Michigan’s AP Top 25 stay lasted exactly one week.
The Wolverines opened the season at No. 16 in both the AP Poll and the Coaches Poll. In the polls released Tuesday, Michigan is out of the AP Top 25 entirely, sitting among the others receiving votes with 69 points, and has slid to No. 24 in the Coaches Poll.
The reason is not complicated. Saturday night, Sept. 5, Michigan escaped the Big House by the narrowest of margins against Western Michigan, 13-12, on a 47-yard Hail Mary with one second left. The Wolverines were 27.5-point favorites.
Michigan’s AP Top 25 Fall, by the Numbers
Bryce Underwood struggled mightily as Michigan’s quarterback. Outside of an efficient opening drive and the second Hail Mary heave, hauled in by J.J. Buchanan after the first one was ruled dead with a second left on the clock, the second-year quarterback did not look the part against a team he was supposed to overwhelm. Underwood finished 12-of-22 for 170 yards with a touchdown and an interception. Michigan turned the ball over three times, took nine penalties for 80 yards and held the ball for under 20 minutes.
Wisconsin and Rutgers Were the Big Ten’s Only Losers
Michigan is 1-0, and so is every other Big Ten team but two. Wisconsin was slaughtered by Notre Dame, now No. 3, 41-13. Rutgers imploded as a 29.5-point favorite, losing to UMass, 37-21. Every other team in the conference came out of Week 1 a winner…