Wolverines Rise, Buckeyes Fall In Latest ESPN Power Rankings

With spring ball in the rearview mirror, the Michigan Wolverines are considered one of the top teams in the country according to ESPN's post-spring power rankings.

With spring ball in the rearview mirror, Michigan is still considered one of the top teams in the country. In fact, the Wolverines moved up a spot from No. 3 to No. 2 in ESPN's latest way-too-early Top-25, trailing only Georgia at No. 1. 

Michigan is one of four Big Ten programs to make the Top-25, joining Ohio State (No. 5), Penn State (No. 8), and Wisconsin (No. 25). 

Here's what ESPN's Mark Schlabach had to say about the Wolverines at No. 2:

Post-spring outlook: With Jim Harbaugh firmly committed to staying at his alma mater, the Wolverines seem to have turned the corner -- on the field and the recruiting trail. They defeated rival Ohio State and reached the College Football Playoff in each of the past two seasons. The next step, obviously, is winning a game in the CFP. Harbaugh and his staff dipped deep into the transfer portal to shore up the offensive line. They didn't have LaDarius Henderson, a left tackle from Arizona State, in the spring. Stanford transfers Drake Nugent and Myles Hinton were banged up. Receiver Peyton O'Leary, a former walk-on, and Benjamin Hall, a lightly recruited tailback, were big surprises in the spring game. Josaiah Stewart, a star pass-rusher at Coastal Carolina, had five tackles, two tackles for loss and one sack. Linebacker Ernest Hausmann, a starter at Nebraska, had eight tackles and a forced fumble.

While Michigan moved up a spot from the previous rankings (No. 3 to No. 2), it's worth noting that the Buckeyes fell from No. 2 to No. 5. Although noteworthy, it isn't all that surprising to anyone who watched the Ohio State's spring game. There's still plenty of talent in Columbus, but the offensive line remains a work in progress, and quarterback Kyle McCord is an obvious downgrade from CJ Stroud - for now. 

Here's a look at the entire Top-25 list:

1. Georgia
2. Michigan (+1)
3. Florida State (+1)
4. USC (+3)
5. Ohio State (-3)
6. Alabama (-1)
7. LSU (+1)
8. Penn State (-2)
9. Clemson (+6)
10. Texas (+6)
11. Tennessee (-1)
12. Washington (-1)
13. Notre Dame (+1)
14. Utah (-1)
15. Oregon (-6)
16. TCU (-4)
17. Oregon State
18. Kansas State
19. Tulane
20. Texas Tech (+3)
21. North Carolina
22. Ole Miss (-2)
23. UTSA (-1)
24. Kentucky (NR)
25. Wisconsin (NR)