Preseason rankings are fun.
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That is especially the case when a program is transformed seemingly overnight, and the Michigan Wolverines fit that description under Jim Harbaugh. Expectations are wide-ranging for the program in Harbaugh's first season, but even as some projections were low on the Wolverines in the early going, things are beginning to trend upward.
Earlier in the week, a high-profile projection system hinted at an 8-win season for Michigan, and on Wednesday, Bill Connelly of SB Nation released a top 128 that treated Harbaugh's team in a favorable light. While the rankings did not go into great deal on Michigan specifically, Connelly placed Michigan at number 29 overall and as the number four team in the Big Ten, trailing Ohio State (1), Michigan State (11) and Wisconsin (21).
As part of the rankings, Michigan landed in the a tier alongside 16 other programs and the group was labeled in a way that suggested that "a top-15 performance would not be surprising". That is, of course, a high bar for Harbaugh and company as they debut, but if Jake Rudock can stabilize the quarterback position and Michigan's defense repeats a strong 2014 effort, it isn't unreasonable to think there is that type of upside.
To be fair, Michigan still lands third among teams in the Big Ten East, and no one is picking the Wolverines ahead of Ohio State and/or Michigan State. Still, this is arguably the highest projection yet, and the buzz continues to build as the team operates in the "submarine" of training camp.
