CFB Prediction 2024: No. 8 Michigan has Challenging Path to Repeat

· Aug 21 - 6 minutes read

Michigan needs to replace many of its top offensive players and four of the top five tacklers off the national championship team.
The Wolverines are currently the underdog against Texas, Oregon and Ohio State after being favored in all 15 games last season.
With Jim Harbaugh returning to the NFL, Sherrone Moore takes over as the head coach for a Michigan team looking to return to the College Football Playoffs.
Check out the reasons why Michigan is at No. 8 in the BetUS list of the Top 25 college football teams in 2024.

It has been quite the preseason for the reigning national champion Michigan Wolverines. Michigan led all college programs with 13 players being selected in the 2024 NFL Draft, including quarterback J.J. McCarthy and running back Blake Corum. Head coach Jim Harbaugh also headed to the NFL to coach the Los Angeles Chargers.

CFB Prediction 2024: No. 8 Michigan has Challenging Path to Repeat — Donovan Edwards #7 of the Michigan Wolverines celebrates with Colston Loveland | Maddie Meyer/Getty Images/AFP

Michigan was also hit with some penalties for violating NCAA rules but that did not include a bowl ban, so the NCAAF odds still has Michigan among the contenders to return to the College Football Playoffs.

Michigan is priced at +150 in the college football odds to make the College Football Playoffs. They are tied for 10th at +3000 in the odds of winning the national championship.

Michigan also has +105 odds to go over nine wins during the regular season. If Michigan takes care of business in the eight games against unranked teams, the Wolverines would need to win two of the four matchups with ranked squads to win 10 games in the first season with Sherrone Moore as Michigan’s head coach.

Michigan is behind rival Ohio State, conference newcomer Oregon and Penn State in the odds of winning the Big Ten title. Michigan was also fourth in the Big Ten preseason media poll.

Michigan is ninth in the Associated Press poll. Michigan received a first-place vote and came in eighth in the American Football Coaches Association poll. The BetUS Top 25 countdown has Michigan at No. 8.

Michigan Wolverines at a Glance

2023 record: 15-0
2023 Big Ten Record: 9-0
Head coach: Sherrone Moore
Odds To Win Big Ten: +800

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Plenty of New Faces on Offense for Defending Champions

Donovan Edwards is back to lead the ground game and only three running backs have shorter Heisman Trophy odds. Edwards averaged 7.1 yards per carry as he rushed for 991 yards and seven touchdowns as a sophomore. The numbers weren’t as impressive last season. The sportsbook odds have Edwards is tied with Kyle Monangai of Rutgers with the shortest odds of +400 to lead the Big Ten in rushing yards.

Michigan RB Donovan Edwards will be firmly in the Heisman conversation this season. 💯 pic.twitter.com/lLovBWHfgd

— Sam Block (@theblockspot) August 19, 2024

He will be running behind a rebuilt offensive line.

In a conference loaded with quarterbacks among the top Heisman Trophy contenders, it is uncertain who will be the No. 1 QB at Michigan. Jack Tuttle, Jayden Denegal and Davis Warren all threw passes for Michigan last season while Alex Orji carried the ball 15 times.

Tight end Colston Loveland was second on the Wolverines with 649 receiving yards. New faces will have to emerge at wide receiver.

Cornerback Will Johnson, defensive linemen Kenneth Grant and Mason Graham all return on defense, but four of the top five tacklers left for the NFL.

Michigan had a top-20 recruiting class with offensive tackle Andrew Sprague the lone top-100 recruit signed by the Wolverines. The Wolverines weren’t very active working the transfer portal.

Maryland linebacker Jaishawn Barham (he had a season-high seven tackles against Michigan last season), Northwestern offensive lineman Josh Priebe, Louisville safety Wesley Walker, Youngstown State receiver CJ Charleston, Albany cornerback Aamir Hall, UNLV cornerback Ricky Johnson and Michigan State safety Jaden Mangham are the top incoming transfers.

Impressive pursuit speed from former Maryland linebacker Jaishawn Barham (#1)… ends by helicoptering Michigan running back Donovan Edwards.

Funny enough, Barham transferred to the Wolverines this offseason. Ton or athletic upside. Will need to put it together in 2024. pic.twitter.com/7p99cUt3TO

— Ryan Roberts (@RiseNDraft) May 28, 2024

Safeties Keon Sabb and DJ Waller, linebacker Jeremiah Beasley, cornerback Cameron Calhoun and receiver Darrius Clemons top the list of players transferring out of Michigan.

Bet On Kyle Monangai With The Shortest Odds Rushing Yards (-115)

Michigan 2024 Betting Outlook

While the college football spread has Michigan favored by 21½ points in the season opener against Fresno State, things could be interesting in Week 2 when Texas comes to Ann Arbor. It will be the first time since a 2011 matchup with Notre Dame that Michigan will be an underdog at home in a non-conference game.

Michigan’s last loss to a non-conference team during the regular season came in 2018 against Notre Dame. The last non-conference loss at home was to Utah in 2014. The Texas contest is one of four against ranked teams this season.

While there is no game with Penn State this season, Michigan plays host to Oregon on Nov. 2 and four weeks later hits the road to face Ohio State. The Wolverines could be a double-digit underdog in that game and that hasn’t happened since 2017. There is also a rematch of the national championship game when Michigan plays at Washington.

Michigan was favored by the college football spread in every game last season. That is not the case in 2024. The Wolverines tied for the Big Ten lead by covering in nine games during the 2023 season. The Wolverines covered in four of the five road games.

Bet on Michigan Wolverines ( +3000) To Win the NCAAF Championship