Michigan ranked No. 14 in preseason Coaches Poll

Michigan will enter the 2025 college football season ranked No. 14 in the USA TODAY Coaches Poll, released Monday, marking a new era for the Wolverines as they look to bounce back from an 8-5 campaign in year two for head coach Sherrone Moore.

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Coaches Poll

The Wolverines return several key contributors on defense and are likely to start five-star freshman quarterback Bryce Underwood, who headlines a revamped offensive unit.

But unlike the last few years, Michigan enters the fall with uncertainty, not championship expectations. The No. 14 ranking reflects that sentiment, as voters wait to see if the late-season momentum in 2024, with victories over Ohio State and Alabama, translates to success in 2025.

One early measuring stick will come in Week 2 when Michigan travels to Norman to face Oklahoma. Despite being one of the more talked-about programs this offseason, the Sooners are absent from the preseason Top 25. Oklahoma just missed making the poll, with the most votes for a team not making the poll. A surprise given their returning production and projections from many analysts who view them as a potential playoff dark horse. That omission adds intrigue to the nonconference clash, which now becomes a chance for both programs to prove themselves on the national stage.

Five Big Ten teams earned spots in the preseason poll, led by No. 2 Ohio State and No. 3 Penn State, both of whom are expected to contend for the expanded 12-team playoff. The Buckeyes enter the season defending National Champions with a lot of roster turnover. At the same time, the Nittany Lions aim to build on a season that saw them reach the CFP semifinals behind a veteran defense and quarterback Drew Allar.

Oregon, defending Big Ten champions, checks in at No. 7, giving the conference three teams in the top 10. Illinois, ranked No. 12, is one of the surprise entries after a breakout 2024 season under Bret Bielema. Indiana also cracks the poll at No. 19.

Absent from the rankings are Big Ten teams like USC, Washington, Nebraska, and Iowa, each of whom received votes but fell outside the Top 25.

For Michigan, the No. 14 ranking is both a nod to the program’s late-season success and a challenge to maintain that level in Moore’s second year. With games against Oklahoma, Nebraska, and USC in Michigan’s first six games, the Wolverines won’t have to wait long to prove whether they deserve to climb higher.