Michigan comes in at No. 2 in preseason AP Poll

The preseason AP Poll is out and Michigan will start the year ranked No. 2 in the country. It is tied for the Wolverines’ highest ever preseason ranking — they were also No. 2 in 1991 — as they pursue their third straight Big Ten title and College Football Playoff appearance.

The Wolverines come in behind the two-time defending National Champion Georgia Bulldogs and just in front of hated rival Ohio State. The Wolverines picked up two first place votes and finished 90 points ahead of the Buckeyes, who received one first place vote.

The Bulldogs led the way with 60 first place votes and 1,572 points, 82 more than the Wolverines. The Bulldogs, Wolverines and Buckeyes were the only three teams to pick up first place votes.

Alabama came in at No. 4, just two points behind the Buckeyes. The Crimson Tide’s SEC West rival LSU rounded out a top-five consisted of three SEC teams and two Big Ten teams.

USC is No. 6 and joined Washington (No. 10) as the only two Pac-12 schools in the top-10. Utah and Oregon are No. 14 and 15, respectively, while Oregon State is ranked 18th to give the Pac-12 five teams in the top-20.

Penn State joined Michigan and Ohio State in the top-10, as they came in at No. 7, one spot behind the Trojans.

Wisconsin and Iowa were the only other two Big Ten schools to crack the top-25. Wisconsin starts the year at No. 19, while the Hawkeyes, who have a couple of former Wolverines on their team in Cade McNamara and Erick All, rounded out the top-25.

Tulane is the only Group of Five team to make the top-25, as it is ranked 24th after its surprising run last year.

The SEC leads the way in the preseason poll with six teams, while the Big Ten and Pac-12 both have five.