Michigan Falls Out of Top 25 After Controversial Victory

Michigan won its season opener, but the voters clearly weren’t impressed.

The Wolverines have officially fallen out of the AP Top 25 after barely surviving Western Michigan in one of the most controversial endings of the opening week.

Michigan entered the season ranked No. 16, but after escaping with a 13-12 victory, the Wolverines dropped completely out of the rankings in the first regular-season AP poll. Michigan still received 69 votes, but that wasn’t enough to remain among the nation’s top 25 teams.

A Win That Created More Questions Than Answers

Michigan’s biggest problem wasn’t simply winning by one point.

It was how the Wolverines won.

After Western Michigan appeared to stop Michigan’s final Hail Mary attempt, officials determined that one second needed to be put back on the clock. That gave quarterback Bryce Underwood and Michigan one more opportunity.

The second attempt ended with Underwood connecting with JJ Buchanan on a 47-yard touchdown, giving Michigan the stunning victory.

The decision immediately created controversy, with questions surrounding the replay process and the discrepancy between the broadcast clock and the footage officials used. Western Michigan ultimately decided not to appeal the result.

Voters Send Michigan a Message

The AP voters clearly weren’t willing to overlook the performance.

Michigan went from No. 16 all the way out of the Top 25, an extremely unusual drop for a team that actually won its game. According to AP, it was the first time since at least 2008 that a team ranked as high as No. 16 was pushed out of the rankings after winning its opener.

The Wolverines also struggled offensively throughout the game and committed three turnovers, giving voters plenty of reasons to question whether this team deserves to be considered a legitimate national contender.

Oklahoma Is Coming to Town

Now Michigan has almost no time to recover.

The Wolverines’ next game is against No. 11 Oklahoma, giving new head coach Kyle Whittingham an immediate opportunity to change the narrative.

A victory over a ranked SEC opponent would go a long way toward putting Michigan back into the Top 25.

A loss, however, could send the Wolverines’ season in a completely different direction.

Michigan survived Western Michigan, but the victory came at a cost. The Wolverines are no longer ranked, the controversy surrounding their win isn’t going away, and Oklahoma is waiting.

Now Michigan has to prove it belongs.