I nearly had Michigan football No. 1 in my preseason AP poll. Here's why I put them No. 2.
I put Georgia No. 1 and Michigan football No. 2 in my preseason AP Poll.
Most voters did — the initial ranking came out Monday which had Georgia on top (60 of a possible 63 first place votes) and U-M came in No. 2 overall, the same spot as their preseason rank in the USA TODAY Sports AFCA Coaches Poll.
The Wolverines received two first place votes, while Ohio State received one. U-M nearly got a third first-place vote from me, but I ultimately decided against it.
The argument for putting the Bulldogs at the top was a simple one; they’re the two-time defending national champion, the premier program of college football and until they lose, there’s no reason to remove them from their top spot.
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But I paused because this is poll is supposed to project this season, not the last one or the one before.
Yes, Georgia is loaded. From tight end Brock Bowers to safety Malakai Starks (both of whom I had on my preseason All-American team), the Bulldogs always have one of the most talented rosters in America.
But the Bulldogs have lost 25 players to the NFL draft from the past two seasons. Eventually, a down year has to come.
Meanwhile, U-M completely reloaded and there doesn’t appear to be a good reason why its offense and defense won’t both rank in the top five in the country. J.J. McCarthy, Blake Corum and Donovan Edwards could all be Heisman Trophy candidates by the end of the season, and U-M has had the best offensive line two years in a row.
It's hard to come up with a Michigan team in recent memory with more experience and talented than this year's squad.
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I waffled back and forth and ultimately decided that Georgia and Michigan are tied. The tiebreaker went to the team holding the title belt.
Not far behind is Ohio State. The Buckeyes are as loaded as ever, led by maybe the two best pass catchers in America: Marvin Harrison Jr. and Emeka Egbuka. The Buckeyes have more of a chip on their shoulder than usual after being fully dethroned as the Big Ten’s top dog.
Alabama, my No. 4 team, has concerns on offense, particularly at quarterback. But Nick Saban is still the coach, so it’s hard to bet against the Tide.
Jayden Daniels — who should be thick in the Heisman race this season — leads No. 5 LSU, whose middle of the defense is as stout as any in America Harold Perkins.
At 6, future Big Ten foe USC, and reigning Heisman Trophy winner Caleb Williams. But he likely won't help them much on defense; those Trojans are still working on tackling.
Next, the two teams who will vie for the ACC crown, Clemson and Florida State. The Tigers are seventh because they're much more proven in this era. Even in a season that fell below expectations in 2022, Clemson went 10-3, won the ACC championship and went to a New Years Six bowl game. Now, it's the Cade Klubnik era on offense, while linebackers Jeremiah Trotter Jr. and Barrett Carter form the best tandem in the nation.
Florida State's entire season boils down to September, beginning with a Week 1 neutral site clash vs. LSU. FSU quarterback Jordan Travis is another Heisman candidate, thanks to his two potential first round wide receivers, Johnny Wilson and Michigan State football transfer Keon Coleman. On defense, projected top-20 NFL draft pick Jared Verse (also on my preseason All-American team) leads the way.
At No. 9, Texas has to eventually be back, even if Quinn Ewers cut his mullet. Then, rounding out the top 10, Penn State, which will have one of the nation's best defenses under Manny Diaz and an offense led by former five-star recruit Drew Allar and two talented running backs, Nick Singleton and Kaytron Allen.
Contact Tony Garcia at apgarcia@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter at @realtonygarcia.
For openers: Pirates
Matchup: Michigan (13-1 in 2022) vs. East Carolina (8-5 in 2022), season opener.
Kickoff: Noon Sept. 2; Michigan Stadium, Ann Arbor.
TV/radio: Peacock (online only); WWJ-AM (950), WTKA-AM (1050).
My Top 25 ballot
Georgia
Michigan
Ohio State
Alabama
LSU
USC
Clemson
FSU
Texas
Penn State
Notre Dame
Texas A&M
Utah
Kansas State
Oregon State
UTSA
TCU
Texas Tech
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Why No. 2 preseason ranking makes sense for Michigan football
