Among the college football coaches who left Michigan off their final coaches poll ballot was former Wolverines coach Rich Rodriguez.
Michigan football officially finished at No. 22 in US LBM Coaches Poll for the 2025 season, but the final ballots reveal some interesting opinion FBS coaches have about the Wolverines.
Michigan appeared on 45 of the final 62 ballots submitted by coaches, all in the Nos. 15-25 range as the 9-4 Wolverines missed out on the College Football Playoff and finished the season with a Citrus Bowl loss to Texas (who finished at No. 13 in the final poll). Among the coaches who voted Michigan the highest were Indiana coach (and national champion) Curt Cignetti, who placed the Wolverines and No. 17, and Wisconsin coach Luke Fickell, who placed the Wolverines at No. 15.
But it's the coaches who didn't include Michigan on their final ballot that may be more interesting.
Among the coaches who didn't include the Wolverines in their top 25 was former Michigan coach and current West Virginia coach Rich Rodriguez, who coached Michigan from 2008-10. Also leaving the Wolverines off his list was Western Michigan coach Lance Taylor, who put his own team at No. 22 and was one of only two coaches to put the Broncos on their ballot.
The other was New Mexico coach Jason Eck, who listed the Broncos at No. 25 and left the Wolverines off entirely. New Mexico lost to Michigan 34-17 to open the 2025 season.
Michigan coach Kyle Whittingham, who coached at Utah in the 2025 season, did not submit a ballot. Neither Michigan State coach Pat Fitzgerald nor former Michigan State coach Jonathan Smith submitted a ballot, though former Penn State coach James Franklin submitted a ballot on behalf of the Nittany Lions (he placed Michigan at No. 19).
Meanwhile, Ohio State coach Ryan Day voted Michigan at No. 23, one spot below where the Wolverines finished overall. Unsurprisingly, Michigan State did not appear on any ballots.
Need to catch up on the news during your lunch break? Sign up for our Sports Briefing newsletter to get daily summaries of Detroit sports!
You can reach Christian at [email protected].
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Michigan left off final ballot by WMU coach, ranks his Broncos instead
Category: General Sports
