Michigan Climbs to No. 2 in the AP Poll

Jim Harbaugh needed only 20 games as Michigan’s head coach to take the Wolverines to a place they had not been in a decade.

The Wolverines rose one spot to No. 2 in this week’s AP poll after their 41-8 rout of Illinois on Saturday. This is the highest that they have been ranked in the AP poll since they were No. 2 in 2006 en route to their undefeated showdown with Ohio State.

However, there will not be an undefeated showdown with Ohio State in 2016 because the Buckeyes were stunned by Penn State, 24-21, in Happy Valley. It was Ohio State’s loss that made the way for Michigan to move to No. 2, just one spot behind Alabama.

AP Top 25 Poll (Week 9)

(1) Alabama (60)
(2) Michigan (1)
(3) Clemson
(4) Washington
(5) Louisville
(6) Ohio State
(7) Nebraska
(8) Baylor
(9) Texas A&M
(10) West Virginia
(11) Wisconsin
(12) Florida State
(13) Boise State
(14) Florida
(15) Auburn
(16) Oklahoma
(17) Utah
(18) Tennessee
(19) LSU
(20) Western Michigan
(21) North Carolina
(22) Navy
(23) Colorado
(24) Penn State
(25) Virginia Tech