Is Michigan worth the top 25 ranking?

Is Michigan worth the ranking?

Speedblog

Ok, so we’re like two or three games into the college football season, and a team that won only three games last year is now in the top 25...care to comment on that?

Such is the case for Michigan. But is it valid?

Michigan is one of those storied programs that was and is one of the greatest football programs in the history of college football. Heck, I like them because a few years ago I wrote to the Athletic Director and he sent me a free media guide…you better believe that I have been a Michigan fan for awhile.

But lately there has been some down time with this team, and personally I am not a fan of their new coach, Rich Rodriguez. To me he seems a bit snobby and tight-necked, and lately his way of football has not been very successful. It’s funny because yesterday on ESPN classic I saw the 15th anniversary of the great Colorado vs. Michigan game, with Kordell Stewart, Ty Law, and a host of great NFL players. You guys remember that last second catch in the end zone, right?

So today I’m looking at Michigan currently ranked #23 on one poll, #22 on another, and I start to think, do they deserve it? Let’s look into that.

It has to start from last year, when Michigan finished a sad-sacked 3-9. Beating only Miami Ohio by 10 points (who would finish 2-10), beating Wisconsin by 2 points (who would finish 7-6) and beating Minnesota by 23 (who also finished 7-6).

They lost to EVERYBODY else.

So at the beginning of the season, you wonder if this team can manage 5 wins, maybe even six to qualify for a bowl. There is a lot of pressure for the great Michigan Wolverines to play in post season you know.

So Michigan pads up the schedule, having not one, not two but FOUR straight home games, beating Western Michigan, Notre Dame and Eastern Michigan. Western Michigan is currently 1-2 and Eastern Michigan is currently 0-3. Granted Notre Dame was ranked, but a lot of football purists felt that the ranking was not as credible as it now appeared.

But in any case, Michigan is 3-0 and looking perfect as they prepare to face Indiana this weekend…another home game. The same team that was 3-9 last year, and is currently 3-0 this year too…

Wow, there must have been some magic, in that old soft schedule they made, for when they placed ….

Wait a minute….that’s something else….

Anyway, Indiana is now 3-0, but no quality wins, as they prepare to play conference foe Michigan, who is also 3-0. That’s not saying too much since almost half the Big 10 is undefeated. But again, does this make Michigan a top 25 team?

I am just not too sold on the idea that you can pad your schedule with a ton of home games and jump out to a quick start and get ranked. I just find it hard to believe that Michigan of last year (3-9) can be one of the top 25 teams in the nation at this point.

Yet the counter here is that they DID beat a top 25 opponent in Notre Dame, even though some hardly felt that Notre Dame was 25 caliber…still it counts. And with so many upsets this year already, somebody HAS to move up. I mean, if Michigan is undefeated, with a top 25 win, then surely it has to count for something.

Consider that there are about 27 undefeated teams in the FBS right now, if Michigan is one of them, and they are, don’t they deserve at least to be somewhere in that mix? I can’t argue that, and again, with a top 25 win, I think their standing is indeed credible.

Now prove that you ARE top 25 by winning more games. They didn’t play Indiana last year, and of the three games they won last year, only Wisconsin is on this year’s schedule. A bunch of home games plays in their favor, but you still have to be good to win games…

Time will tell…