Did Michigan s embarassing loss make them unworthy of the top 25?

Yes and No. There are two perspectives from which to attack this difficult inquisition. On the one hand, we have principles. On the other, we have objective, unbiased reality. In an ideal world, they’d presumably join together like hand in glove, but in the world of college football, it just isn’t so.

On principle, Michigan doesn’t deserve a spot in the top 25. Heck, they don’t even deserve a spot in the “Others receiving votes” category. Any team that is accorded the respect that comes with landing a spot in the preseason top 5 spot of both major polls, and then proceeds to lose their first game to a 1-AA team, should, in theory, be summarily booted from the ranks of college football’s elite.

Reality, coupled with a little foresight, is what has me marching to the beat of a different drummer than the pollsters. I really think I’m right, too. For starters, look at the immense, immense talent this team has on the offensive side of the ball. They’ve got a legitimate potential first round talent in QB Chad Henne, one of college football’s three or four best running backs (and probably the grittiest and toughest) in Mike Hart, easily the nation’s premier offensive lineman in Jake Long, and one of the nation’s best deep threats in speedy WR Mario Manningham. Two of the aforementioned players (Henne and Manningham) didn’t perform well enough last Saturday to deserve the praise I just gave them, but there’s certainly no denying their talents or their capabilities to perform exceptionally well and make big contributions (evidenced by their track records). The Michigan defense played abysmally, allowing too many big plays and not making enough stops in critical situations. With that said, as Pat Forde pointed out on the most recent podcast of College Football Insider on ESPN.com, the offense they faced (classic spread) isn’t really reflective of the type of offense they’re going to face on a consistent basis from most of their D1-A opponents, particularly in the Big Ten. Now, excusing the Wolverines for their defensive woes last Saturday isn’t a legitimate argument, but realizing the context of their defensive troubles can at least provide a little justification for not being so tough on them.

What ultimately has me sold, however, on Michigan’s rightful place in the top 25, is what’s to come. While I’m purely speculating in assuming this, I see a profound turnaround coming. If you think that Michigan football isn’t having their best week of practice
of the year this week, you’re a fool. Lloyd Carr might not be the most incendiary or energetic coach around, but you can bet he’s conveying the urgency of the program’s (and his, for that matter) situation to his players. It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to realize how motivated this team is going to be come Saturday when they take the field to play Oregon. They’ll not only be playing to begin the process of re-establishing themselves as one of college football top programs, they’ll be playing for their coach’s reputation. The disgust the players have towards those who are over-criticizing Carr was readily apparent in their post-game press conferences. Jake Long, Michigan’s star offensive tackle, had to work to contain his emotions when a reporter asked a question about Carr’s job security.

Call me crazy, but I see a Rose Bowl in this program’s future. And yes, I’m talking about this year. If not a Rose Bowl, I’m guaranteeing a strong season. It’s my firm belief that the considerable talent of this football team, combined with the emotional power playing for the pride of their program and the reputation of their coach, is going to create the perfect storm that will elevate their play to a level such that, by the end of the season, everyone will have forgotten about Appalachian State. Ok, maybe it won’t be totally forgotten, but it certainly will not be looming large in everyone’s minds. I guarantee it.