Las Vegas places Michigan win total odds at 9.5 for 2022 season

The 2021 season was a special one for Michigan — and not just because the Wolverines beat Ohio State. Expectations are getting set for 2022, and Las Vegas is high on Michigan to have another big year.

The Wolverines’ win total is set at 9.5 for this coming season, according to VegasInsider. That means another big year could be in the cards after Michigan went 12-2 overall in 2021.

It was a busy offseason for the Wolverines, and it started with Jim Harbaugh’s flirtations with the NFL. He notably interviewed with the Minnesota Vikings, and The Wolverine’s Chris Balas reported he was preparing to take the job. Of course, he ended up staying in Ann Arbor, which is a big reason why expectations are so high.

But Michigan has to deal with some big losses, especially on defense. Star EDGE Aidan Hutchinson went to the Detroit Lions as the No. 2 pick in the 2022 NFL Draft and David Ojabo headed to the Baltimore Ravens in the second round. Those are two massive departures considering the two combined for 25.0 sacks and 28.5 tackles for loss.

Also out of the picture on offense is Hassan Haskins, who was the Tennessee Titans’ fourth-round pick. He was the heart and soul of the Michigan rushing attack in 2021, and that’s another loss the Wolverines will have to address.

New additions, returning starters could play major roles for Michigan in 2022

But there are still playmakers coming back, notably at quarterback. Cade McNamara and JJ McCarthy are both coming back after splitting time under center last season, and they’ll mark a big decision for Harbaugh. McNamara was largely the starter last year, but McCarthy looked good when he was on the field.

Blake Corum is also back in the fold at running back and is all but certain to be Haskins’ successor at RB1. The two packed an impressive one-two punch in 2021 before Corum dealt with injuries, but he’ll have the opportunity to be the lead back this season.

Michigan also brought in the No. 9 recruiting class in the country this year, according to the On3 Consensus Team Recruiting Ranking, led by five-star cornerback Will Johnson. Johnson is the No. 16 player in the nation and the top recruit in the state of Michigan, according to the On3 Consensus, a complete and equally weighted industry-generated average that utilizes all four major recruiting media companies. Four-star EDGE Derrick Moore — the No. 37 prospect in the country, according to the On3 Consensus — is also coming in and could help with the losses of Hutchinson and Ojabo.