Are the Michigan Wolverines…back?
ESPN’s FPI rankings certainly think so. Their latest win, a 63-3 trouncing of Central Michigan over the weekend, instilled some faith among the Michigan faithful and the FPI. Whether it be Bryce Underwood’s near-immaculate outing, the balanced, thundering rushing attack, or the suffocating defense, things are looking up in Ann Arbor after a disappointing outing at the Oklahoma Sooners the week prior.
The Wolverines soared 19 spots up the FPI and now sit at No. 10 in the country
with a Power Index of 17.1. They are tied with Miami and trail only Ohio State (22.3), USC (20.6) and Penn State (19.4) among Big Ten teams.
Michigan’s season outlook is still underwhelming, however, with a projected record of 8.4-3.8 and just a 1.1 percent chance of winning out. Its 5.6 percent chance of winning the conference is discouraging, and while a 20.3 percent chance of making the College Football Playoff is not the most welcome sight, it is far from a death sentence.
Furthermore, the FPI gives the Wolverines a 3.1 percent chance of reaching the National Championship Game and a 1.4% percent chance of winning it all.
As stated in previous weeks, take these rankings with a grain of salt, especially early in the season. They are merely another metric to grade teams. Fortunately, at least the FPI has more faith in Michigan than the AP Poll, where the Wolverines sit at No. 21 in the country.
