Which AP Poll ballots have Michigan football at No. 1?

In the first AP Poll of the 2023 college football season, Michigan football is ranked No. 2 in the country, second only to the Georgia Bulldogs. However, a few voters believe that 9th-year head coach Jim Harbaugh has the No. 1 team in the nation. Here are the voters who have the Wolverines as their top team heading into the season.

Which AP Poll ballots rank Michigan football as the No. 1 team in the nation?

There are 62 AP Poll ballots conducted by different members of the press on a weekly basis. Leading up to the 2023 college football season, the Wolverines are ranked No. 2 in most ballots, though their rankings vary from being the No. 1 team in the nation to falling outside of the top 5 in individual ballots this year.

The lowest ballot ranking for Michigan football comes from Ryan Aber, who has the Wolverines at No. 7. However, there are two AP Poll ballots with Michigan at No. 1.

The first ballot that lists Michigan football as the No. 1 team in the nation was submitted by ESPN analyst Rece Davis, who has been quite vocal about his high hopes for the Wolverines. According to Davis, JJ McCarthy, the Wolverines’ junior quarterback, is the deciding factor in his ballot, especially since McCarthy is one of the few returning Big Ten quarterbacks this year.

In addition to Rece Davis’s AP Poll ballot, Kirk Bohls of the Austin-American Statesman (TX) has Michigan football as his No. 1 team in the nation. Notably, Bohls has Ohio State at No. 5 and Penn State at No. 6.

Jim Harbaugh and the Wolverines looking for an explosive season

So, in total, most ballots have Jim Harbaugh’s Wolverines ranked as the 2nd-best team in the nation, with a few placing Michigan football as the 3rd or 4th-best team in the game right now. Only one ballot ranks Michigan outside of the top 5, and two have Michigan at No. 1 in the nation.

Even though the University of Michigan has suspended its head football coach for a trio of games this year, the Wolverines will be taking the field with a purpose on September 2nd (10 days away) to face East Carolina at Michigan Stadium for the team’s opener.

With a Big Ten Championship, College Football Playoff berth, and a National Championship on the line this year, expect some fireworks on the football field in Ann Arbor throughout the 2023 season.

It is also worth keeping in mind that Michigan football is ranked 2nd in more than just the AP Poll — the coaches poll and others also have the Wolverines at No. 2 heading into the year.

Michigan is ranked number 2 in the Preseason AP Poll! GO BLUE! 〽️ pic.twitter.com/cy4u9jT2TC

— JD 〽️ (@MGoJDBlue) August 14, 2023

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