Next Michigan Coach Odds: Top Candidates to Replace Jim Harbaugh in Ann Arbor

Sherrone Moore is the odds favorite to be the next Michigan football coach

  • 👀After nine years in Ann Arbor, Jim Harbaugh has left Michigan football to sign a five-year deal with the Los Angeles Chargers.
  • 📈Below, a team of college football experts reveal our exclusive odds to be the next head coach of the Wolverines.
  • 🏈Michigan offensive coordinator Sherrone Moore is the favorite to land the job, followed by many established candidates.

JUST IN: The next Michigan coach odds shifted heavily into Sherrone Moore's favor throughout Thursday evening, moving from +200 to -1200 in our exclusive odds table on this page.

For the first time in nearly a decade, the Michigan Wolverines need a new head football coach after Jim Harbaugh signed a five-year contract with the Los Angeles Chargers.  Ahead of what’s sure to be a busy coaching search, BetMichigan.com broke down the odds on who will replace Harbaugh inside the Big House in 2024 and beyond as the Wolverines look to repeat as champs, odds you won't find just yet at sportsbooks like BetMGM Michigan.

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Odds To Be Next Michigan Head Coach

Coach Position Odds Pct. Chance
Sherrone MooreMichigan OC -120092.3%
Chris KleimanKansas State HC +45002.2%
Lance Leipold Kansas HC +50001.9%
Eli Drinkwitz Missouri HC +25000 0.4%
Matt Campbell Iowa State HC +25000 0.4%
PJ Fleck Minnesota HC +25000 0.4%
Other --- +4500 2.2%

*Odds provided by BetMichigan.com and not available on MI betting apps.

Why Did Jim Harbaugh Leave Michigan?

Harbaugh, who led Michigan to the school’s first outright national championship since 1948 earlier this month, has gone 86-25 in Ann Arbor, reaching the four-team CFP in each of the last two seasons, including this year’s wins over Alabama and Washington. Many believe he reached his mountaintop at U-M. Now, Harbaugh gets to chase the next dream: Winning the Super Bowl he was a possession away from winning a decade ago. 

With the former Stanford and San Francisco 49ers head coach departing for a return to California, it leaves Michigan AD Warde Manuel with a tough decision, and he will have no shortage of quality replacements to choose from. Namely, interim head coach Sherrone Moore, likely the fan favorite for the job across Michigan sports betting.

Who Will Replace Jim Harbaugh In Ann Arbor?

Following the announcement below from the Chargers, Jim Harbaugh is officially gone from Ann Arbor, signing a lucrative five-year deal to rejoin the NFL and chase a Super Bowl.

It’s likely of little surprise but Moore is the commanding favorite to replace his former boss, at +200, while Chris Klieman of Kansas State and Lance Leipold of Kansas come in at +700 apiece. 

If Harbaugh is replaced by his former offensive coordinator, it would mark the second time in his CFB career that such a feat has occurred, with the same thing happening at Stanford in 2011 when David Shaw took over after serving as the Cardinal’s OC between 2007 and 2010. Shaw went on to reach three Rose Bowls between 2012 and 2015 while winning 64% of his games in Palo Alto, with a 96-54 mark with the Pac-12 (and soon-to-be ACC) institution in the Bay Area.  

Other candidates that could replace Harbaugh in Ann Arbor include Eli Drinkwitz of Missouri and Iowa State’s Matt Campbell (+1000 each), while PJ Fleck of Minnesota, Brian Kelly of LSU and current Michigan defensive coordinator Jesse Minter all are listed at +1200.  

What we know right now is that whoever replaces Harbaugh will have to face the burden of heavy expectations, with Michigan listed at +1300 to repeat as CFP champs on Caesars Sportsbook Michigan, ranking in a tie with Ole Miss for sixth nationally behind Georgia (+360), Ohio State (+450), Texas (+850), Alabama and Oregon (+1200 each).  

Get to Know Sherrone Moore

Moore took over for Harbaugh this past season after the head coach was suspended in relation to two different NCAA Investigations, missing Michigan’s first and final three games, with the offensive coordinator going 4-0 in place of the former NFL quarterback (though he only got official credit for 1). Moore’s passion for the job was evident through the season, leading many to speculate that the 37-year Kansas native would be the heir apparent to Harbaugh should he finally get another crack in the pro ranks.  

Author

Christopher Boan

Christopher Boan is a staff writer for BetMichigan.com. He has covered sports and sports betting for more than seven years and has worked for publications such as ArizonaSports.com, the Tucson Weekly and the Green Valley News.

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