1. Denard Robinson, quarterback (football)
No surprise here. And at this rate, Denard has the No. 1 spot locked until the end of 2010. Entering Saturday's game against Bowling Green, he had outgained 10 teams ranked in the top-25 by himself — while completing 70-percent of his passes. After garnering almost 200 more yards against the Falcons in the game’s first nine minutes, he’s a sure bet for the top spot on a lot of lists. With the more physical Big Ten season looming, the only concern is that Shoelace seems to take at least one big hit per game that makes Michigan fans everywhere cringe.

2. Lexi Zimmerman, setter (women’s volleyball)
Michigan coach Mark Rosen says Zimmerman is the best volleyball player to ever wear a Michigan uniform, and that alone could earn her a spot in the rankings. But she broke the Wolverines’ all-time assists record on Friday against Iowa. The record was previously set by Linnea Mendoza, who held the program record of 5,072 assists for the past 13 years. Zimmerman has also led No. 19 Michigan to a 13-1 start and she could surpass the Big Ten assists mark later this season.

3. Lion Kim (men’s golf)
Not only does he have one of the best names of any Michigan student-athlete ever, but in July Kim also earned a trip to Augusta. No, he doesn’t have tickets to witness a full round at Amen Corner (which would be pretty cool, anyway). He qualified to play at the 2011 Masters — something that hasn’t been done by a Wolverine in 71 years. Kim is truly one of Michigan’s unsung stars. In 2009, he led the team to its first NCAA Final Four appearance since 1968. Oh, and by the way, he drilled a 45-foot par putt on the 18th hole at Tuesday’s Windon Memorial to capture his first-ever collegiate victory.

4. Soony Saad, forward (men’s soccer)
Soony — the younger brother of teammate Hamoody — is on fire to start his freshman year. At one point last week, he led the entire nation with seven goals in his first eight games, highlighted by a hat trick in a thrilling 3-2 overtime win against Kentucky. But while the newly formed Ultras may be making some Denard comparisons, Soony’s impressive start is not nearly as impressive as Denard’s. Because as far as I know, Soony’s shoes were tied for all seven of his goals.

5. Michigan offensive line
Here are Michigan’s team rushing totals from the win against Bowling Green: 56 carries, 467 yards and seven touchdowns. I have a hunch that the offensive line had something to do with those mind-boggling numbers, so the entire unit earns a spot on this list. They made anyone who touched the ball look like Walter Payton. And, yes, maybe Bowling Green’s defense also helps make every runner look like Walter Payton. But the offense is averaging 41.3 points per game. So the offensive line deserves credit for the passing and rushing attacks clicking on all cylinders. Denard often talks about how crucial the linemen have been to the offense's success, and it's tough not to agree.

6. Nkem Ezurike, forward (women’s soccer)
Ezurike had two goals and one assist in Michigan’s Dedication game on Sept. 18 in front of a record crowd. She also provided an equalizing goal in a 2-2 draw to help Michigan avoid a loss to Toledo a week earlier. The football team suffered an embarrassing 13-10 defeat at the hands of the Rockets in 2008, and the kicking game was a major reason for the loss. So the kicking game sure could have used her help against Toledo in that game. On second thought, the football team could use her help in the kicking game this weekend at Indiana.

7. Jordan Kovacs, safety (football)
Kovacs has been a pleasant surprise in an otherwise disappointing Wolverine secondary. He has already registered 35 tackles, an interception, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery. Granted, while some of the tackles have occurred 20 or 30 yards past the line of scrimmage, the former walk-on seems to be more a part of the solution than part of the problem for defensive coordinator Greg Robinson and the struggling Michigan defense.

8. Jason Jung (men’s tennis)
Jung — the 25th-ranked player in the nation — earned Most Outstanding Player honors at the Cliffs’ NCAA Tennis Classic after going 4-0 in singles play.