Michigan Jumps in Coaches Poll After Oklahoma Win
· Yahoo Sports
Michigan needed one week to change the national conversation.
The Wolverines climbed five spots to No. 19 in the latest US LBM Coaches Poll, released Sunday, after beating Oklahoma 17-10 at Michigan Stadium. Michigan received 426 points after checking in at No. 24 a week ago. Oklahoma moved the opposite direction, falling from No. 10 to No. 21 after the loss.
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That is a notable recovery for a Michigan team that opened the season at No. 16 in the Coaches Poll but was punished heavily after needing a last-second Hail Mary to escape Western Michigan. Michigan had subsequently fallen to No. 24 in the Coaches Poll and completely out of the AP Top 25.
Saturday gave voters something considerably more convincing.
Michigan’s defense held Oklahoma to 289 total yards, forced two turnovers and prevented the Sooners from scoring a touchdown until the third quarter. Bryce Underwood also protected the football after committing two turnovers against Western Michigan, rushing for 87 yards and a touchdown while completing 9 of 17 passes for 111 yards. The victory was Michigan’s first at home over a ranked opponent since beating USC in 2024.
The five-spot climb does not mean every concern from the opener disappeared. Underwood’s passing development remains a legitimate issue, particularly after Urban Meyer pointed directly at his processing and progression work before the Oklahoma game.
What changed Saturday was the evidence.
Michigan went from surviving a game it was expected to control to beating the No. 11 team in the AP poll without committing a turnover. Underwood became a significant factor in the running game, while Kyle Whittingham’s defense looked capable of carrying Michigan through stretches when the offense is still developing.
The Coaches Poll also underwent major movement near the top. Texas moved to No. 1 with 42 first-place votes, while Ohio State dropped five spots to No. 6 and Oregon tumbled 12 places to No. 18. Michigan now sits immediately ahead of No. 20 Iowa and two positions ahead of the Oklahoma team it just defeated.
RankTeamRecordPTS1stPrevChgHi/Lo1Texas Longhorns2-0180442321/42Georgia Bulldogs2-01732152–2/33Notre Dame Fighting Irish2-016394413/54Indiana Hoosiers2-0161110514/65Miami (FL) Hurricanes2-015492725/76Ohio State Buckeyes1-114800151/67LSU Tigers2-014051817/138Texas A&M Aggies2-013110918/99Ole Miss Rebels2-0122801129/1110Alabama Crimson Tide2-01206012210/1211USC Trojans3-01023014311/1412Texas Tech Red Raiders2-0977013112/1313BYU Cougars2-0975015213/1514Tennessee Volunteers2-0679018414/1815Penn State Nittany Lions2-0676016115/1716SMU Mustangs2-0605017116/2017Utah Utes2-0590020317/2118Oregon Ducks1-156406122/1819Michigan Wolverines2-0426024516/2420Iowa Hawkeyes2-0423021120/2221Oklahoma Sooners1-1395010119/2122Missouri Tigers2-0340023122/2523Houston Cougars2-0290022122/2424Washington Huskies2-0268019519/2425Virginia Cavaliers2-0249025–25/NRMichigan began the year ranked No. 16 in the preseason Coaches Poll. Two games later, it is only three positions below that starting point.
After what happened against Western Michigan, getting back there this quickly is a meaningful correction.