ESPN Personality Has Michigan As The No. 1 Team In Preseason Ranking
ESPN College GameDay host Rece Davis has had some glowing comments about Michigan football in the past. It appears he still really likes the Wolverines entering the season.
Davis went and spoke on The Paul Finebaum Show on Thursday, and he was asked who he thought was the best team entering the season. Davis told Finebaum – who has had his own thinking on the Wolverines and Jim Harbaugh in the past – that the maize and blue will be his No. 1 team on the preseason ballot. He gives credit to junior J.J. McCarthy, who is expected to have an even better season this year now that he has a full season under his belt as the starter.
“Well, because it’s in the state of Michigan, they’re asking me if Michigan is going to win the national championship … and at least to start the season, and I believe ranking should be very fluid early. I’m going to have Michigan No. 1 in the preseason,” Davis said. “My biggest reason is they are one of the few contenders who have enough everywhere else and a proven quarterback who I believe is going to be much better. He was already good, but I think he’s going to take a giant step forward, J.J. McCarthy this upcoming season.”
But how can you rule out the two-time winning national champions, Georgia? Davis wants to see the Bulldogs’ quarterback play to start the season before he can put them at No. 1. But with Michigan returning three offensive linemen who were a part of the Joe Moore Award-winning offensive line, two stud running backs, and a stout defense – it’s hard not to place Michigan up top.
“Now, if Georgia comes out and shows that they’re locked in at quarterback, then I’m probably going to move the Bulldogs back to No. 1 pretty quickly,” Davis said. “But at least to start, Michigan has offensive linemen and they’ve added to it through the transfer portal. I think they’ll be good enough on defense, they also helped themselves with a pass rusher on defense, McCarthy, and obviously they have two terrific running backs.”
Not only does Michigan return McCarthy, Corum, Edwards, and plenty of others, but the Wolverines' schedule is favorable this season. The Wolverines get Ohio State at home and the away schedule isn’t very daunting. Yeah, playing Minnesota and Nebraska on the road back-to-back weeks could present challenges, but playing Penn State away and it not being a night game makes that battle much less difficult. Michigan also plays Michigan State in East Lansing, but the Spartans don’t appear to have a whole lot this season.
When you combine the pre-existing roster, the incoming transfer class, and when you look at the schedule, it appears Davis is onto something place Michigan at No.1.
