Western Michigan vs. Michigan Week 1 college football odds: Cade McNamara beats out JJ McCarthy as starting quarterback for Wolverines

Back in February on the eve of the University of Michigan opening spring football practice, SportsLine posted odds on which quarterback would be Jim Harbaugh's Week 1 starter. Junior Cade McNamara was the -300 favorite with highly touted freshman recruit JJ McCarthy at +220. A lot of UM fans disagreed with those odds, but Harbaugh has indeed named McNamara his guy for the season opener on Sept. 4 vs. Mid-American Conference opponent Western Michigan. Michigan is a 17-point home favorite at Caesars Sportsbook.

Joe Milton was the primary starter for Michigan last year when Harbaugh's team was a massively disappointing 2-4, having its final three games canceled due to COVID. Milton may have lost the job regardless but it proved not to matter as he transferred to Tennessee. McNamara saw action in four games last year and started what would prove to be the season finale vs. Penn State, which UM lost 27-17. McNamara was not good in that one, completing 12-for-25 for just 91 yards.

The week before vs. Penn State, McNamara relieved Milton early vs. Rutgers and was spectacular in completing 27 of 36 for 260 yards and four scores – that completion percentage (75) was a school single-game record among quarterbacks with 36-plus pass attempts. Overall, he finished the year 43-for-71 for 425 yards, five TDs and no picks while also rushing for a score.

McCarthy, meanwhile, was ranked as the No. 5 quarterback in the Class of 2021 by sister-site 247Spots, the highest-rated quarterback signee of the Harbaugh era and Michigan's highest-rated QB signee since Ryan Mallett from the Class of 2007. UM also has Texas Tech transfer Alan Bowman, who could play a role eventually. Harbaugh, a supposed QB whisperer, has not developed QBs well in Ann Arbor yet.

"Both Cade and J.J. have really started fast, there's been no lull coming out of the gates," Harbaugh said of the camp battle and naming his starter. "Cade's ahead and he's got so many of those competitive traits, the ability to make all the throws, but also the ability to get the ball in other people's hands, make others better. Probably the No. 1 job of a quarterback when it comes down to it, to be that point guard. So he's on it, he's on every detail. He's on every facet of the leadership, et cetera. And that's why I've said I don't see him taking a knee or taking a breath."

While Western Michigan is one of the better MAC programs – it is +1000 to win the MAC title and has an Over/Under season win total of 6.0 – Michigan obviously should have little trouble winning that. McNamara's first big test will be Sept. 11 at home vs. No. 20 Washington. Win that, and U-M should be 4-0 when it visits No. 12 Wisconsin on Oct. 2.

Michigan was not ranked in the AP Preseason Top 25 released Monday. It is +1400 to win the Big Ten title game and has an Over/Under win total of 7.5. If Michigan doesn't win more than 7 games, Harbaugh's seat is going to be scolding hot even though he got an extension in the offseason. The school would owe Harbaugh $4 million if it fired him in 2021, a guarantee that goes down $1 million each subsequent year of the contract.

Which Fantasy Football sleepers, breakouts and busts should you target and fade? And which QB shocks the NFL with a top-five performance? Join SportsLine now to get 2021 Fantasy Football cheat sheets for every single position, all from the model that called Josh Allen's huge season.