The Wolverines dropped to No. 23 in the latest AP poll after their 24-13 loss to Oklahoma on Saturday. But college football analyst Josh Pate thinks they shouldn’t be ranked at all.
“I got no clue why Michigan’s ranked right now,” Pate said on his show. “Yeah, I do. They were ranked in the preseason, so we can’t drop them too far.”
Michigan’s Offense Struggles in Norman
Freshman quarterback Bryce Underwood completed just 9 of 24 passes for 142 yards against the Sooners. He threw no touchdowns and no interceptions, but missed several chances to keep drives alive.
Donaven McCulley caught three passes for 91 yards, including a 53-yard gain. Beyond that, Michigan’s passing attack was basically nonexistent.
Justice Haynes carried the offense with 19 rushes for 125 yards and the team’s only touchdown. His 75-yard scoring run provided the lone highlight for Michigan.
Take away that breakaway run, and the Wolverines managed just 63 yards on the ground. They finished with 288 total yards and were shut out in three of four quarters.
Defense Couldn’t Get Key Stops
Michigan forced two turnovers but still couldn’t slow down Oklahoma when it mattered. Sooners quarterback John Mateer threw for 270 yards and ran for two touchdowns.
Receiver Deion Burks caught seven passes for 101 yards and a score.
The loss dropped Michigan to 1-1 on the season.
Resume Questions
Pate’s criticism isn’t just about losing to a ranked opponent on the road. It’s about what Michigan has actually accomplished this season.
“They played New Mexico and it was a real blah effort and then they got beat by double digits yesterday in Oklahoma,” Pate explained. “That’s it. That’s their body of work right now.”
Meanwhile, several unranked teams have stronger resumes through two weeks.
Vanderbilt is 2-0 after beating Virginia Tech 44-20 and holding the Hokies under 250 total yards.
Georgia Tech won on the road at Colorado and rushed for more than 300 yards in the process.
USC has scored over 130 points across two blowout victories.
“They’re sitting there ranked and Vandy’s not,” Pate said. “They’re sitting there ranked and Georgia Tech’s not. They’re sitting there ranked and USC is not.”
What’s Next for Michigan
The Wolverines face their first Big Ten opponents in the coming weeks. If Underwood and the passing game don’t improve quickly, Haynes’ big-play ability won’t be enough to keep them competitive.
And if voters keep rewarding name recognition over actual performance, Michigan could stay ranked for reasons that have nothing to do with what’s happening on the field.
