UM #8 in preseason AP poll
August 15th, 2022 at 2:39 PM ^
The Illuminati, obviously.
August 15th, 2022 at 3:03 PM ^
Yeah, the polls have their problems, but they're not a pro-ESPN conspiracy. Most of the voters are local beat reporters. Here's the breakdown of the voters and how they ranked the teams.
Some Syracuse journalist had us at 18, three people had us as high as 4. One of the Ohio State guys had Penn State ahead of us. The Texas guy didn't rank Texas at all lol.
August 15th, 2022 at 1:13 PM ^
New coach, new QB, new starting RB. I'm not a ND believer
August 15th, 2022 at 1:42 PM ^
I have heard that HC swag/enthusiasm is good for 10 wins by itself. 11, if you tweet pics of yourself chewing on a cigar.
August 15th, 2022 at 2:21 PM ^
The QB has a way higher ceiling than Jack Coan. No guarantees he hits it but word from camp is he's playing really well. And it's not like Coan was much of a difference maker. Likely to be an upgrade.
I think the staff is still a question mark, but they're likely to carry a lot of Wile E Coyote momentum even if the staff aren't great.
August 15th, 2022 at 2:31 PM ^
Well Harbaugh had wanted to land Coan badly.
August 15th, 2022 at 2:11 PM ^
They are ranked #5 in the Football Power Index which is a bias free statistical ranking. So...there's that.
August 15th, 2022 at 12:25 PM ^
I don't get all of the hype for OSU. Sure they will be good but I don't think they are the 72 Dolphins or anything. There is a lot of faith in Knowles to turn things around and Marvin Harrison and Julian Fleming to be Garrett Wilson and Chris Olave 2.0. Neither Harrison or Fleming or Egbuka did much last year until they faced a Utah team playing a backup RB at corner.
August 15th, 2022 at 12:38 PM ^
Yes, it really is amazing Harrison, Fleming & Egbuka didn't put up more numbers last season since..
Wilson: 70/1058/12
Olave: 65/936/13
Smith-Njigba: 95/1606/9
...do I need to finish this sentence?
August 15th, 2022 at 12:45 PM ^
You are basically proving my point that OSU lost a lot at WR between Olave and Wilson. Smith Njigba will be a handful this year but I don't think it is wrong to question whether Harrison, Fleming or Egbuka can put up 1000 yards this year when they haven't shown it one way or another.
August 15th, 2022 at 12:54 PM ^
OSU's passing game is a system without many answers, I've only seen about 42 - 27 of them.
As long as you can keep plugging talent into the system, the numbers and results won't change drastically. When the season is complete Smith-Njigba, Harrison, Fleming, and Egbuka will put up numbers within 10-15% of what Wilson, Olave, and Smith Njigba put up last season. Will that 10-15% difference cause two losses like they had last year? Will most of the production come against lesser teams? Probably, because the new guys will need to get acclimated in the first 3-4 games of the season, but the passing attack is not going to take huge steps backward.
August 15th, 2022 at 3:27 PM ^
Their passing game may even be just as effective as last year if their running game takes a step forward, which it very well might. Henderson is likely to improve and he was a freshman last year.
August 15th, 2022 at 3:29 PM ^
Olave was a difference maker that won't be easy to replace- he had a cloaking shield like Gallon's that allowed him to get hand wavingly wide open most plays- I believe he was also #1 or #2 for best hands rating by PFF
August 15th, 2022 at 12:39 PM ^
Yea I think OSU takes a step back this year.
I think its just the safe lazy pick since they only lose 1-2 games per year and recruit in the top 4 consistently.
August 15th, 2022 at 12:51 PM ^
I think OSU will be top 5 again but I don't think they are any better than us. Is Henderson better than Corum? Is their OL better than ours? Has their DL learned how to not give up 200 yards rushing?
August 15th, 2022 at 4:46 PM ^
I'm in agreement here - I don't think they "step back," I don't see them winning less than 10 before the bowls - but for them to make the playoff they need to step UP from last year. Their D was torched by 3 of the 4 ranked teams they played (credit is due for MSU), as well as Minnesota. They're OL wasn't better than M's last year, and their running game wasn't either as a result. Stroud and the receivers more than make up for it against most everyone. I think a preseason ranking is fine because ultimately, if you win the Big Ten you're going to the playoff so who really cares. But it's fair to say that they'll need to be better than last year to win the Big Ten.
August 15th, 2022 at 12:53 PM ^
Ohio State's 2021 team was its youngest in two decades, but you think they'll take a step back this year? Pretty sure you will be disappointed.
August 15th, 2022 at 1:11 PM ^
I hate to agree with a Buckeye, but here we are.
OSU will be very good. I don't think your defense will be up to OSU standards still. And I do think Michigan will have a better shot in the Shoe than they've had since.... 2006?
August 15th, 2022 at 3:31 PM ^
OSU's defense will be up to Day's standards- which is that it's an afterthought and he doesn't recruit as well as he does for offense and he hopes he can outscore people- works most time except when it doesn't
August 15th, 2022 at 4:02 PM ^
OSU will take a step back.
that phrase has been true maybe 1 to 2 times since 2000. Im not betting on it. They know how to put up 56 points against everyone but the top 3-4 teams in college. They play one of those teams 1 time a year on average.
August 15th, 2022 at 1:31 PM ^
Michigan has been waiting for OSU to take a step back since the 1950s. It hasn't happened.
I think they've only had two seasons in the last 20 years where they didn't end the season having won at least 10 games. They're not going anywhere, pal, as much as we all want them to.
August 15th, 2022 at 1:57 PM ^
OSU's offense is a machine with interchangeable cogs or has been, but it is fair to question if their defense can improve enough from the tire fire it was against better offense last year.
August 15th, 2022 at 12:42 PM ^
Marvin is special, unfortunately. Will be negligible drop off. OSU having elite receivers is just part of the game now.
August 15th, 2022 at 1:21 PM ^
If you don't get the hype for OSU by now, then I'm not sure you ever will.
I hate them with a fiery passion of 10,000 suns and I hope they implode into oblivion, but like Alabama they have earned (at least on offense) the benefit of the doubt as far as the ability to reload and not experience any noticeable drop-off. They have a complete plug-and-play offensive system where the next guy just comes in and produces. They recruit that well and their talent is just that far ahead of almost everyone they play. Now it may take Harrison, Fleming, and the other receivers a few games to get acclimated to being starters. They may not set the world on fire right out of the gate, but by the end of the year they almost certainly will be.
There is room to ask questions about whether or not Knowles will be able to turn that defense around within one year. That can certainly be debated. But if he can get them to even just be average, or not complete sieves in big games, that's really all OSU needs. They don't need an elite defense. They need one that's just good enough, because the offense is going to do the rest in just about every other game.
August 15th, 2022 at 2:13 PM ^
5 stars all over the roster, including a QB that was by far the most efficient in cfb last year. Best WR in the country. Did I mention all the five stars?
August 15th, 2022 at 2:14 PM ^
Are the 72 Dolphins even "the 72 Dolphins!"?
That is, despite the only perfect winning record—sorry, Lions—in the NFL, didn't they have one of the easiest schedules of any NFL champion?
August 16th, 2022 at 12:40 PM ^
I looked this up and crazily enough, they didn't play a single playoff team in their first 14 games. However, the playoffs back then were less than 1/3 of all teams. And they did then win 3 playoff games, with the latter two being (by regular season record) the 2nd best team in the AFC and the best team in the NFC. All those wins were by 1 score, as were 3 regular season wins. They came from behind in the 4th Q in the WC game and twice in the regular season. And this is the NFL - not CFB, the talent disparity isn't as high. So they were really good, no team has done it since and crazily, no team has done it before in the NFL (a fair amount of teams finished undefeated but with ties, and some in other leagues finished with perfect records).
August 15th, 2022 at 2:30 PM ^
Wouldn't the 72 Dolphins be the unanimous #1 and not #2?
August 15th, 2022 at 3:54 PM ^
I do, OSU with a functional defense is a title contender. There are only a couple teams, Alabama and Georgia, with more talent.
August 15th, 2022 at 12:25 PM ^
Just win. One week at a time and the ranking will follow as it did last year.
August 15th, 2022 at 12:26 PM ^
If you look at the point totals, spots 4,5,6,7, and 8 are all very close. Michigan at 8 is about the same amount of points away from being #3 as they are to being #9. I am pretty comfortable that Michigan belongs in the next group after Alabama, OSU, and Georgia.
August 15th, 2022 at 12:26 PM ^
How useless are preseason polls. Check out RJ Young's preseason poll. I don't know if he is part of the AP or not just a small sample of how ridiculous these preseason polls are....
August 15th, 2022 at 12:32 PM ^
There's a poll that's completely clickbait.
August 15th, 2022 at 12:34 PM ^
I want whatever drugs RJ Young is on!
August 15th, 2022 at 12:38 PM ^
Lazy troll job:
Staee, Minny, and YTM. SMDH
TAMU > UGA
ND at #6 with a new coach
SC at #12 coming off of a 4-8 season
No Michigan. Even buckeyes(tm) are saying WTF on that.
August 15th, 2022 at 1:02 PM ^
I mean, the AP has USC at #14 ... but I could do a more accurate poll by blindly throwing darts at a wall of teams. this RJ guy is out of his mind
August 15th, 2022 at 1:15 PM ^
If we assume (hope?) he confused MSU for us, he's not all that off from the AP poll. Minny, aside.
August 15th, 2022 at 1:11 PM ^
Look, I have no problem starting outside the top 25. If we take care of business, we'll be just fine (e.g. last year), and if we don't starting high won't make any difference. But are we sure he didn't just use MSU's logo by mistake? I can't fine an actual list, just the graphic...
August 15th, 2022 at 12:27 PM ^
Embedded for ease of access.
Also, here's 2021's just for reference how these preseason polls turn out. One notable Final Four team was barely even mentioned going into the season.
August 15th, 2022 at 12:40 PM ^
TAMU consistently being ranked in the top 10 in the preseason and yet never failing to lose 3-4 games a year cracks me up.
August 15th, 2022 at 1:00 PM ^
lol these pollsters want A&M to be good so damned bad ....
August 15th, 2022 at 1:10 PM ^
I remember laughing last year at how highly ranked North Carolina and Indiana were. Then, unsurprisingly, they were terrible. Lol.
August 15th, 2022 at 3:22 PM ^
Utah can make a case. Texas A&M is so overrated and will fall quickly.
August 15th, 2022 at 12:38 PM ^
#8 seems right to me for UM. Clemson and A&M ranked as highly as they are 100% feels like hype over substance, but so be it.
August 15th, 2022 at 12:44 PM ^
Once OSU crushes ND, UM will move up to 7.
August 15th, 2022 at 12:46 PM ^
Michigan is probably a top 6 team. Like many of you, I’d rather be underestimated than over hyped at the start of the year. The 2019 season comes to mind….very underwhelming start to that season after a lot of preseason chatter. This year’s team is much more proven…..absolutely loaded on offense and has many defensive guys who played a lot last year coming back, plus the special teams should be…well, special. I love this roster and schedule…other than going to Columbus. GO BLUE!
August 15th, 2022 at 12:47 PM ^
I’m ok with #8. Notre Dame feels overrated (as usual), but if they take care of business week 1, they belong.
August 15th, 2022 at 12:51 PM ^
GO BLUE!!!
August 15th, 2022 at 12:53 PM ^
Not that preaseason polls matter, but having Utah, Texas A&M, Clemson and ND all ahead of UM seems silly to me. Feels like alot of people nationally are underestimating just how good UM's offense is going to be, top 20 scoring offense already last year that brought back almost everyone and got better with the additions of Bell back and Oluwatimi. Loaded is not a word to throw around lightly but UM's offense is absolutely loaded this year, you got a potentially all Big Ten first or second team player at minimum at almost every position.
The thought that UM's defense will completely drop off a cliff is odd to me as well, I don't know if it will quite as good as last year but they will still be a solid unit at minimum and still have good talent overall. Solid defense is something we have been able to count on having ever since Harbaugh has been here, even in years with player losses or coaching changes. Paired with the amount of points the offense should score and solid will certainly do.
August 15th, 2022 at 1:04 PM ^
Pre season polls are about as useless as tits on a bull.