Fansided

College football rankings 2018: FanSided preseason Top 25

By Connor Muldowney

NEW ORLEANS, LA - JANUARY 01: Alabama Crimson Tide running back Damien Harris (34) runs with the football during the College Football Playoff Semifinal at the Allstate Sugar Bowl between the Alabama Crimson Tide and Clemson Tigers on January 1, 2018, at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome in New Orleans, LA. (Photo by Robin Alam/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
NEW ORLEANS, LA - JANUARY 01: Alabama Crimson Tide running back Damien Harris (34) runs with the football during the College Football Playoff Semifinal at the Allstate Sugar Bowl between the Alabama Crimson Tide and Clemson Tigers on January 1, 2018, at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome in New Orleans, LA. (Photo by Robin Alam/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
16 of 26
Next
ANN ARBOR, MI – SEPTEMBER 16: Rashan Gary #3 of the Michigan Wolverines warms up prior to the start of the game against the Air Force Falcons at Michigan Stadium on September 16, 2017 in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Michigan defeated Air Force Falcons 29-13. (Photo by Leon Halip/Getty Images)
ANN ARBOR, MI – SEPTEMBER 16: Rashan Gary #3 of the Michigan Wolverines warms up prior to the start of the game against the Air Force Falcons at Michigan Stadium on September 16, 2017 in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Michigan defeated Air Force Falcons 29-13. (Photo by Leon Halip/Getty Images) /

Two third place finishes and a fourth. That’s all Jim Harbaugh has been able to muster in the Big Ten East since joining the Michigan Wolverines in 2015. However, this team seems different.

Unfortunately, this uber-talented squad will have arguably the toughest schedule in the nation which features road games against rivals Michigan State, Notre Dame and Ohio State and also battles with Northwestern away from home, Wisconsin and Penn State in Ann Arbor. To say there are eight “sure-wins” on the schedule would be a blatant lie.

Michigan does have the talent to overcome the brutal schedule and, believe it or not, Harbaugh is still an elite head coach.

The defense, led by Don Brown, will be scary again and it’ll likely finish the season ranked No. 1 in the Big Ten in most categories. Eight starters return, the defensive backfield is crazy-good, the defensive line is loaded and the linebackers boast two potential All-Americans.

The question mark is geared more toward the offense. Will Ole Miss transfer Shea Patterson solve the Wolverines’ offensive woes? It’s possible, but the offensive line must improve from a horrid 2017.

Tarik Black and Donovan Peoples-Jones can be a deadly wide receiver duo and Karan Higdon and Chris Evans are a strong backfield pair.