Michigan football is top 5 in College Football Playoff odds

After years of knocking on the door, Michigan football finally broke through its glass ceiling and made the College Football Playoff in 2021. In 2022, the Wolverines won the Big Ten for the second year in a row, earning them yet another playoff berth. However, once again, the Maize and Blue fell short. Heading into the 2023 season, the ESPN Football Power Index gives the Wolverines top 5 odds of making the playoff this season, ranking them at No. 5 with a 25.9% chance of securing a spot in the field of four for the third year in a row.

Michigan football ranks in top 5 College Football Playoff odds heading into the 2023 season

The best chance to make the College Football Playoffs according to ESPN’s FPI System 🏈 pic.twitter.com/a882CriSuK

— College Football Report (@CFBRep) July 2, 2023

It has been an incredible turnaround for Michigan football over the past two seasons, boasting a 25-3 overall record, a 19-1 Big Ten record, two Big Ten titles, two College Football Playoff appearances, and two top 3 finishes. The remaining challenges for Jim Harbaugh and his squad are to win a playoff game and make a run at the national title. With their best roster in years, the Maize and Blue find themselves in a prime position to finally overcome these hurdles.

The ESPN Football Power Index (FPI) is widely regarded as one of the best college football prediction models in the nation. According to the FPI, Michigan football is ranked as the No. 6 team in the nation, trailing behind Texas, Ohio State, LSU, Georgia, and Alabama. The Wolverines also have the 5th best odds of appearing in the College Football Playoff this season. Furthermore, they have the 6th-best odds (10.3%) of making the national title game, which would be a first in program history.

During the 2021 CFP, Michigan football was run out of the building by the Georgia Bulldogs, who went on to destroy Alabama in the title game. A season ago, the Wolverines fell just short against TCU, who then lost to the Bulldogs 65-7 in the title game two weeks later. Although Michigan football has a 0-2 record in the College Football Playoff so far, the Wolverines are determined to change that during the upcoming season and appear poised to do so.

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