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    • How far will the Wolverines fall after the loss to Texas?
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    How far will the Wolverines fall after the loss to Texas?

    Madoc Meredith Posted on

    Here’s a look at how far Michigan could fall in the top 25 rankings after its 31-12 loss to Texas on Saturday

    This weekend, Michigan football players, coaches and fans had to deal with an unfamiliar feeling: the pain of defeat.

    The ninth-ranked Wolverines’ 31-12 loss to third-ranked Texas on Saturday at Michigan Stadium was their first-ever loss since December 2022, when they lost to TCU in the College Football Playoff semifinals. It was also Michigan’s first regular-season loss since October 2021 and first home loss since November 2020.

    A loss to the Longhorns, one of the most talented teams in the country, is understandable even in the Big House. But the manner in which the loss unfolded was even more concerning for coach Sherrone Moore’s team.

    REQUIRED READING: How Michigan’s football team shot itself in the foot too many times in its devastating loss to Texas

    The Wolverines never had the lead and quickly saw the game slip away in the second quarter, when they were outscored 17-3 and trailed 24-3 at halftime. At that point, a high-profile, nationally televised matchup between two top-10 teams was already a crushing loss.

    The setback will undoubtedly impact Michigan’s hopes of making the College Football Playoff for the fourth consecutive year, even if the impact of the loss will be a little more muted because it came outside of Big Ten play. But what does this mean for Michigan’s ranking in the two major national polls that will be released Sunday?

    Here’s a look at the Wolverines’ potential ranking in the latest US LBM Coaches Poll and the AP Top 25 rankings for Week 3:

    REQUIRED READING: Michigan football grades against Texas: Brutal performances in offense and defense

    Michigan football rankings: Where will the Wolverines rank in the top 25?

    While the end of a 16-game winning streak may be disappointing for those emotionally attached to Michigan football, it is by no means an unforgivable mistake.

    Even away from home in college football’s biggest stadium, Texas went into the game against the Wolverines as the favorite for a touchdown.

    How far Michigan slips in the polls may depend more on how the teams behind it perform. Here’s a look at how the rest of the top 25 performed in Week 3:

    1. Georgia: 48-3 win against Tennessee Tech
    2. Ohio State: against West Michigan
    3. Texas: 31-12 win at No. 9 Michigan
    4. Alabama: against South Florida
    5. Ole Miss: 52-3 win against Middle Tennessee
    6. Oregon: against Boise State
    7. Notre-Dame: 16-14 loss to Northern Illinois
    8. Penn State: 34-27 win against Bowling Green
    9. Michigan: 31-12 loss to No. 3 Texas
    10. Missouri: against Buffalo
    11. Utah: 23-12 win against Baylor
    12. Tennessee: against No. 23 NC State
    13. Oklahoma: against Houston
    14. USC: against Utah State
    15. Miami: against Florida A&M
    16. State of Kansas: 34-27 win at Tulane
    17. State of Oklahoma: 39-31 win against Arkansas (2OT)
    18. Arizona: against Northern Arizona
    19. LSU: against Nicholls
    20. Kansas: in Illinois
    21. Iowa: 20:19 loss to Iowa State
    22. Clemson: against Appalachian State
    23. NC State: against No. 12 Tennessee
    24. Louisville: 49-14 win against Jacksonville State
    25. Washington: 30-9 win against Eastern Michigan

    Before Saturday’s night games, only one team ranked behind the Wolverines had lost. That team, No. 21 Iowa, was so far behind them that it will likely provide little to no relief.

    What could hurt Moore’s team in voters’ minds and ratings is not just that it just lost, but how disappointing it looked two games into the 2024 season. Even in its 30-10 win over Fresno State in Week 1, Michigan was only up by six points with six minutes left, outscoring the Bulldogs by just a 269-247 margin.

    The Wolverines’ offense has been particularly weak this early in the season. Michigan has failed to put up more than 300 yards against Fresno State or Texas, although there are still questions at the quarterback position. That raises legitimate doubts about how many points it can reliably score this season, even against some of the seemingly weaker opponents on its schedule.

    Given that performance and the many changes Michigan has undergone since winning the national championship last season, it’s entirely possible that there isn’t too much of a leap of faith. With so few losing teams behind them in the polls, the Wolverines could slide significantly.

    Final ranking prediction: No. 17

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    Madoc Meredith
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