Way Too Early Top 25's Are Out: Michigan 7th, 11th
(Posted mistakenly to Diaries, too.)
The Way Too Early Top 25 rankings are out, and seeing as how we have nothing else to talk about for the next nine months, here they are.
We're 7th in Sports Illustrated. LINK They have Army and Notre Dame in the top 25, along with Big Ten opponents OSU, Penn State, Wisconsin, Iowa and MSU. That's seven ranked opponents on our schedule.
We're also 7th in USA Today. LINK
ESPN has us 11th. LINK
247 also has us 11th, one spot behind Penn State. LINK
January 8th, 2019 at 8:47 AM ^
Meh.
These things are usually just lazy straight-line extrapolations of what happened the previous season.
January 8th, 2019 at 8:53 AM ^
The ESPN link has Jon Runyan as leaving. Smh...... ESPN.
January 8th, 2019 at 10:08 AM ^
The upside to Harbaugh listing guys by academic year not by eligibility is that you can always spot the pundits who don't know the team at all.
January 9th, 2019 at 12:43 AM ^
And who is returning and program history to some extent. It's feelings ball.
January 8th, 2019 at 8:49 AM ^
1st in - We shouldn't be ranked until we beat OSU.
January 8th, 2019 at 9:11 AM ^
Can’t say I follow the logic here...
January 8th, 2019 at 10:32 AM ^
Following his logic, a 6-7 Purdue team should be ranked ahead of us.
January 8th, 2019 at 10:49 AM ^
Yeah but I was downvoted so there’s obviously people that agree with his statement no matter how dumb it is.
January 8th, 2019 at 11:34 AM ^
If we have to explain it, you haven't been around here very long.
January 8th, 2019 at 1:03 PM ^
I’ve been around plenty. It’s just dumb dumb talk and doesn’t make any sense.
January 8th, 2019 at 8:51 AM ^
FUCK YEAH, WE'RE #7 IN JANUARY!!!!
That ranking, plus $5, will get you a venti latte with skim...
January 8th, 2019 at 10:33 AM ^
Where is Shea in the Heisman race?
January 8th, 2019 at 1:00 PM ^
Ummmm...somewhere behind Trevor Lawrence.
January 8th, 2019 at 8:52 AM ^
Don't rank us till we beat Ohio State.
/s kinda...
January 8th, 2019 at 8:53 AM ^
Remove the /s
January 8th, 2019 at 8:52 AM ^
I hate stuff like this. By the time they start that stupid daily countdown (in May) the fan base will have convinced themselves that this team is a national championship contender. When it doesn't happen again, the fan base will once again want to slit their throats with a butter knife just like always. Death, taxes, unrealistic expectations.
January 8th, 2019 at 8:56 AM ^
Does that have anything to do with rankings? Fans always think and want the best for their respective teams, whether they are ranked high or not. If we are ranked low, they say we are underrated.
January 8th, 2019 at 9:00 AM ^
Yes it does. They'll keep telling themselves something until they convince themselves that it's true.
January 8th, 2019 at 9:04 AM ^
Acceptance that we do not ACTUALLY operate like Alabama, Clemson, OSU is the only way to not be insane with the end results of our seasons.
January 8th, 2019 at 9:51 AM ^
Don't worry no one is going to confuse our offense with Bama or Clemson.
January 8th, 2019 at 11:14 AM ^
There is no way the fan base is going to think UM is a NC contender heading into next fall, the OSU game stings too much and most know that until they beat OSU, UM is not even winning the division, much less contend for the NC. The Fla loss also will make fans more cautious. These rankings with UM are just click bait.
January 8th, 2019 at 8:57 AM ^
Interesting take away from that is Army (who we play early) is ranked #20 and MSU is not ranked.
January 8th, 2019 at 9:07 AM ^
Can't wait to watch Jim try to run the ball more than Army.
January 8th, 2019 at 8:58 AM ^
LOL at 247 putting Penn State as a top 10 team next year. McSorely and Miles Sanders are gone. Tommy Stevens is going to lead you to the promised land? After being unable to beat our McSorely his whole career? Ok. They're 15-19 in most of the other polls, which feel about right.
I'd say us at 11 sounds about right too. Not quite top ten unless some things change on offense. The defense has some major questions marks and shoes to fill at DT, linebacker, and CB/Safety. Hope the young guys can step up.
January 8th, 2019 at 9:07 AM ^
When you throw in the replacement of 2 DEs, you basically have major questions everywhere on the defense.
January 8th, 2019 at 9:30 AM ^
True but we've seen flashes from Paye and Hutchinson to think we'll be ok at DE, whereas we have virtually no certainty at DT. Replacing Bush is a challenge but Hudson coming back was big there for the LBs and we have a ton of bodies to throw at the position group to find a winner. CBs will be ok with Thomas and Vert as the top 2, but the third spot is where the concern lies - again a ton of option there though. With safety, hopefully Dax lives up to the hype and slots in to a starting role to cement that one. It's not all doom and gloom but DT is very worrysome.
January 8th, 2019 at 10:13 AM ^
They return 10-13 guys who have played a lot depending on your definition of a lot. There are questions but this isn't quite the transition year on D it seems.
January 8th, 2019 at 8:59 AM ^
In the ESPN ranking we are playing the 25, 21, 17, 5, 4 teams! What a difficult schedule again.
January 8th, 2019 at 9:10 AM ^
It's our own fault we decided to schedule ND and Army.
January 8th, 2019 at 10:43 AM ^
What was Army when we scheduled them? Like 3 - 9 and getting their asses handed to them by Navy every year.
It's good for the strength of schedule now but make no mistake, when this game was scheduled, it was Cupcake U.
January 8th, 2019 at 9:13 AM ^
I wouldn't say any of the team on our schedule aren't winnable games except for OSU which I'll say forever until we beat them again.
The schedule isn't a cakewalk but we do get byes before going to UW and before playing MSU. PSU on the road but they'll take a step back again this year. Notre Dame will be very tough again but they're coming to A2 this time. The others are all games that are at least winnable. At the same time there's almost no room for error with tricky non-conference games to start the season, cross over with Iowa, and going on the road to Indiana before OSU.
We have some major questions marks still on D and offense will need some new tricks. That said, I'm not ready to hang a definite preseason L next to anything other than OSU right now.
January 8th, 2019 at 10:03 AM ^
Pretty sure ND has a byei the week before they come to AA.
January 8th, 2019 at 9:01 AM ^
When was the last time this team beat the pre season expectations?
When was the last time this team won a game where they weren't favored by a touchdown or more?
January 8th, 2019 at 9:25 AM ^
2015.
I don't know.
January 8th, 2019 at 9:47 AM ^
Just going off of memory I would have to say Notre Dame in 2006. I am not sure if we beat Florida by a full touchdown in 07.
January 8th, 2019 at 10:45 AM ^
2006 went 11-2 #5 ranking finish..after a 7-5 season.
2011 went 11-2 with a BCS win #7 finish ranking after a 7-5 season.
2015 went 10-3...finished #11 ranking after a 5-7 season.
January 8th, 2019 at 9:01 AM ^
This is pretty close to where we finish next season, if we maintain current results. Help us offensive explosions next season, you're our only hope!
January 8th, 2019 at 9:02 AM ^
Nothing else to talk about eh? How about that team that's #2 in the nation in BBall. They should be getting ALL of our attention while we put football on the shelf til about July
January 8th, 2019 at 9:07 AM ^
Sorry, I meant nothing to talk about related to the results of football games.
January 8th, 2019 at 9:09 AM ^
Doesn't matter until Pep is gone and Harbaugh changes the offense.
January 8th, 2019 at 9:28 AM ^
Nothing else to talk about? Besides our basketball team? Also, I’m wondering if Bama’s Hei2man/Maizen is criticizing Saban’s recruiting and coaching right now
January 8th, 2019 at 9:28 AM ^
This is autopilot and the perception of the program to the outside world. Until JH & Co change perception this is the default start and finish general ranking of the program.
January 8th, 2019 at 9:35 AM ^
The outside world is not wrong . . .
January 8th, 2019 at 10:38 AM ^
Damn it, how many freaking times are we going to have "one of the most difficult schedules in FBS"? Every damn year lately.
January 8th, 2019 at 10:41 AM ^
14th in the AP poll this morning.
January 8th, 2019 at 10:41 AM ^
Soooo a 7-6 MSU (20-18 last 3 seasons) team who is losing Felton Davis (60 percent of receiving) Layne and Willis (more depleted defensive backfield) LJ Scott (run game is terrible if you stop Lewerke) a starting o lineman, starting TE and had a ranked # 36 recruiting class is in the top 25? MSU is looking at losses to Wisconsin, OSU, Michigan minimum. 8-4
Penn state I can see being in the top 15 based on some of the game performances, but they lose quite a bit again and they have Franklin. 10-2.
osu is osu. 10-1 facing Michigan for division.
I would place Michigan around 15th to start the season based on the last two games and what they are losing. Need to adjust that offense that returns practically every starter. 9-2 facing OSU for division.
michigan wins finishing 10-2. Go blue.
January 8th, 2019 at 12:52 PM ^
People really trying to underplay that we're losing our best running back in a decade in an offense where we run the ball up the middle on 50% of the plays regardless of if it's the least bit effective.
January 8th, 2019 at 10:58 AM ^
While they feel a smidge high for us, the Army WTE unofficial ranking - great for them. Always heartening to see a service academy doing well.