ESPN Way Too Early Rankings Are Out
1 Bama
2 Clemson
3 OSU
4 OU
5 UGA
6 Wisco
7 Miami
8 Washington
9 MSU
11 PSU
13 Michigan
18 Stanford
20 Notre Dame
25 South Carolina
MSU at 9 is a bit surprising but they only lose 3 key players apparently and return 10 on offense, 9 on defense and 2 STs.
http://www.espn.com/college-football/story/_/id/21902794/alabama-crimso…
January 9th, 2018 at 4:12 PM ^
They should wait until all the NFL decisions are done.
January 9th, 2018 at 4:16 PM ^
there will be another ranking when that happens. Accuracy is not the goal here. Content leading to clicks is the goal.
January 9th, 2018 at 4:37 PM ^
These are never accurate. All they ever do is a straight line interpolation of the current year into the next year as if nothing ever changes.
So fo 2017, they underrated teams like Georgia, Notre Dame, and MSU that had injuries / inexperience in 2016.
January 9th, 2018 at 5:21 PM ^
They do look also at players the team is losing to graduation, players coming back from injury and recruiting classes as well.
But mostly yeah, I agree. Still, what else would they have to go on at this point?
January 9th, 2018 at 5:54 PM ^
I'm guessing his point is, either put VERY little stock in them as the reader, or don't even run them (ha!) if you're ESPN.
January 9th, 2018 at 4:44 PM ^
I'm not concerned about their bottom line.
January 9th, 2018 at 5:25 PM ^
And more importantly those Insider subscriptions for recruiting
January 9th, 2018 at 4:27 PM ^
Hate to say it, but Michigan at #13 seems a bit bullish.
January 9th, 2018 at 4:55 PM ^
say it, don't.
January 9th, 2018 at 5:49 PM ^
PTSD
January 9th, 2018 at 4:13 PM ^
I think we will end up Top 10, but don't like starting there
January 9th, 2018 at 4:13 PM ^
how is michigan ranked in the top 15 after that shit show in the outback bowl?
January 9th, 2018 at 4:20 PM ^
Because Shea Patterson is likely getting a waiver, we should have a top 3 defense and Jim Harbaugh is still seen nationally as one of the best coaches in America.
January 9th, 2018 at 4:23 PM ^
...by a knockout ...
Glad everyone hasn't stopped analyzing rather than just being emotional
January 9th, 2018 at 4:28 PM ^
and at WR Black is back and the rest are all a year older with experience. The OL actually should take a step forward and even if Patterson doesn't play our QB play in general should improve next year.
We have a tough schedule but the team should improve across the board and no reason now to not win at least 10 regular season games.
January 9th, 2018 at 4:46 PM ^
The most important position is OT and Michigan doesn't have a single decent OT on the team.
January 9th, 2018 at 4:56 PM ^
really know that.
January 9th, 2018 at 5:19 PM ^
that aside from Cole, we didn't have a decent OT as of about a week ago (unless we had one that the coaches weren't willing to take a RS from).
So yeah, we don't know if we'll have one next season but that's only about 8 months away and we have a long way to go.
January 10th, 2018 at 9:45 AM ^
was for the entire offensive line. I expect the interior to be improved next year with the likes of Bredeson, Ruiz, Onwenu which is 3/5 of the line. Then when it comes to tackle we have bodies, just need to find the right ones. Cole was a warrior, but in reality not that great of a tackle as he should be playing inside. It's not out of the question someone can step in and play the same level he did last year, so at the least a wash there. RT everyone is a year older and hopefully bigger, stronger and improved technique, so very possible the play there could improve and in it's entirety a better OL.
January 9th, 2018 at 5:20 PM ^
The hype on Black is too high. Dude logged 149 yards and 1 touchdown over 3 games. Not he saying he can't be good, but we haven't seen it.
January 9th, 2018 at 5:43 PM ^
As I’ve stated before, we fall victim to the dreaded word “potential” nobody on offense outside of maybe Higdon, Evans has proven much as of sustained on the field production. We all think they’re good but they still have to prove it on the field. Until Patterson gets his waiver I don’t even think we should be discussed as a top 5 team.
January 9th, 2018 at 5:50 PM ^
We were the youngest team in the country and every team loses a quarter of their team every year. How else would you decide?
January 9th, 2018 at 7:24 PM ^
By proven on field production...I hate it but we only beat 1 winning team this year. That’s not enough to think that most of those same cast of characters(especially on offense) can jump up and be one of the top teams in the country. Is it possible sure, they all may grow at a rapid rate in the offseason. However there is also an equal chance that their progression is normal or slower than what we think. We lose the best player on a struggling unit(OL) and for right now bring back most of the coaching staff on that side of the ball. I think we will be better but I’m not sure it’s top 15 or 5th best odds at a NC in 2018.
January 9th, 2018 at 8:11 PM ^
Top 5? You have to either be a homer or an idiot to talk about us as a top 10 team next year.
January 9th, 2018 at 11:58 PM ^
is likely top 5. We have 5 opponents on that shortened list ... I'm certain no other big ten team has 5.
Oh and fuck those bb refs !
January 10th, 2018 at 9:47 AM ^
at WR those are very good numbers in just 3 games. He showed an ability to get open run routes and has good hands. That is 3 games of experience and another camp of working I have to believe he will improve more as all our WR's should. Not expecting all-american out of him but to be a damn good WR next year.
January 9th, 2018 at 4:31 PM ^
Does anyone know when his eligibility will be decided?
January 9th, 2018 at 4:40 PM ^
But with the NCAA...and Michigan in the picture...
January 9th, 2018 at 6:02 PM ^
Michigan conspiracy by the BIG to to conspire to hold back one of their biggest cash cows. Because we all know money is secondary to the conference and NCAA.
January 9th, 2018 at 4:45 PM ^
Yea, but like, aside from those things, why? What about how I feel about the ranking?
January 9th, 2018 at 5:07 PM ^
i don't disagree with your assessment but think they are ranked too high considering the offense is still an unknown and Shea Patterson hasn't been given the waiver yet though i think it should go through. top 25 i can see. top 15 seems to be a little on the high side
January 9th, 2018 at 5:34 PM ^
Trust me, based on how we ended the season on offense, I completely agree with you. If the offense isn’t fixed we aren’t a top 15 team. But looking at Jim Harbaugh’s history of success at every level, odds are he’s going to find a way to fix the offense - and if he does that, we’re a top 15 team.
January 9th, 2018 at 5:52 PM ^
AND you have back to back top 5 recruiting classes that are about to age a year from being sophomores and freshmen to juniors and sophomores. That does mean something, as much as Michigan fans don't want to admit it.
January 9th, 2018 at 6:17 PM ^
Exactly. People in this thread are suffering from recency bias. These are projections for next year. Everyone seemingly forgot this was a rebuilding year. I get having concerns for the offense, but if you don't expect major improvement from the worst passing offense since Bo's triple option 43 years ago, then you've essentially given up on Harbaugh.
January 9th, 2018 at 7:37 PM ^
Haven't given up on Harbaugh. I have given up on Drevno and Hamilton though. Until those guys are replaced, I'm not expecting a significant improvement in the offense.
January 9th, 2018 at 8:07 PM ^
who does harbaugh bring in for O Line? watching Georgia and Alabama block yesterday made me seriously jealous about the quality of their O Lines. Great Line play on both sides of the ball from both teams. Our Defense is top shelf and even losing Mo Hurst i saw flashes from Dwunfour, Marshall, Soloman and several others that make me think the D Line will be great.
January 9th, 2018 at 9:15 PM ^
Lol Patterson is overrated and Harbaugh is maybe the 4th best coach in the conference.
January 9th, 2018 at 4:27 PM ^
Thoughts of Shea Patterson at QB...A defense that should still be elite, and experience helping the younger talent that is back.
January 9th, 2018 at 5:03 PM ^
Always the next QB is the savior. How about if the QB whisperer par excellance does some whispering with QBs he has hand picked through the recruiting process?
January 9th, 2018 at 5:24 PM ^
He'll do Shea, Brandon, Dylan and the freshmen and play the best one that comes out the end of the pipe
January 9th, 2018 at 5:40 PM ^
What about O'Korn? Yes, he's gone, but what happened with the whispering? Apparently the book is closed on Gentry at QB, is it also closed for Peters?
January 9th, 2018 at 5:44 PM ^
No it isn't closed on Peters - geez!
January 9th, 2018 at 6:35 PM ^
O'korn was a flyer that he took when he got to Ann Arbor and realized the cupboard was pretty bare at QB. He made a monster out of an Iowa washout, turned Speight into something serviceable, and O'korn and Peters were forced into action due to injury when he obviously felt that weren't ready. Don't try to jump back on the bandwagon once it gets rolling again. You won't be missed.
January 9th, 2018 at 7:39 PM ^
When will they be ready though? 2 true freshmen played in the national championship game last night, both looked lightyears ahead of Peters despite him having an extra year of experience. In this day and age, you can't be considered a QB whisperer if you can't get your QBs ready to perform before they're upperclassmen.
January 9th, 2018 at 9:42 PM ^
Brandon Peters wasn't as regarded as either of those quarterbacks (there can be a vast difference between "good" and "elite"), nor was he playing behind either of those offensive lines, nor did he have the luxury of the running games those teams offer their QBs, nor did he have the complement of experienced receivers those QBs have.
When will he be ready? Who knows. He may be great, he may never be ready. I just know Harbaugh knew he wasn't ready the year, but didn't have a choice.
January 10th, 2018 at 11:32 AM ^
He made a monster out of an Iowa washout
No.
Rudock improved slightly, but he really wasn't significantly better than he was the previous year at Iowa.
Rudock last year at Iowa:
61.7% completions, 2436 yards, 16TD, 5 INT, 7.1 Y/A
133.5 QB rating
Rudock last year at Iowa adjusted for increase in pass attempts:
61.7% completions, 2748 yards, 18TD, 6 INT, 7.1 Y/A
133.2 QB rating
Rudock at Michigan:
64.0% completions, 3017 yards, 20TD, 9 INT, 7.8 Y/A
141.1 QB rating
January 9th, 2018 at 6:28 PM ^
Yes the hope is one of Patterson, Peters, McCaffrey pans out. Seems reasonable, no?
January 9th, 2018 at 4:35 PM ^
Because prior to the Outback Bowl pitting two unranked 8-4 teams against each other, if you asked what you would like most to happen with this game, I think most fans would say, #1- no career ending injuries for either graduating or returning players. Aside from the playoff bowls, all other bowl games have reverted to being what they were always intended to be: A chamber of commerce promotion to entice fans from cold weather states to come to a warm weather state and spend some money.
It is meaningless, aside from a month of practice, and gives no indication of what to expect next year.
January 9th, 2018 at 4:43 PM ^
LOL what a steaming pantload.
I've been watching Michigan play bowl games since 1/1/1965, and I can guarantee that no Michigan fan EVER says "Eh, it's just a meaningless exhibition" after a bowl victory.
That line is only trotted out after one of our 25 bowl game losses to make somebody feel better.
January 9th, 2018 at 6:00 PM ^
Yeah any time a team loses a bowl game it’s because they weren’t interested in playing a meaningless game. But any time they win it’s because they were secretly a great team all along and the next season they’re going to win it all.