Michigan football is back in the conversation, even if only barely.
After the Wolverines knocked off Penn State on Saturday, they picked up 10 votes in the latest US LBM Coaches Poll. That still leaves them outside the rankings, but it marks a small step forward in a Week 7 that shook up the top of the sport and sent several teams tumbling.
The biggest shift came at No. 1, where Miami (FL) claimed the top spot with a 6-0 record. Ohio State, fresh off a win over Indiana, jumped to No. 2 after entering the week at No.
- Indiana took the loss and fell to No.
Michigan’s path back into the poll is still narrow. The Wolverines have already lost to No.
14 Iowa, and the schedule ahead doesn’t get any easier. Next up is No.
6 Indiana, followed later by No. 10 UCLA and No.
25 Oregon in the penultimate week of the season.
The top 10 also features BYU at No. 3, Georgia at No.
4, Texas Tech at No. 5, Ole Miss at No.
7, Notre Dame at No. 8, Utah at No. 9 and UCLA at No.
Here is the Week 8 US LBM Coaches Poll:
- Miami (FL) Hurricanes 6-0
- Ohio State Buckeyes 6-1
- BYU Cougars 6-0
- Georgia Bulldogs 6-1
- Texas Tech Red Raiders 6-0
- Indiana Hoosiers 6-1
- Ole Miss Rebels 5-1
- Notre Dame Fighting Irish 6-1
- Utah Utes 6-0
- UCLA Bruins 6-0
- Tennessee Volunteers 6-1
- Kentucky Wildcats 6-1
- Alabama Crimson Tide 5-2
- Iowa Hawkeyes 5-1
- USC Trojans 6-1
- Houston Cougars 6-1
- LSU Tigers 5-2
- Texas Longhorns 4-2
- Wake Forest Demon Deacons 6-1
- SMU Mustangs 5-1
- Missouri Tigers 5-2
- Boise State Broncos 5-1
- Northwestern Wildcats 5-1
- Florida Gators 5-2
- Oregon Ducks 4-2
Mississippi State and Oklahoma State fell out of the rankings. Among the teams receiving votes, Arizona led the way with 141, followed by Oklahoma State with 87, James Madison with 80, Auburn with 55, Mississippi State with 32 and Nebraska with 19.
Michigan sits in that next group with 10 votes.
In Other News...
Michigans Quarterback Crisis Just Put A Freshman In A Massive Spot
Tommy Carr was already a name Michigan fans knew well before he ever took a college snap, but Week 7 could put the true freshman squarely in the middle of the spotlight. With the starting quarterback benched, Carr is expected to see significant snaps against Penn State, a daunting stage for any newcomer, especially one who is still early in his first season.
A Michigan native and four-star recruit, Carr flipped his commitment from Miami (OH) to the Wolverines and arrived with plenty of pedigree attached to his name. He is the grandson of former Michigan safety Tom Curtis and former head coach Lloyd Carr, both College Football Hall of Fame inductees, and now the program may need him sooner than planned as it tries to steady the position. [Read more 🡒]
Michigans First Big Ten Win Just Sparked A Quarterback Debate
Michigans first Big Ten win under coach Kyle Whittingham came with a clear shift at halftime, when Tommy Carr took over at quarterback and the offense settled into a more reliable rhythm. The Wolverines leaned on the ground game from there, outrushing Penn State by a wide margin while three different backs reached the end zone on the ground and the defense kept setting the table with takeaways.
Bryce Underwoods rough afternoon, highlighted by two interceptions before the switch, turned the spotlight right back onto Michigans quarterback situation even after the win. The defense finished with three turnovers, including two from Chris Bracy, and the Wolverines turned those short fields into 21 points, but the larger question now is whether the change at quarterback becomes more than just a game-day adjustment. [Read more 🡒]
Michigan Found Something In This Win Penn State Could Not Handle
Penn State left Ann Arbor with another damaging conference loss, and Michigans late quarterback change ended up shaping the final stretch of a 21-18 win. Bryce Underwood gave way to Tommy Carr, and the move immediately gave the Wolverines a different look as Carr steered two scoring drives in the third quarter, helping Michigan seize control of a game that had stayed tight deep into the second half.
Rocco Becht, meanwhile, could never quite settle in for the Nittany Lions, as turnovers kept stalling possessions and turning the pressure back on a team already reeling at 0-4 in Big Ten play. Even with the loss dropping Penn State to 3-4 overall, head coach Matt Campbell said Becht will keep the starting job moving forward, leaving the bigger question centered on how quickly the offense can find stability before the season slips further away. [Read more 🡒]