It’s hard to justify a number next to Michigan’s name right now. The Wolverines walked into Norman on Saturday and walked out with a 24–13 defeat at the hands of Oklahoma.
Their offense sputtered, their passing attack never found rhythm, and their lone spark came from a 75-yard Justice Haynes touchdown run that briefly gave them life.
For college football analyst Josh Pate, the AP voters still listing Michigan among the Top 25 doesn’t add up.
“Michigan dropped eight spots. I got no clue why Michigan’s ranked right now. Yeah, I do. They were ranked in the preseason, so we can’t drop them too far,” Pate said on his show.
“Now, they played New Mexico and it was a real blah effort and then they got beat by a double digit yesterday in Oklahoma. That’s it. That’s their body of work right now. So, they’re sitting there ranked and Vandy’s not. They’re sitting there ranked and Georgia Tech’s not. They’re sitting there ranked and USC is not.”
Michigan’s Problems Exposed
Against Oklahoma, all the flaws were on display. Freshman quarterback Bryce Underwood went just 9-for-24 through the air for 142 yards. No touchdowns, no interceptions, but plenty of missed opportunities to extend drives.
Donaven McCulley accounted for most of the passing production with three catches for 91 yards, including a 53-yard grab. But beyond him, the air attack was nonexistent.
Haynes shouldered the offense with 19 carries for 125 yards and Michigan’s only touchdown. Yet outside of his breakaway run, the Wolverines managed just 63 yards on the ground. As a team, they finished with 288 total yards while being shut out in three of four quarters.
Defensively, Michigan forced two Oklahoma turnovers but still couldn’t get stops when it mattered. Sooner quarterback John Mateer diced them up for 270 passing yards and added two rushing touchdowns, while receiver Deion Burks found the end zone on a 101-yard performance.
Why the Ranking Doesn’t Sit Right
Pate’s critique isn’t just about losing a road game to a ranked opponent — it’s about resume. Michigan’s Week 1 showing against New Mexico left little to brag about, and the Oklahoma loss confirmed that the Wolverines aren’t playing like a ranked team.
Meanwhile, Vanderbilt is 2-0 after holding Virginia Tech under 250 yards in a convincing 44-20 win.
Georgia Tech owns a marquee road victory over Colorado and rushed for more than 300 yards in the process.
USC, while not tested by FBS competition, has at least dominated its opening stretch, putting up over 130 points across two blowout wins.
Those teams sit unranked. Michigan doesn’t and actually sit comfortably at 23. That’s the inconsistency Pate is calling out.
The Road Ahead
The Wolverines are now 1-1 with their first true test behind them and Big Ten play looming. If Underwood and the passing game don’t improve quickly, Haynes’ big-play ability won’t be enough to keep them afloat.
And if voters continue rewarding name recognition over production, Michigan could find itself in the Top 25 for reasons that have nothing to do with what happens on the field.