Where Michigan — 'Georgia's biggest threat' — ranks in USA Today's post-spring top 25
Michigan Wolverines football entered spring ball with a lot of optimism, and there’s no reason why that won’t continue heading into the summer. Head coach Jim Harbaugh said this team is the “best version” of Michigan he’s seen since being hired in December 2014.
The Maize and Blue were a consensus top-three team in every set of ‘way-too-early’ rankings released just after the 2022 college football season. Coming out of spring, USA Today‘s Paul Myerberg and Erick Smith have Michigan right there, at No. 2 behind top-ranked Georgia in their updated top 25.
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In order, Alabama, Penn State, Florida State, Ohio State, Notre Dame, Clemson, Texas and USC round out the top 10.
Michigan has a 25-3 record over the last two seasons, has won back-to-back Big Ten championships and been in the last two College Football Playoff fields. The Wolverines are built similarly to the last two years, fueled by a strong offensive line and great running backs.
“An offensive line set to rebuild around multiple Power Five transfers will lead the way for another intimidating running game,” Myerberg and Smith wrote. “[Senior] Blake Corum and [junior] Donovan Edwards give the Wolverines an explosive backfield also capable of taking over games with tough yards inside the box.”
Michigan ranks third in the country in returning production, according to ESPN.com’s metric, including eight incoming transfers, many of whom are set to make big impacts.
Georgia has won two-straight national championships and is looking to become the first team to three-peat since Minnesota in 1934-36. The Bulldogs blew out Michigan in the CFP semifinal at the end of the 2021 season, but the Wolverines were even better in 2022, have key pieces returning and loads of talent, leading some to believe they’ll challenge Georgia this fall.
“On paper, this is the strongest and deepest roster of the Jim Harbaugh era and a team worthy of being viewed as Georgia’s biggest threat,” the writers said. “it will also benefit from an easy non-conference schedule and manageable Big Ten slate outside of Penn State and Ohio State.”
Penn State and Ohio State are indeed Michigan’s two most challenging games this season, it appears. It takes on the Nittany Lions Nov. 11 in State College and the Buckeyes Nov. 25 at The Big House. Michigan has won two straight games against both teams. The Wolverines hadn’t beaten Ohio State in back-to-back seasons since 1999-2000 until the last two years. Both OSU and PSU are breaking in new starting quarterbacks this fall.
The Wolverines begin with non-conference games against East Carolina, UNLV and Bowling Green. They’ll likely be big-time favorites in all three contests. They don’t play either of USA Today‘s other two Big Ten teams that appear in the top 25 outside of Michigan, Penn State and Ohio State — Iowa (No. 14) and Wisconsin (No. 25), though those could be opponents in a potential Big Ten championship game matchup.
