The Michigan football team was never ranked lower than No. 2 in the AP Poll for the entirety of the 2023 season, as the Wolverines opened the season in the second position and went undefeated all the way through the national championship game as they finished atop the rankings with the team's first national championship in a quarter century.

This time around, U-M will need to climb a bit if it is to make it back to the same spot: The Maize and Blue opened the season No. 9 in the inaugural preseason AP Poll released Monday, 19 days before it is set to kickoff its first season under head coach Sherrone Moore under the lights on Aug. 31 (7:30 p.m., NBC) vs. Fresno State. And Moore's former boss, Jim Harbaugh, will be there as an honorary captain in what should be a wild atmosphere inside Michigan Stadium.

This is the fifth time the Wolverines have opened the season in the top 10 since 2012; Michigan was No. 8 in 2012, No. 7 in 2016, No. 7 in 2019 and No. 8 in 2022 when it went undefeated in the regular season and went to the College Football Playoff.

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The Wolverines checked in last week at No. 8 in the season-opening US LBM Coaches Poll, the lowest a defending national champion has been ranked since Auburn followed its title with a preseason rank of No. 19 in 2011.

As for AP pollsters, they see things pretty much the same way and do not appear to be turned off by the amount of talent the Wolverines have to replace which includes 10 starters on offense — a top-10 drafted quarterback, the most decorated running back in program history, the entire starting offensive line and a pair of senior wide receivers — as well as multiple starters at all three levels of the defense.

Part of the reason for optimism: Michigan returns high-end talent on defense, including projected 2025 top-five draft pick in junior cornerback Will Johnson, a pair of expected first-round defensive tackles in juniors Mason Graham and Kenneth Grant and a preseason Mackey Award nominee as the nation's top tight end, junior Colston Loveland.

[ Michigan fans: Celebrate the 2023 national title with Free Press commemorative books: "Blue Reign" and "Maize & Grand," and check out special wall art of our front page from the morning after the championship win. ]

College football rankings: Preseason

US LBM Coaches Poll

The US LBM preseason Coaches Poll Top 25 includes each team's record from last season in parentheses, the total points based on votes (25 for first place through one point for 25th), their final ranking in last year’s final poll and first-place votes (if any) received.

AP Top 25 Poll

Michigan ranks ninth behind Georgia, Ohio State, Oregon, Texas, Alabama, Ole Miss, Notre Dame and Penn State. Florida State rounds out the AP top 10.

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Michigan football rankings: Where Wolverines stand in AP poll