Michigan Sneaks Back Into Top 25 After Impressive Win Over Washington

Just one week after Michigan fell out of the AP Poll Top 25 rankings for the first time in 2025, the voters slotted the Wolverines right back into the list, sneaking them in at the No. 25 spot.

Michigan played polished football on both sides of the ball Saturday against Washington. A top 20 team in the nation when it comes to total yards of offense, the Huskies scored just seven points against a staunch Wolverines defense. 

Washington’s only points came in the final minute of the first half, and was held to zero points and just 62 yards in the second half. Huskies quarterback Demond Williams Jr.’s three interceptions certainly didn’t hurt Michigan, either, as Washington could never truly get into a rhythm.

Even with junior running back Justice Haynes not playing, sophomore running back Jordan Marshall had an outstanding game, rushing for 133 yards and a touchdown. Freshman quarterback Bryce Underwood also had a great day, throwing 21-for-27 for 230 yards and two touchdowns.

Ohio State continues its reign over the top spot after a convincing 34-0 victory over Wisconsin. Louisville pulled off a big upset over then-No. 2 Miami, bumping the Cardinals into the poll at No. 19 and forcing the Hurricanes to drop to No. 9.

The Big Ten once again holds the top 2 positions, as Indiana rises to No. 2 in the country after Miami’s loss. Alabama rounds out the top 3 after beating then-No. 22, now-No. 17 Tennessee.

Here are the complete AP Poll Top 25 rankings for Week 9:

Other teams receiving votes: Southern Cal, Utah, Tulane, Houston, Navy, San Diego St., James Madison, Boise St., TCU, Minnesota

Michigan’s next opponent is bitter in-state rival Michigan State. While this matchup may be immensely important when it comes to pride, the Spartans don’t offer a ton of opportunity for the Wolverines to prove their worth.

After starting 3-0, Michigan State has come apart at the seams. The Spartans are now 0-4 in Big Ten play and are allowing the third-most yards per game in the conference at 416.5. They are in a bad spot as a program, and Michigan should have no problem handling business in East Lansing.

Still, a lopsided victory is the expectation for Michigan, so even if the Wolverines run the Spartans out of their own stadium, they won’t see too big of a jump in the rankings. If Michigan loses, however, its playoff hopes are out of the window.

Ignoring the large cultural importance of the rivalry and focusing simply on season implications, the Wolverines don’t have much to gain, and a whole lot to lose next Saturday night. In order to keep the season alive, Michigan will need to handle business. 

The Wolverines are a 13.5-point favorites as of this writing, according to DraftKings. Rivalry games are always prone to surprises, especially when played at night in a hostile environment, but Michigan should have little problems against the Spartans.

You can hear the call of the game when Michigan takes on Michigan State on Oct. 25, on 94.7 WCSX. Here’s the full Michigan football schedule.