Paul Finebaum believes Michigan should have been ranked lower in preseason AP Top 25 Poll

Despite losing several talented players and a large chunk of its coaching staff from last year’s national title team, Michigan is still ranked in the preseason top 10 ahead of the 2024 season.

The AP Preseason Top 25 Poll was released on Monday, with the Wolverines coming in at No. 9.

Head coach Jim Harbaugh is one of several staff members who departed after Michigan won the national title last year. Quarterback JJ McCarthy and running back Blake Corum are also off to the NFL.

Still, expectations are relatively high for the Wolverines. ESPN analyst Paul Finebaum joined SportsCenter on Monday and shared his thoughts on Michigan’s No. 9 ranking.

“To me, Michigan is a marginal playoff team. I think they’re living off the past here,” Finebaum said. “Jim Harbaugh is gone and he’s not coming back. … I think they should’ve been a little bit lower.”

Offensive coordinator Sherrone Moore replaced Jim Harbaugh as the head coach at Michigan following the 2023 season. Even though this is his first actual head coaching job, he does have some experience. Moore filled in for Harbaugh for multiple games when he was suspended last fall.

With Moore as the head coach, Donovan Edwards at running back and the Big Ten Preseason Defensive Player of the Year in Will Johnson leading the way on the other side of the ball, the Wolverines could still make plenty of noise this season.

However, Finebaum made it clear on Monday that he is not a believer.

Jim Harbaugh to serve as honorary captain for Michigan football season opener

Jim Harbaugh is no longer coaching at Michigan, but he will still be in attendance when the Wolverines open the 2024 season.

Michigan is planning to honor the former head coach during the upcoming football season, making him an honorary captain for the Aug. 31 opener. The Wolverines host Fresno State for a 7:30 p.m. EST kickoff to start the season.

This decision was revealed by athletic director Warde Manuel during a recent interview on a podcast. The Ann Arbor News first reported Manuel’s tidbit about Harbaugh.

Harbaugh was given a four-year show-cause and a one-year suspension by the NCAA recently for his lack of cooperation in an investigation into alleged violations during his tenure at Michigan. He has pushed back against the charges publicly, but the matter is mostly a moot point unless Harbaugh ever decides he wants to coach in college again.

There is still an ongoing investigation into Michigan and Connor Stalions’ impermissible scouting operation.

And while Harbaugh, as the head coach during that time, is certainly a major piece to the puzzle of what happened in running afoul of the NCAA, also led Michigan to heights on the field it hasn’t attained in decades.

Over his last three seasons in charge, Harbaugh led Michigan to a trio of Big Ten titles — with wins over arch-rival Ohio State all three years — and three trips to the College Football Playoff. The Wolverines finally won a semifinal, and the national championship in 2023, capping off a 15-0 season before Harbaugh left to become the head coach of the Los Angeles Chargers.