Mind
January 9th, 2023 at 9:25 AM ^
Dunno.. Defense travels. I think our defense was a little overrated/untested. Not saying we weren't a top 10 type unit, but we need a little more star power next year and to be better on the DL. That will travel well against either a new QB or clifford, season 8, the ocho.
We also play @msu, which they'll be amped up as usual for... for the super duper super bowl of their season. Our OOC schedule is shite again.
There are some road traps on the schedule... if we let it fly and don't play down, we should be okay for most.
January 9th, 2023 at 10:29 AM ^
I can’t see PSU being elite with Allar at QB. I know he was a great recruit and all that but he is a statue. No one is winning big without some sort of QB run game these days. Even Stroud, ol captain Charmin, had to bring the run out of the garage against Georgia and OSU has more talent across the board than the Nits.
January 9th, 2023 at 10:35 AM ^
Allar was obviously a true freshman this year, but I wasn't overly impressed with anything I saw from him. PSU has relied on gritty, mobile gamers at QB since Franklin has been in Happy Valley and Allar is just not that
January 9th, 2023 at 10:58 AM ^
The reality is you can afford a loss as long as it doesn't come in the final game of the regular season
January 9th, 2023 at 9:09 AM ^
Just heard on WTKA that Schoonmaker is forgoing his COVID year of eligibility and will go for the NFL.
January 9th, 2023 at 9:16 AM ^
Good luck to the young man. And good luck to you as well, Don!
January 9th, 2023 at 9:24 AM ^
from 247:
Tennessee did take Clemson in the Orange Bowl with Joe Milton at quarterback. He'll be on the preseason Heisman shortlist next season given his talent level under center.
lol. am i having a stroke? does anyone else smell burning toast?
January 9th, 2023 at 9:26 AM ^
i mean. cmon. expect Tenn to take a huge step back next year
January 9th, 2023 at 9:36 AM ^
https://www.espn.com/college-football/player/_/id/4360698/joe-milton-iii
His stats this year are really good but he barely played. I assume almost entirely in garbage time before the Clemson game? Not much more than half the attempts he had in 2020. Ridiculous to put him on that list already.
January 9th, 2023 at 10:37 AM ^
Once SEC teams figure out the very easy recipe to make Milton suck, he will fall back to earth. Pressure and making him move past his first read are his downfall
January 9th, 2023 at 10:46 AM ^
Dude had a GREAT Orange Bowl! Was dropping dimes all over the field and making great decisions all night...
Howevs... We also had the Minnesota game, where he was dropping dimes all over the field and making great decisions everywhere. And then he lulled himself to sleep for the next three years. UTenn is about to experience a nap.
January 9th, 2023 at 11:25 AM ^
it was a classic milton performance, just absolute (as you say) dimes, followed by tacopants-es and wormburners. it was definitely easy to see why harbaugh was interested, but also why he eventually went with cade mcnamara.
it was also easy to see why he'll have a shot at the nfl. the arm is just too intriguing and inviting. every qb coach on god's green earth is going to think they can fix him.
January 9th, 2023 at 9:28 AM ^
It is weird being so highly ranked and above OSU at that!
As with the 2021 season, these rankings mean nothing and remains rat poison.
January 9th, 2023 at 9:30 AM ^
The real story here is that these people think that Michigan (2, 3, 3), ohio state (3, 4, 5), and Penn State (5, 7, 8) are all top ten teams.
The Big Ten East will be a meat grinder at the top.
January 9th, 2023 at 10:15 AM ^
it was this year. all ended in the top 10 .. but the only meat ground was lion and bucknut parts. Wolverines did all the grinding.
January 9th, 2023 at 12:39 PM ^
The Big Ten East really showed in the bowls that it was legit too which I'm sure will drive all three of us to be unanimously top 10 preseason. Michigan and OSU lost but both played highly competitive semi-final games and Penn State whalloped a good Utah team. Pretty obvious nationally that the Big Ten east is probably the most top heavy division in CFB this year with 3 legit top 10 teams
January 9th, 2023 at 9:32 AM ^
Beat ECU.
January 9th, 2023 at 9:38 AM ^
It’s nice to see some “even before the season is over” Top 25 lists for next year.
It is rinse and repeat as far as I am concerned.
QB is the most critical position in the college game. Georgia, Bama, and the Buckeyes will all introduce a new starting QB next season. It’s the recruiting rankings and beauty contest - which Michigan has forced its way in to with their on field play.
I look forward to seeing the Maize & Blue in both their Spring Game, and throughout next fall. Go Blue!
January 9th, 2023 at 10:03 AM ^
I refuse to buy into the Penn State hype train. James Franklin is a boob.
January 9th, 2023 at 11:49 AM ^
I mean, if Sean Clifford gets a 10th year of eligibility...
January 9th, 2023 at 12:41 PM ^
I think Franklin is a quality coach but there isn't much reason to think he'll get over the hump as the #3 program in the division
January 9th, 2023 at 10:33 AM ^
If Harbaugh comes back, I really don't see on paper how we shouldn't be #1:
- Only CFP team returning their starting QB
- Whole bunch of instant impact transfers at positions of need
- Corum probably coming back
- Besides OL, not losing many impact players
January 9th, 2023 at 11:23 AM ^
Besides offensive line...
That's a big "what if."
January 9th, 2023 at 12:20 PM ^
Is it though? With Henderson, Nugent, and Hinton coming in plus a nice group of guys already on the team. I don't see how we don't at least have a solid to good OL. Jones and Barnhart are both solid, Keegan could come back, and Persi and El Hadi have been solid when they've gotten snaps. Will the line be as good as it has been the past 2 years? Maybe not, but should still be a strength of the team
January 9th, 2023 at 11:53 AM ^
The Ronnie Bell departure is a big one. JJ clearly trusted and looked for him in key spots (too often in my opinion) and I don't think they have the next guy in the pipeline to make that step unless they're planning to feature Loveland similar to how Georgia does with Bowers.
January 9th, 2023 at 12:21 PM ^
I think Tyler Morris will surprise some people next year in that role
January 9th, 2023 at 12:41 PM ^
I think Roman Wilson is also coming back.
I think (hope) Amorion Walker may also be one to watch.
January 9th, 2023 at 11:49 AM ^
It is way too early based on Harbaugh's decision to stay or leave. With Jim, one never knows, but things should come to a head by the end of this week.
If Jim stays and Blake Corum comes back, Michigan is an easy Top 3. More likely #1 or #2.
January 9th, 2023 at 11:52 AM ^
Not that it's dispositive but if Corum does return then that probably also strongly points to Harbaugh planning on returning as well. Corum leaving would probably have less to do with Harbaugh than the realities of being a college RB but returning does seem like a "let's get the band back together for one more heist" type of feel.
January 9th, 2023 at 11:50 AM ^
It's sort of crazy that we can confidently state "Michigan should be the favorite to repeat as the Big 10 champion for the third year in a row". Imagine saying that in 2020.
January 9th, 2023 at 12:12 PM ^
Add to that the reality of the Michigan hierarchy not offering Jimmy a new contract 🤷♂️
January 9th, 2023 at 12:20 PM ^