Historic College Football Powerhouse Plummets in Latest AP Top 25 Rankings

There was a notable change in the AP top 25 college football rankings for one major program that took a serious fall despite winning a controversial Week 1 game.

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What was supposed to be a ranked vs. ranked matchup in the Big House this coming weekend now won’t be after AP top 25 voters revealed their new college football rankings heading into the Week 2 action and handed down a big punishment to a Big Ten powerhouse.

Now, Oklahoma will be the only ranked team on the field after pollsters voted Michigan out of the national poll entirely after what transpired on the field on Saturday.

AP Top 25 Voters Punish Michigan

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Coming into the season, Michigan held a respectable No. 16 position in the first AP ballot and looked like it was in position to move steadily up the polls with new head coach Kyle Whittingham at the helm and some statement games to prove themselves.

But the lackluster performance by the Wolverines’ offense – not to mention the massive controversy around time-keeping – resulting in a 13-12 win against MAC challenger Western Michigan was clearly concerning enough to convince most AP voters.

Where Michigan Lands in the Rankings

Michigan received only 69 votes in the latest poll, landing at No. 28 overall and outside the Top 25.

That’s quite a difference from the 718 points they received in the preseason poll, making this a drop of 649 points after just one game, and a game they won, at that.

It’s a dramatic fall for a team that entered the season with legitimate expectations and was supposed to use Western Michigan as an opportunity to build momentum heading into a much tougher matchup with Oklahoma.

Questions Around the Wolverines’ Offense

The biggest concern may be how Michigan’s attack played for most of the night. 

Despite preseason hopes around his expected improvement, Bryce Underwood completed just 12 of 22 passes for 170 yards, scored 1 touchdown, and threw an interception.

The Wolverines struggled to sustain drives, were held without a first down on half their possessions, and repeatedly allowed the Broncos to hang around and take a late lead. 

Then Came the Controversy

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Desperately needing a touchdown to avoid an embarrassing upset at home, Underwood’s first Hail Mary pass appeared to fall incomplete as the game clock reached zero, with Western Michigan’s players pouring onto the field in celebration.

But then, Big Ten officials reviewed the play and controversially restored one second to the clock, giving Michigan one last opportunity, one that Underwood made the most of, connecting with JJ Buchanan on a 47 yard bomb to escape with a miraculous victory.

The Big Ten has defended the ruling, saying its synchronized camera system showed that a Western Michigan player touched the ball with one second remaining.

Regardless of whether the officials ultimately made the correct call, the controversy has become part of the story surrounding Michigan’s season opener.

Michigan Faces A Massive Test This Week

The Wolverines have precious little time to dwell on what happened in Week 1.

Oklahoma enters Week 2 ranked No. 10, meaning Michigan will have a chance to immediately answer its critics. Or give them a ton of ammunition.

A strong performance against the Sooners could quickly erase memories of the Western Michigan game and put the Wolverines back in the national conversation, and potentially back into the poll.

A repeat of Week 1, however, could make Michigan’s fall from the rankings look less like an overreaction and more like an early warning sign.