When Michigan landed Bryce Underwood and a talented group of recruits in the 2025 class, the outlook for the program quickly pointed upward. Fans understood the arrival of the next talented group of players would not only help the 2025 team, but for future teams as well.
On Monday, ESPN’s Adam Rittenberg released his College Football Future Power Rankings, and similarly agreed the arrow is pointing up for Michigan. He has Michigan as the No. 13-ranked program over the next two years, sandwiched between Arizona State (No. 12) and SMU (No. 14).
At this point of the offseason, several publications have put out power rankings and projections for the 2025 season. However, Rittenberg’s rankings are based on how he believes teams in the Power 4 (and Notre Dame) should fare over the next two seasons.
When creating his rankings, Rittenberg noted there were a handful of factors being taken into account. Furthermore, he chose two years as an adequate sample size thanks to the quickly-changing nature of rosters and coaching staffs over the course of offseasons. He listed the following as his criteria for ranking teams:
- Returning quarterback
- Likelihood of a multiyear quarterback on roster
- Offensive line/defensive line outlook
- Roster management
- Star power (All-Americans, national award contenders, all-conference contenders)
- Coaching staff
At the quarterback position, Rittenberg is bullish on Michigan’s future, pointing out that while Underwood isn’t a returning starter, he should be the quarterback for the next few years. Interestingly, nine of the 12 teams ranked ahead of Michigan are mentioned to not have a future quarterback situation as stable as Michigan does, with Ohio State, Penn State, Clemson and Miami among those included.
Additionally, Rittenberg doesn’t seem as high on the offensive and defensive lines. While Michigan has been successful on the lines of scrimmage, he notes the Wolverines are still feeling the impact of so many star players departing for the NFL over the last two years. While it’s true Michigan’s trenches have been depleted, the Wolverines will return three starters on offense and brought in plenty of depth through the transfer portal on defense.
Not much is mentioned in terms of “star power” either, as Dominic Zvada, Derrick Moore and Zeke Berry are named as potential All-Big Ten selections. Underwood does get a nod here, but players like Justice Haynes, T.J. Guy, Jyaire Hill, Ernest Hausmann and Jaishawn Barham could be included as well.
In terms of the coaching staff and roster management, Rittenberg paints the Wolverines in a good light. He noted their recruiting is on the upswing, especially after the offseason’s high school and transfer recruiting cycles closed. However, he mentions Moore will be under the microscope for how Chip Lindsey fares as a major hire as the offensive coordinator.
With the Wolverines ranked at No. 13, they’re the fourth-highest-ranked Big Ten team, with Ohio State (No. 2), Oregon (No. 4) and Penn State (No. 6) higher than them. Illinois (No. 17), Indiana (No. 20), and Iowa (No. 23) are also not too far behind.
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