Michigan football stays at No. 4 in Week 4 AP Poll

Michigan football took care of business in a 59-0 win over UConn on Saturday in Ann Arbor to close out the non-conference slate. The games really matter with Big Ten play upcoming and the Wolverines will enter as the No. 4 team in the land in both the AP and Coaches Polls.

The top five goes unchanged this week with Georgia, Alabama, Ohio State, Michigan and Clemson rounding out the upper tier. The only change in the top ten was a swap of Kentucky and Oklahoma State at No. 8 and 9, respectively.

The Big Ten has three ranked teams ahead of the new week headlined by Ohio State (No. 3), Michigan (No. 4) and Penn State (No. 14). Michigan State fell out of the rankings after its loss at Washington, who now ranks 18th in the land.

Next up for Michigan is the Big Ten opener over Maryland, set for noon from Ann Arbor on Saturday. The game will be televised nationally via FOX.

How Michigan stacks up against full Week 4 AP Poll

1. Georgia Bulldogs
2. Alabama Crimson Tide
3. Ohio State Buckeyes
4. Michigan Wolverines
5. Clemson Tigers
6. Oklahoma Sooners
7. USC Trojans
8. Kentucky Wildcats
9. Oklahoma State Cowboys
10. Arkansas Razorbacks
11. Tennessee Volunteers
12. NC State Wolfpack
13. Utah Utes
14. Penn State Nittany Lions
15. Oregon Ducks
16. Ole Miss Rebels
17. Baylor Bears
18. Washington Huskies
19. BYU Cougars
20. Florida Gators
21. Wake Forest Demon Deacons
22. Texas Longhorns
23. Texas A&M Aggies
24. Pitt Panthers
25. Miami Hurricanes

What they’re saying about Michigan’s victory

Heather Dinich, ESPN.com

College Football Playoff questions for five teams after three weeks

Now Michigan needs to prove itself against better, ranked competition.

By the end of October, Michigan will have faced Iowa, Penn State and Michigan State, revealing how seriously to take the Wolverines in the Big Ten and the national picture. The Oct. 1 crossover game at Iowa could be tricky. The Wolverines have lost four in a row at Iowa — all by eight points or fewer (one possession). They haven’t won in Iowa City since 2005.

The trip to Iowa will be Michigan’s first true test of the season, but September has been an opportunity to identify J.J. McCarthy as the starting quarterback and build confidence on a defense that replaced NFL-bound stars Aidan Hutchinson and David Ojabo. So far, Michigan hasn’t allowed any first-half points. Michigan’s defense has held its opponents to 17 points through the first three weeks — the fewest total points allowed in that span since the 2003 season.

It’s highly unlikely Michigan is going to continue to win by 40 points per game, but if it can continue to win the turnover battle, make game-changing plays on special teams and highlight the balanced offense through the conference schedule, it will have a legitimate chance to return to the CFP. The Wolverines are probably going to have to win the Big Ten, though, because anything less will bring this September schedule under the microscope in the selection committee meeting room.

That’s when a 40-point margin of victory against Colorado State, Hawai’i and UConn won’t equate to the top four.

Nicole Auerbach, The Athletic

Michigan stays at No. 4 in Auerbach’s Top 10

Mercifully, Michigan has finished off its cream-puff nonconference slate, blanking UConn 59-0 on Saturday afternoon. The Wolverines put up at least 51 points in each of their games against Colorado State, Hawaii and UConn, and they only allowed 17 points over the three games combined. While a lot of college football fans may roll their eyes at what Michigan has done so far this season because of the level of competition, I’ll let myself get a little excited. The Wolverines have taken care of business early and easily, exactly the way you’d want to see them do it against inferior opponents. They have looked strong defensively, and special teams have also provided material for the highlight reel, including AJ Henning’s punt return touchdown Saturday.

The last two weeks have provided an opportunity for J.J. McCarthy to get comfortable as Michigan’s starting quarterback and begin pushing the envelope of what’s possible for the offense. The ceiling is high with McCarthy because of the threat he provides on the ground and the laser he has for an arm. He’s just starting to scratch the surface, and we’ll get a better sense of where he and the Wolverines are next week against Maryland.

Bob Wojnowski, The Detroit News

Wojo: Appetizers done after 59-0 rout, Wolverines ready to feast for real

On the Fox halftime show Saturday, former Ohio State coach Urban Meyer was asked to name a surprise team in the country. He picked the Wolverines, noting they lost seven defensive starters off their Big Ten championship team, as well as both coordinators.

His response sort of sounded like the “rat poison” that Nick Saban famously derides, nuggets of praise that can weaken you.

“We all expected a little bit of a drop-off (in UM),” Meyer said. “But you watch that film, and I hate to say this, they’re fast-fast on offense. Their skill is outstanding, well coached. I thought throughout the season they’d get better … I watched that film and I said uh-oh, they got it going again.”

Uh-oh so far. And yes, some things are obvious regardless of the competition. McCarthy’s arm strength, mobility and poise are clear, although he won’t get away with dangerous shots into double coverage against Ohio State, Michigan State and Penn State. The Wolverines play only one of those three on the road, so the path is there to defend their title.

Michigan won’t drop half a hundred on many Big Ten foes, no matter how down the conference appears. And no, they might not be the fourth-best team in country, no matter what the rankings say. All you can draw out of their nonconference massacres is they have talent, hunger, speed and depth. Perhaps most important, they have a quarterback with growing confidence and a coach who likes everything he sees.