Here's how Michigan football could be ranked in top 5 after this weekend

Wolverines ranked No. 8 in AP Poll

Jim Harbaugh and the Michigan Wolverines started the 2017 season with a win over Florida in Dallas (Ronald Martinez/Getty Images).

ANN ARBOR, Mich. – College football fans know the AP Poll hasn't truly mattered since the BCS rankings were introduced in 1998, and they're even less important with the new College Football Playoff committee creating its own rankings midway through the season.

But the CFP rankings are still weeks away, so the AP Poll is all we've got. Right now, Michigan football is ranked No. 8 in the poll, but they're just two minor upsets away from potentially rising into the top five.

Recommended Videos



Here are the four outcomes that would land the Wolverines in the top five by Monday.

Michigan dominates Cincinnati

First things first. In order for Michigan to move up in the rankings, it has to take care of business in its home opener and dominate Cincinnati.

AP voters proved they're willing to penalize teams for unimpressive wins when they dropped teams such as USC and South Florida for close calls against lesser opponents. The Wolverines are about a five-touchdown favorite against Cincinnati, so they can't afford to trail for any significant amount of time if they want to move into the top five.

STORY: Young tight ends show promise in Michigan football's win over Florida

The Bearcats found themselves leading Austin Peay by just six points in the fourth quarter last weekend, so they aren't off to a hot start after finishing 4-8 in 2016. It shouldn't be difficult for Michigan to run away with this game in the friendly confines of the Big House.

Ohio State beats Oklahoma

The outcome of this game might not even matter to Michigan's chances of jumping into the top five, as the loser would probably drop below the Wolverines either way. But if No. 2 Ohio State beats the No. 5 Sooners, it will be a no-brainer to drop Oklahoma a few spots in the rankings.

READ: Michigan football kicker Quinn Nordin justifies Jim Harbaugh sleepover with historic debut

Ohio State is about a touchdown favorite in the game, but Baker Mayfield returned to college for moments like this. He completed an unprecedented 19 of 20 pass attempts in the opener, good for 329 yards and three touchdowns.

Last season, the Buckeyes had no problem with Oklahoma in Norman, cruising to a comfortable 45-24 win. I don't expect it to be another blowout, but that would drop the Sooners even further.

Stanford upsets USC

Stanford is going into the week-two matchup against USC as a near-touchdown underdog, but the Cardinal has had no problem handling the Trojans in recent years.

Last season, Stanford rolled past USC 27-10. The previous year, Stanford went into USC and beat the No. 6 Trojans 41-31.

MORE: Why QB Wilton Speight is still best option for Michigan

It's not completely farfetched to believe Stanford could win this matchup, even though it's on the road. The Cardinal pounded Rice by 55 points in Australia a week and a half ago, so David Shaw certainly has enough pieces to pull an upset.

There's obviously a chance that Stanford could jump Michigan if it beats USC, but as long as the Wolverines play well, their win over Florida should be enough to keep them slightly ahead of the currently 14th-ranked Cardinal.

Auburn knocks off Clemson

It's only a 4.5-point spread as of Wednesday morning, but this feels like the most unlikely piece of the puzzle for Michigan.

Auburn is going into Memorial Stadium to face the defending national champs, who put a 56-3 whupping on Kent State last weekend. Clemson quarterback Kelly Bryant completed 16 of 22 passes for 236 yards and a touchdown in his first game replacing superstar Deshaun Watson.

Auburn also played well, beating Georgia Southern 41-7, but this is a much taller task for the Tigers (the ones from Auburn). Clemson has turned into one of the top college football programs in the country, and winning at Memorial Stadium is nearly unheard of.

But it's not impossible. Just ask Pittsburgh.


About the Author:

Derick is the Lead Digital Editor for ClickOnDetroit and has been with Local 4 News since April 2013. Derick specializes in breaking news, crime and local sports.