Michigan wrapped up its 2025 campaign ranked No. 22 in the final US LBM Coaches Poll - a respectable finish, but one that tells only part of the story. Dig a little deeper into the ballots, and you’ll find a wide range of opinions from FBS coaches about where the Wolverines truly stood after a 9-4 season that ended with a Citrus Bowl loss to Texas.
Of the 62 coaches who submitted final ballots, 45 included Michigan somewhere in their top 25 - all slotted between No. 15 and No. 25. That’s a solid show of respect for a team that didn’t make the College Football Playoff and came up short in its bowl game, but still managed to stay relevant in a crowded national picture.
Some coaches were especially bullish on the Wolverines. Indiana’s Curt Cignetti - who led the Hoosiers to a national title - had Michigan at No.
- Wisconsin’s Luke Fickell went even higher, placing them at No.
- Those are notable endorsements from coaches who faced high-level competition all season and clearly saw something in Michigan’s body of work that warranted a top-20 nod.
But not every coach agreed.
Seventeen coaches left Michigan off their ballots entirely, and a few omissions raised eyebrows. Chief among them?
Rich Rodriguez - now at West Virginia - who once patrolled the sidelines in Ann Arbor from 2008 to 2010. Rodriguez didn’t include Michigan in his top 25, a decision that’s bound to stir conversation given his history with the program.
Western Michigan’s Lance Taylor also excluded the Wolverines, instead placing his own Broncos at No. 22.
That’s one way to make a statement - and he wasn’t alone. New Mexico’s Jason Eck also gave the Broncos a spot (No. 25), while leaving Michigan out altogether.
That’s especially interesting considering New Mexico opened their season with a 34-17 loss to the Wolverines.
As for Michigan’s current head coach, Kyle Whittingham - who came over from Utah - he didn’t have a vote this season. Neither did Michigan State’s new hire Pat Fitzgerald or his predecessor Jonathan Smith.
But James Franklin, now at Virginia Tech after a long tenure at Penn State, did submit a ballot and slotted Michigan at No. 19.
That’s a familiar Big Ten voice still showing the Wolverines some respect from afar.
And then there’s Ohio State’s Ryan Day - a man who knows Michigan better than most. Day placed the Wolverines at No. 23, just one spot below their final ranking. Given the intensity of The Game and the rivalry’s stakes every year, that’s a telling placement from a coach who’s gone toe-to-toe with Michigan on the biggest stage.
In the end, Michigan’s No. 22 finish reflects a season of ups and downs - flashes of promise, moments of frustration, and a final ranking that feels like a fair middle ground. But the ballots show that across the coaching landscape, opinions on the Wolverines were anything but uniform.
Some saw a top-15 team. Others didn’t see them at all.
And that kind of divide says plenty about where Michigan stands heading into 2026 - still talented, still respected, but with something to prove.