Everybody has to start from somewhere. With transfer portal activity having slowed down for the most part, FanDuel Sportsbook has released its latest national championship and Heisman Trophy odds for next season, as well as a select few games to start the campaign. Michigan was definitely a part of the first two. With Kyle Whittingham taking over, he has a chance to make some major noise.
Here are the latest national championship odds from FanDuel Sportsbook. Look at where Michigan is.
- Notre Dame Fighting Irish: +650
- Ohio State Buckeyes: +700
- Texas Longhorns: +700
- Indiana Hoosiers: +700
- Oregon Ducks: +950
- Georgia Bulldogs: +1100
- Miami Hurricanes: +1300
- Texas Tech Red Raiders: +1400
- LSU Tigers: +1600
- Texas A&M Aggies: +1600
- Alabama Crimson Tide: +2700
- Ole Miss Rebels: +3500
- Oklahoma Sooners: +3500
- USC Trojans: +3500
- Michigan Wolverines: +4000
This would imply Michigan could be seen as underdogs in four of its games this upcoming season. With the 15th best odds to win it all and the fifth best in the Big Ten, what does it mean for Michigan? It unfortunately means that Michigan is not expected to make the College Football Playoff this year. From there, we could resonably expect Michigan would be one of the first four teams out this season.
Based on FanDuel's latest national title odds, here is what the 12-team playoff field would look like.
- Notre Dame Fighting Irish (Projected national independent at-large)
- Ohio State Buckeyes (Projected Big Ten champion)
- Texas Longhorns (Projected SEC champion)
- Indiana Hoosiers (Projected Big Ten runner-up)
- Oregon Ducks (Projected Big Ten at-large)
- Georgia Bulldogs (Projected SEC runner-up)
- Miami Hurricanes (Projected ACC champion)
- Texas Tech Red Raiders (Projected Big 12 champion)
- LSU Tigers (Projected SEC at-large)
- Texas A&M Aggies (Projected SEC at-large)
- Alabama Crimson Tide (Projected SEC at-large)
- Projected Group of Five winner
And with all that, this means Michigan would be one of the first four teams out of the playoff field...
- 13. Ole Miss Rebels (SEC)
- 14. Oklahoma Sooners (SEC)
- 15. USC Trojans (Big Ten)
- 16. Michigan Wolverines (Big Ten)
With these newfound odds, what can we actually glean from this for Michigan and its competition?
Michigan will have to make up some serious ground to make the playoff
At this stage of the game, even the surest of bets to make the playoff are far from guarantees. This past offseason, everybody and their brother were certain teams like Clemson, Notre Dame, Penn State, and Texas would all make the field. None of them made it back after reaching it in 2024... Of the teams with better odds than Michigan, who are among the safest of contenders to make the playoff?
To date, Georgia, Indiana, Ohio State, and Oregon are the only programs to make it both years in a 12-team format. For the sake of argument, let's say those four make it three years in a row. Notre Dame and Texas are among the best picks to make it back after a year's absence. It is more likely than not they will make it in. That gives us six. As for Miami and Texas Tech, who else is winning their leagues?
With eight teams there, plus the Group of Five champion to make it nine, we are really only looking at three spots available for the time being. We still have to play the season out first. Between Alabama, LSU, and Texas A&M, one would think one of them gets in. In that next cluster of teams between Michigan, Oklahoma, Ole Miss, and USC, one of them may make the field as well. Michigan is in this!
Overall, should we factor in a total outside wild card, that would get us to 12. Right now, Michigan seems to be competing with seven teams for one of two, maybe three spots in. For the Wolverines to make the field, they must beat two of the four teams on their schedule with better odds than them in Oklahoma, Indiana, Oregon, and Ohio State. Oklahoma feels like a must-win. Michigan will need luck.
Ultimately, Michigan has the potential resume and opportunity to be either the third or fourth team from the Big Ten to make the field. Since it does not play USC, they cannot impact the Trojans' standings in and around them. Simply, for Michigan to make it, the Wolverines must hope for teams like Oklahoma, Ole Miss, and honestly, Indiana, to pull back in some capacity next football season.
The pathway to making the field is certainly there, but so many other dominoes will have to fall first.