Michigan football will begin the home stretch of the regular season with its highest ranking in over a month.

The idle Wolverines moved three spots in this week’s Associated Press Top-25 poll , up to No. 18, with an important three games on deck.

Michigan (7-2, 5-1 Big Ten) made the jump despite not playing, the result of plenty of carnage near the bottom of the rankings. Five of the bottom seven teams in last week’s AP poll either lost or did not play over the weekend, opening the door for teams like Michigan to advance.

MLive’s Aaron McMann, one of 66 media members with a vote in the AP poll, moved Michigan up to No. 20 in his ballot this week.

Meanwhile, the top of the poll saw no change, with the five highest-ranked teams from last week cling to their respective spots. Ohio State

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