Michigan 2023 college football futures odds: Bettors all over Wolverines to end national title drought, J.J. McCarthy to win Heisman Trophy

College football's preseason coaches' poll came out last week and Michigan was ranked No. 2 in the country behind two-time reigning national champion Georgia. The AP poll comes out today and should be rather similar. No projected preseason top-25 team is taking more action at one sportsbook to win the national title than the Wolverines, and bettors are also in on quarterback J.J. McCarthy to win the 2023 Heisman Trophy.

Michigan is the two-time reigning Big Ten champion, upsetting Ohio State in both years in the regular-season finale before then stomping a weak West Division team in the conference title game. However, Michigan was beaten in the College Football Playoff semifinals in each year, first by Georgia and then by TCU in an embarrassing upset.

It's always tough these days to project returning starters because of the availability of the transfer portal, but earlier this year ESPN ranked Michigan has having the fifth-most total production back from last season at 81%, led by McCarthy. Coach Jim Harbaugh doesn't count as returning production, but is also back after another flirtation with the NFL. The coach at one point was staring at a potential four-game suspension for recruiting violations, but is now expected to be available for the full season unless further developments arise.

At BetMGM, Michigan opened at +1000 to win the  national title and is down to +800. It is taking the most tickets (16.2%) and money (20.2%) of any realistic contender. The last time Michigan won it all was way back in 1997. No Big Ten school has claimed the title since Ohio State did so after the 2014 season, the first year of the College Football Playoff. The only school taking more action overall is Colorado. That's largely the Deion Sanders Effect, but the Buffalos have no shot this season.

USC quarterback Caleb Williams remains the +500 favorite to repeat as the Heisman winner, but McCarthy has moved from +2500 to +1800 thanks to taking the highest handle at the book of 7.9%, just ahead of Williams (7.7%). McCarthy is third in tickets at 6.8%. He wasn't even the official starter entering 2022, as he first had to beat out 2021 starter Cade McNamara. He did, and McNamara has since transferred to Iowa.

McCarthy appeared in all 14 games and started the final 13, completing 208 of his 322 pass attempts for 2,719 yards (No. 8 in UM history) with 22 touchdowns (tied for sixth) and five interceptions. He added 306 rushing yards with five touchdowns and was named the team's Offensive Player of the Year and second-team All-Big Ten by the media.

Michigan opens at home vs. East Carolina on Sept. 2 and will should not be seriously tested until Sept. 30 at Nebraska, and even that may be a stretch. The Wolverines' playoff chances will likely come down to three games, as they often do: Michigan State (Oct. 21 in East Lansing), Penn State (Nov. 11 in Happy Valley) and Ohio State (Nov. 25 in Ann Arbor). Michigan is set at over/under 10.5 regular-season wins and taking a heavy Over lean, as one would imagine.

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