Colin Cowherd labels Michigan as the most overrated team in the AP Top-25
Michigan, the defending national champions, opened at No. 9 in the 2024 Preseason AP Top-25. However, that was at least 10 spots too high for them for Colin Cowherd.
Cowherd gave underrated and overrated picks from the debut of the AP Poll with Greg McElroy this week on ‘Always College Football’. His overrated selection was the Wolverines coming off their national title.
“I think Michigan is the most overrated in the Top-25,” said Cowherd.
McElroy agreed with Cowherd in that. He thought the Wolverines’ ranking was correct and thinks they could finish the season unranked based on takes from earlier this week.
Michigan losing 15 starters and 42 lettermen, specifically impactful ones too, is why Cowherd thinks the Top-10 is too high for them. He thinks they will naturally struggle with overcoming those significant losses over the course of this season.
“They lost not only depth. They lost, like, leaders. They lost, like, locker room leaders, you know – fifth-year seniors. They also lost the best quarterback that Harbaugh has had,” said Cowherd. “It’s very difficult to lose not only quality starters but veteran quality starters, like, who were clubhouse leaders.”
Coming off their undefeated championship season in 2023, Michigan saw 13 players go in the 2024 NFL Draft, including a program-record of seven in rounds one through three. That list featured QB JJ McCarthy along with DL Kris Jenkins, DB Mike Sainristil, LB Junior Colson, RB Blake Corum, WR Roman Wilson, and OL Zak Zinter in the Top-100. That doesn’t even include those who signed as free agents or just graduated.
The Wolverines also had 22 players leave Ann Arbor by entering their names into the transfer portal.
That’s just looking at the roster. Michigan also had to rework and reshuffle the staff after losing Jim Harbaugh and hiring Sherrone Moore.
The maize & blue still maintained one of the better teams, and, in turn, better programs, in all of college football. It’s just not going to be worthy of a ranking, especially in the Top-10, this season in Cowherd’s opinion.
“I think Michigan will not be a Top-20 team – overrated,” said Cowherd. “A lot overrated? Michigan.”
McElroy: Michigan is ranked appropriately at No. 9
The Preseason AP Top-25 is out and it has the Michigan Wolverines ranked at No. 9 to start the season. That’s the lowest start for a defending national champion since the Auburn Tigers in 2011.
It’s a ranking that many in Ann Arbor might want to argue. However, as Greg McElroy explained on ‘Always College Football’, the Wolverines look to be where they should be entering the year.
“One team that is ranked correctly but people are going to be mad about is Michigan,” McElroy said. “Now, a lot of people are really up in arms. Well, Michigan has owned the Big Ten for the last three years. Michigan has this and Michigan has that. Their defense, their defense, their defense, their defense, their defensive line, their corner. I get all of that. They have good weapons. They have quality pieces along the defensive line. I think they’re really good at all three levels defensively.”
“But, as of this moment, today…Michigan has major question marks at the biggest position, which is why I think they need to be in the Top-12, not the top-four. So, we’ll evaluate them but right now they’re appropriately ranked even though I think a lot of Michigan fans are a little frustrated with how they’re being evaluated heading into the season.”