A week ago, Michigan football coach Brady Hoke said he felt his team was overrated when it landed in the top 15 of both major national polls.

This week, with Michigan coming in at No. 10 in the USA Today coaches poll, Hoke was a little more firm in his assessment of where his team belongs nationally through six games.

"We're not a top 10 team," Hoke said bluntly.

Whether Hoke likes it or not, Michigan is a top 10 team (No. 11 in the AP poll) for the first time since 2007. The Wolverines are 6-0 and unbeaten in Big Ten play, but Hoke refuses to admit that his group has earned the right to be dubbed as one of the nation's elite.

Hoke pointed to Michigan's dangerous habits as reasons why.

Junior quarterback Denard Robinson threw three first-half interceptions against Northwestern last week (and now has nine on the season), before finding a rhythm late in a comeback victory.

Defensively, Michigan allowed Wildcats quarterback Dan Persa to throw for nearly 200 yards before halftime, and three Northwestern option plays resulted in easy touchdowns.

Halftime adjustments were made and the game was won, but it wasn't a walk in the park. For those reasons, and more, Hoke says his group isn't deserving of its lofty ranking.

"Our keys are that we have to improve on how we're playing football, period," said Hoke, who said he wasn't even sure if the Wolverines were worthy of a top 25 ranking at this point. "From a fundamental standpoint, to a toughness standpoint, to how we take care of the football and how we manage the game.

"And, we've got to coach better."

Hoke continued to express how proud he was of his team for sticking together last week, and both he and players have talked at length this season about being better with overall accountability.

But on the field?

Let's just say he's nowhere near impressed just yet.

"We can't be satisfied with anything," Hoke said. "After every game I tell them it's great to win, but there's always a 'but.'

"You'd like to get perfection."

Little opinion on Worthy's anti-UM tattoo
Michigan State defensive tackle Jerel Worthy made waves in East Lansing this summer when he arrived on campus with a brand new arm tattoo.

The tattoo features a Spartan warrior standing on an individual wearing a block "M" helmet.

Hoke's thoughts on Worthy's new body art?

"It's a tattoo," he said. "As a player, I think he's physical and a very good athlete."

Michigan senior center David Molk, who will spend time blocking Worthy this weekend, says he's heard about the tattoo, but hasn't seen it.

"That (sounds) beautiful," Molk said joking. "But I'm not a big tattoo guy. I don't have any."

Barnum's status up in the air
Hoke said that Michigan junior guard Ricky Barnum ran at practice Sunday, but remains a question mark for Michigan State on Saturday.

Barnum has missed Michigan's previous two games after leaving the San Diego State game with an ankle injury. He has been replaced in the lineup both weeks by sophomore Michael Schofield.

Hoke was asked if Barnum was questionable, or if he was expected to play. His reply was cloudy. "I don't know," he said.

Woolfolk banged up, but Countess improving
Michigan senior cornerback Troy Woolfolk played against Northwestern with a much smaller cast on his right hand, but is still "banged up" overall, according to Hoke.

The Michigan coach explained that the decision to play freshman Blake Countess over Woolfolk more in the second half last Saturday was in part because of the senior's health and in part because of the freshman's ability.

"Troy's banged up a little bit, he tweaks his ankle now and then but his hand is getting better," Hoke said. "But Blake is a guy who plays at a high rate. Watch him go down (and cover) a kickoff. He plays at a high rate, plays fast and fundamentally he's pretty sound."

Countess has 18 tackles and a team-high four pass breakups on the season, while Woolfolk has 11 tackles and one pass breakup.

Lewan's exit a confusing one
Asked if sophomore offensive tackle Taylor Lewan was dealing with an injury after exiting the Northwestern game Saturday, Hoke responded with a rather entertaining story.

After finishing a block into the Northwestern sidelines during the second half, Lewan was told by an official to get out of the Wildcat bench area and back onto the playing field.

Lewan interpreted the official's order a different way, though.

"He was over on their sideline and he thought that he had to come out because he thought the official told him to get out," Hoke said. "The official was just telling him to get out of their sidelines.

"I don't know what he thought, but it was funny."

Odds and ends
Molk, an Illinois native, said he has plans to attend Monday's Detroit Lions-Chicago Bears game at Ford Field. And though he said he'll be rooting for his hometown Bears, he's more interested in seeing how the Lions look in primetime. "The Lions are doing great, I want to see what they're about." ... Hoke said the Michigan State "countdown clock" in Schembechler Hall is still operating properly. In fact, Hoke said that he had the clock adjusted to run out at noon Saturday.

Nick Baumgardner covers Michigan sports for AnnArbor.com. He can be reached at 734-623-2514, by email at nickbaumgardner@annarbor.com and followed on Twitter @nickbaumgardner.