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2018 Preseason Michigan Wolverines Rankings

Main Poll Voters

User	Rank	Reason
AllHawkeyesGoToHell	3
CockADoodleBOOM	5
corundum9	5
FellKnight	5
eclectic_tastes	6
Fifth_Down	6
GilBrandt	6
lebaronslebaron	6
mickeyquicknumbers	6	There have been a good number deep dives *why* Michigan underperformed their 2017 expecations (by my count, they underperformed by one game, which is fine). The passing game was truly atrocious last year, and upgrading from 2017 passing to "decent" - which is what I think the floor for Patterson is - will be a world of difference. The defense was young last year and will return to being one of the 2-3 best in the nation this year. The run game was serviceable and now likely complemented by a passing game that is serviceable I think Michigan is looking at a top-30 type offense; combine those together and you have IMO the 6th best team in the nation. In fact, I would argue that the biggest difference between 2018 Michigan and 2018 Clemson is that Michigan will have better QB play than what Clemson gets out of Bryant or a true freshman in Lawrence.
SSJRoshi	6
TheJeemTeam	6	I was surprised that Michigan came in so high in my computer rankings, occupying a tier by themselves here. I went back into the components of my rankings and it looked like the recruiting 2-year Avg was what bumped them into the Top 10. They were 6th as well in my adjusted 2-year recruiting average.
cmdrcaboose2	7
HarbingerOfFun	7
kdcoltred	7
moistats_	7
Wurst_Law	7
admiraltarkin	8
BallSoHerd	8
galacticdude7	8
Helifino	8
JCiLee	8
ndhuskerpower	8
seaotter2	8
tmart12	8
uwbjb	8
dan4223	9
flipadelphia17	9
G-Aardvark	9
g_mo821	9
GoBlueScrewOSU7	9
HUSKEROYAL	9	The Wolverines have had a solid defense for a few years now, but the offense now has a competent QB in Shea Patterson. This team could finally take a division title that Michigan has evaded since the creation of divisions in the B1G as well as silencing the doubters of HC Jim Harbaugh, who has done a better job than r/CFB wants you to believe. The Wolverines may have the toughest schedule in the country, however, with trips to Noter Dame, MSU, and tOSU as well as games against Penn State, Wisconsin, and Nebraska.
nickknx865	9	1958
Papalew32	9
PHubbs	9	Having watched Patterson through his recruiting cycle and playing time in the SEC, I am completely bought into the hype that he can make a big difference for this Michigan squad. I'm more bought into their returning production, though, with 78% coming back on both sides of the ball from what was a very good team. The few new pieces and addition at quarterback might push this team over the edge for a B1G title, but until they prove they can do more than their 2017 version, OSU and Wisconsin have the edge.
plannedsickdays	9
RegulatorRWF	9
sasmith2015	9
TanzaniaMagic	9
WeenisWrinkle	9
BorisNumber1	10
BosskOnASegway	10
Hey_Its_Roomie	10
I_am_bot_beep_boop	10
justsaynotoreddit	10	0.858
ReallyCreative	10
retnuh101	10
SCsprinter13	10
03040905	11
BobDeLaSponge	11
CambodianDrywall	11
djowen68	11
Extra_Excrement	11	Another Big 10 team that returns most of their experienced players. Shea looked pretty good at Ole Miss but I haven't quite bought into his hype as much as everyone else. Thankfully (for Michigan fans), you could literally stick a mop bucket in at QB and it'd do better than O'Korn. I think Michigan will be vastly improved compared to last year but their schedule is brutal. @ND, Wisconsin, @MSU, PSU, and @OSU? They could go 2-3 in those games and still finish a top 10 team.
G-manP	11
Hackasizlak	11
polydorr	11
runujhkj	11
stripes361	11	Composite: 36.3
tallg8tor	11
TaylorLeprechaun	11
thegreendalegelf	11
typicaliconoclast	11
wesman212	11
ya111101	11
Bill3ffinMurray	12
cfbguy	12
chrisb19	12	Harbaugh has taken longer than most people expected to get Michigan back to the level he was hired for. A lot of that has been due to the inconsistency at the QB position. Shea Patterson showed a ton of potential under Hugh Freeze at Ole Mill, and if he fixes Michigan's problems there they could have a better-than-usual offense coupled with a stifling defense. We won't know until we see how quickly Patterson fits into that system.
Dropbackandpunt	12
Harmbert_	12
HelioOne	12
Hobbes_121	12
Johnnycockseed	12
kelling928	12
KingKliffsbury	12
Miami_da_U	12
Plneapple	12
Red261	12
ryker888	12
ScarletFever333	12
T-nawtical	12
tdeff19	12
ThaCarter	12
The-Gothic-Castle	12
THECrew42	12
UNC_Samurai	12
AaronRodgers16	13
Blooblod	13	Since I'm no longer sporting a Michigan flair I feel like, for transparency, I should mention that I'm a U-M fan. Hopefully we'll see better QB play from Shea "Literally Tom Brady" Peppers than we did from a less-than-ideal QB situation last season, but how the o-line plays will dictate whether this offense sinks or swims. Cesar Ruiz looks to be a stud at center and Ben Bredeson is a reliable guard, but outside of that not much is settled. The good news is that Ed Warriner is now coaching the line and, maybe more importantly, the whole line is being coached by the same guy Hopefully a simpler scheme will make a difference for this line, but only time will tell. The skill positions look to be a good with a formidable RB duo and a quartet of ridiculously talented second-year WRs--any of whom could have a breakout season. The defense is the same old story for Don Brown. The front seven and corners shouldn't concern Michigan fans at all, but both safety spots could be worrisome. My Wolverines record prediction: 9-3. The schedule for the Wolverines is absolutely brutal this year, and even though this is a team with the potential to beat anyone in the country they might not even reach double digit wins. If the Wolverines beat the Irish in the season opener, I think their struggles against rivals still continue with losses at MSU and OSU. Their third loss is a nice surprise from Northwestern.
boxman151515	13	The defense is downright terrifying. Each position group has a potential All-American. The schedule is brutal, but the defense should keep them in every game. Whether Michigan makes a run at the playoff or stumbles to another 8-win campaign will depend on if the offense can improve. I suspect it will under Shea Patterson, working with a strong WR group.
buttforaface	13
captain_sasquatch	13
CFSparta92	13
DEP61	13
dicky_________seamus	13
e8odie	13
Ghost_of_Dude	13
halldaylong	13
hokies220	13	If Patterson is even semi competent then they should contend for the conference.
itsabearcannon	13
olmsted	13
Rakarei	13
ShogunAshoka	13
sirgippy	13
was_saying_boo_urns	13
3RDnKING	14
alsonamedbort87	14
bgr308	14
djmoody90	14
Feral_Squirrel	14
GeneralGBO	14
JonesUCF34	14
mellolizard	14
mjacksongt	14	Don Brown is a fantastic DC with a top-10 level defense. The questions are at QB - and I don't think Shea Patterson is a top-10 level answer.
Our-Gardian-Angel	14
TheReformedBadger	14
TheZachster	14
ToLongDR	14
TotalEconomist	14
TriStarBear	14
ucieaters33	14
vanburen1845	14
52hoova	15	This feels about where they should be, based on some decent success in Harbaugh's first two years followed by a down season from which they are returning most of their players. 
bakonydraco	15
Cassiyus	15
CertifiedSheep	15
coreyfra	15
DarkLegend64	15
goblue10	15	fuck man I just wanna be happy
hascogrande	15
mynameisjona	15
scronko	15
studio_sally	15
T-Thugs	15	Last year they beat the bad teams and lost to the good ones. A similar season would keep them around here.
BamaPride95	16
ChickenTaco	16
conchobor	16
Fmeson	16
Greflingorax	16
icklebush	16
JeromesNiece	16	Michigan will definitely have an elite defense, but whether or not Michigan is a title contender will hinge on their offense. Shea Patterson is getting a lot of hype but I'm not sure he will succeed behind this O-Line. I see Michigan going 2-3 against ND, Wisconsin, Penn State, Michigan State, Ohio State.
jmac_21	16	Michigan may just have found a QB. Could be scary. 
Mario_Speedwagon	16
nemoran	16
puffadda	16
RobertNeyland	16
SCRx	16
teddythe3rd	16
WarEagle9	17
Xtremeloco	17
alextoyalex	18
BlueSCar	18
brobroma	18
DanNeverDie	18
VerySeriousBanana	18
A-Stu-Ute	19
BrutonGaster77	19
bwburke94	19
Charlemagne42	19	Why is Michigan at the back of the 9-19 bloc? Shea Patterson.
confirmd_am_engineer	19
jnoobs13	19
joebob431	19
monkeymatt1836	19
RatherBeYachting	19
xelphin	19	Going 8-5 with a loss in a bowl to finish the season means they have everything to prove. They're still Michigan, but they are a beaten and bruised Michigan.
RiffRamBahZoo	20
Texasagsman	20
woakley	20	This ranking isnt really about who Michigan lost, even though they did lose a strong defensive player and a both QB's. This is more about where I think Michigan is at as a team. Michigan could take a step forward and finally turn the corner with one of their highly touted QB prospects, but im not banking on that. Until Michigan builds themselves a consistent offense, they are going to have trouble in the meat grinder that is the Big 10
Branzilla91	21
Daigotsu	21
dabul-master	22
GenialGiant	22	Michigan went 8-5 last season, including losing their last three games; I'm not nearly as optimistic about their 2018 campaign as many others.
Pikachu1989	22
Nathanael-Greene	23
DeceptiveSpeed	24
PureCFR	24
relax_on_the_mat	24
TheTeamCubed	24

Provisional Poll Voters

User	Rank	Reason

Blue = Human
Red = Computer
Green = Hybrid

Bold = before the AP poll was published
Normal = after the AP poll was published

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