I barely care where UM is ranked pre-season, but I hate how much schedule is factored in various pre-season rankings and assessments…

Posted on August 25, 2026 at 03:44:26 PM by Craig

I just read a blurb explaining why Michigan is the most overrated B10 team. It began by clarifying that Michigan will be very good this year. “But the schedule!”

I don’t think that word (overrated) means what you think it means! The goal of a preseason ranking should not be to predict the final AP poll. It should be to try to rank the teams based on how good we think they are going to be.

If you want to predict the 12 playoff teams, then do that. And yeah, schedule matters.

Back to the board

Thread:

I barely care where UM is ranked pre-season, but I hate how much schedule is factored in various pre-season rankings and assessments… - By Craig August 25, 2026 at 03:44:26 PM
- Agree - what kills me is the people that complain about teams not playing anyone - By y2wolv August 25, 2026 at 05:01:48 PM
- Yep. PSU could be horrible this year and go 9-3.* - By LS&Play August 25, 2026 at 03:48:54 PM
  - Notre Dame plays an insanely weak schedule. Embarrasingly so. To Hell with Notre Dame. * - By Spirit August 25, 2026 at 04:15:44 PM
    - ND 9-3 this year should be a Freeman firing. Worst schedule I’ve ever seen.* - By LS&Play August 25, 2026 at 04:21:10 PM
      - Miami at home in Nov. Ridiculous * - By crumbs August 25, 2026 at 04:26:41 PM
        
        Double digit favorite at home. They don’t have a single digit spread all year unless BYU overperforms in a big way.* - By LS&Play August 25, 2026 at 04:33:44 PM
- I don't even look at the rankings until about 4 weeks in* - By Rich August 25, 2026 at 03:48:23 PM

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I barely care where UM is ranked pre-season, but I hate how much schedule is factored in various pre-season rankings and assessments…