17 coaches leave Michigan football off final ballot, 2 rank WMU higher

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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 (which 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 at 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 those to leave off the Wolverines from their ballot was former Michigan coach and current West Virginia coach Rich Rodriguez, who coached Michigan from 2008-10.

Also leaving the Wolverines was Western Michigan coach Lance Taylor, who put his own team at No. 22, 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 have a ballot. Neither did new Michigan State coach Pat Fitzgerald nor former MSU coach Jonathan Smith, though former Penn State coach James Franklin submitted a ballot and placed Michigan at No. 19. Franklin is now coach at Virginia Tech.

Ohio State coach Ryan Day put Michigan at No. 23, one spot below where the Wolverines finished overall.

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You can reach Christian at cromo@freepress.com.

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Michigan left off final ballot by WMU coach, ranks his Broncos instead

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