We are just a few days removed from one of the most impressive wins of the Jim Harbaugh era of Michigan football — a game that Harbaugh himself was not even present for. Sherrone Moore, the Wolverines’ acting head coach for the Ohio State game, led the Maize and Blue to a 30-24 win over the Buckeyes, the team’s third win in a row in “The Game,” which sends them to the Big Ten Championship Game this weekend for the third season in a row. Yet, despite all of this success against Ryan Day and his squad down in Columbus, the latest ESPN Football Power Index rankings have U-M ranked below Ohio State.
Without Jim Harbaugh, Michigan football beats Ohio State again
Michigan football fans are all over Ohio State fans on social media and more, and while “The Game” was a nice win for the Maize and Blue, it was simply another box checked for this year’s Wolverines.
This weekend, Jim Harbaugh returns as Michigan looks to down No. 17 Iowa (10-2, 7-2 Big Ten), which will likely be a top 15 team when the newest College Football Playoff rankings are released.
Still, outside of the CFP rankings, the college football landscape is looking a bit interesting right now, including the newest ESPN Football Power Index rankings, which have a unique take on Michigan football following its win over Ohio State.
ESPN Football Power Index rankings have Wolverines behind the Buckeyes… Still
According to ESPN, Ohio State is still the No. 1 team in the country, with Michigan football ranked at No. 2 right now despite the Wolverines’ 30-24 win over the Buckeyes last Saturday.
Perhaps just as ridiculous here is the fact that Oregon is ranked No. 3, and the Penn State Nittany Lions are ranked No. 4. Does the FPI really think that the Nittany Lions are better than Georgia? Apparently so.
All will be settled on the field, and the only rankings that impact Michigan’s 2023 title campaign are the College Football Playoff rankings, which will be updated on Tuesday. So, for now, time to just add this to the bulletin board and shift focus to Iowa in the Big Ten title game on Saturday.
Thank you for reading Blue by Ninety. For more Michigan Athletics and Big Ten content from Blue by Ninety, follow us on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. You can also subscribe to our YouTube Channel. For feedback, questions, concerns, or to apply for a writing position, please email our Publisher at [email protected]. Also, be sure to check out our shop and our podcast, which is available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and all other streaming platforms. It is because of your support that we have become one of the fastest-growing and most influential Michigan media outlets there is!