Let’s be real for a second. If you told a Michigan fan back in August that the Wolverines would finish the year outside the top 15, they probably would have looked at you like you had three heads. We’re talking about a program that just came off a national title and three straight Big Ten crowns. But here we are in January 2026, and the final u of m football ranking tells a much weirder, more complicated story than just a number on a screen.
Michigan finished the 2025 season ranked No. 18 in both the AP Poll and the final College Football Playoff (CFP) standings. They went 9–4. On paper? It looks like a step back. But if you actually watched the games, especially that gritty 24–22 walk-off win at Wrigley Field against Northwestern, you know this wasn't a standard "down year."
Where the u of m football ranking landed after the Citrus Bowl
The postseason wasn't exactly kind. Michigan headed down to Orlando for the Cheez-It Citrus Bowl on New Year's Eve, facing a No. 13 Texas team that was frankly playing like a playoff snub. The result was a 41–27 loss that felt a bit like a reality check.
That loss solidified the u of m football ranking at No. 18 to end the year. It’s the first time since 2020 that Michigan hasn't finished in the top ten. However, context is everything in Ann Arbor. This was Sherrone Moore’s first full season as the permanent head coach, and he had to navigate a landscape that would make most veteran coaches sweat.
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We saw a rotating door on the offensive line—six different starting combinations, to be exact. Despite that, the unit was still a Joe Moore Award semifinalist. You’ve gotta respect a group that can lose its entire starting five to the NFL and still pave the way for a ground game that averaged over 210 yards per match.
The Sherrone Moore situation and the Biff Poggi era
Honestly, you can't talk about the ranking without talking about the drama. In a move that shocked everyone just before the bowl game, Sherrone Moore was fired for cause on December 10. The university cited an "inappropriate relationship with a staff member," which basically nuked the team’s stability right as they were supposed to be prepping for Texas.
Biff Poggi stepped in as the interim for the Citrus Bowl. It was a weird, disjointed end to a season that started with so much promise. When the u of m football ranking fluctuated between No. 14 and No. 25 all year, it was clear that the off-field noise was a massive weight on the locker room.
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Analyzing the 9-4 record and the schedule from hell
Michigan didn't have the luxury of a "cupcake" schedule this year. They opened at No. 14, but then they had to travel to Norman to play No. 18 Oklahoma in Week 2. They lost 24–13. That early loss was a precursor for a season where they played three current top-15 teams before October was even over.
The high point? Definitely the four-game win streak in the middle of the Big Ten slate. They took down Michigan State 31–20 in East Lansing, keeping the Paul Bunyan Trophy in Ann Arbor for the fourth straight year. That win actually pushed the u of m football ranking back up to No. 15 briefly before the late-season slide.
- The Ohio State Game: For the first time since 2019, Michigan lost "The Game." It was a 27–9 defeat at Michigan Stadium. It hurt. It also effectively ended any hope of a sneak-in playoff berth.
- The Running Back Room: Justice Haynes and Jordan Marshall were the absolute lifeblood of this team. Haynes led the Big Ten in rushing before his injury at USC, and Marshall finished with 932 yards and 10 scores.
- Bryce Underwood's Debut: The freshman QB threw for 2,229 yards. He had his "freshman moments," sure, but you could see the future in his 15-yard laser to Marlin Klein against New Mexico.
Why the defense is still elite (mostly)
If there’s one reason Michigan stayed in the top 25 at all, it was the defense. Under Don "Wink" Martindale, the unit allowed just 20.4 points per game. That ranked 29th nationally, which isn't "2023 levels" of dominance, but it kept them in games they had no business being in.
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Derrick Moore was a monster off the edge, and Jimmy Rolder stepped up at linebacker with 69 tackles. They basically held the fort while the offense tried to figure out its identity with a freshman quarterback. The u of m football ranking stayed respectable mostly because nobody wanted to play this defense in a dark alley.
What this means for 2026 and beyond
So, is No. 18 a failure? It depends on who you ask. If you're comparing it to the 15–0 run, yeah, it’s a letdown. But looking at the 2026 recruiting rankings—where Michigan currently has a top-5 class headlined by stars like Corey Sadler and Samson Gash—there’s a feeling that 2025 was just a transition year.
The program is currently searching for a new head coach to replace the Moore/Poggi era. The u of m football ranking in the 2026 preseason polls will likely depend entirely on who they hire. If they land a big name, expect them to jump back into the top 10 immediately. If they go with another internal hire or a "project" coach, they might hover in that 15–20 range for a while.
Actionable steps for Michigan fans right now
Stop checking the 2025 polls; they’re set in stone. If you want to know where the program is actually headed, keep an eye on these three things:
- The Transfer Portal: Michigan needs a veteran presence at wide receiver to help Andrew Marsh. Watch for any portal entries from the SEC following their spring ball.
- The Coaching Search: The next three weeks are critical. The boosters are restless, and the university needs a "home run" hire to maintain recruiting momentum.
- Spring Ball Progress: Bryce Underwood is the guy. His development from Year 1 to Year 2 will be the single biggest factor in whether the u of m football ranking returns to the single digits next November.
The 2025 season was a wild, messy, occasionally brilliant, and ultimately frustrating chapter in Michigan history. Ending at No. 18 feels about right. It’s high enough to show the floor of this program is still incredibly high, but low enough to serve as a wake-up call that the post-Harbaugh era requires a more stable foundation.