College Football
Michigan vs Michigan State Game Preview
Michigan Football takes on Michigan State in the biggest game of the season thus far on Saturday. Here’s a look at the game preview, some odds and a forecast for the future.
It was difficult not to anticipate the Michigan Wolverines’ match-up with Michigan State this week. We’re all aware of the stakes.
Of course, it will be significant in the Big Ten race, as both teams are unbeaten overall and in the Big Ten East, which includes Ohio State. Penn State is currently two games down in the Big Ten, but College Gameday is still up for grabs.
In any case, this is about more than just the rankings. It is arguably the greatest rivalry in College Football, but we would say that being from Michigan!
The Wolverines were re-established as a force under Jim Harbaugh. But now that Mel Tucker is 1-0 against Harbaugh and has transformed the Spartans into one of the Big Ten contenders, the title is up for grabs once more.
It’s awful to be 0-5 versus Ohio State. Even with a 7-0 start, Harbaugh doesn’t want to go 0-2 against Mel Tucker because that will drive the fans into a frenzy.
Here’s a look at the odds and a prediction for Michigan vs. Michigan State football.
Michigan Football Face Michigan State: Predictions Week 9
The bookmakers love the Wolverines, and they’ve gone 6-1 against the spread this season. However, the Wolverines were just a three-point favorite against Nebraska, so a five-point favorite is a bit unusual.
This season, Michigan has been consistent. In seven games, it has only trailed once (at Nebraska) and has road victories in Lincoln and Madison.
The Wolverines’ biggest worry is if Cade can perform enough to win the game when necessary. At Wisconsin, he accomplished just that, passing over 200 yards and two touchdowns while the Badgers’ run defense made Michigan’s life difficult.
Cade also passed for over 200 yards against Nebraska, and if Roman is fit to play, that will be great for stretching the field and creating separation chances on the outside.
The Spartans have given up 286 yards per game via the air, so if Michigan can run the ball (it leads the Big Ten in rushing yards), they should be able to throw the ball as well.
We’re going for a Wolverines win, courtesy of a late Jake Moody field goal. Our score prediction is 27-20 for Michigan.
Michigan vs. Michigan State Odds Pick
These clubs’ offensive tempo also inclines themselves to an under. Michigan State is averaging 65 plays per game, which ranks them 100th in the FBS. Michigan is in 52nd place with a score of 70. Neither team appears to be in a hurry, and I believe the total should be in the high 40s.
It would be impolite not to press the under as long as it is over that range.
Michigan is a five-point favorite on the road in Week 9 of the college football season, according to the odds. The over/under for this game has been set at 50.5 points.
- Michigan State 20, Michigan 30
- Line: Michigan -4.5
- over/under: 50.5
- 3.5 out of 5 ATS confidence
Michigan Wolverines take on notable underdogs, Iowa Hawkeyes, this football weekend. The match, scheduled for Saturday, October 1, 2022, will take place at the Kinnick Stadium, where the Wolverines will seek to continue their good start to the season (4-0) against an opponent they’re expected to beat. With the spread posted at 10.5 across most bookies, the money line bet looks secure, but anything can happen in a football match. The over/under for the outing is around 42, which suggests a tight game. However, in the recent game, the Wolverines won 34-27 against Maryland Terrapins. The Michigan team will be looking to extend their good start against a Hawkeyes team ready to build on their win against the Rutgers Scarlet Knights.
Hawkeyes
The Iowa Hawkeyes (2-1) won 27-10 against the Rutgers Scarlet Knights in their last match and will be looking to strengthen their position, especially with home fan support. The Big Ten outfit has a decent record against the Wolverines and will be counting on their defense and overall style to stuff Michigan’s offense. Michigan passed its test against the Maryland Terps but is yet to come against a defense that can provide resistance. The Hawkeyes defense, led by QB Spencer Petras, attacks more and has forced seven turnovers in the last three games, so Michigan’s JJ McCarthy can expect increased pressure this weekend. While he was good against Maryland, we didn’t see the usual explosiveness with the passing game. With an average point score of 80 over the last ten games, 5 more than Michigan, the Hawkeyes hope their home support and defense get the job done against the season’s best starter.
Wolverines
The Michigan Wolverines are in high spirits after their last four starts all yielded wins. The outfit will be even more buoyant given their opponents’ disparate start, who’s now scored 27 points for two weeks in a row. However, the Wolverines won’t be overconfident with a win just yet. Hawkeyes can put a resilient effort in front of their home fans, and their defense continues to be great. While offensively poor, the Iowa team has the country’s No. 1 defense. Wolverine will be looking to get up fast and take advantage of the poor offensive. Michigan’s running back Blake Corum will lead the team, hoping to demonstrate again what the offense can do this season. The team will also expect J.J. McCarthy to continue his fine form after completing 18 of 26 attempts for 220 yards, scoring two touchdowns, and bearing zero interceptions against Maryland.
Hawkeyes Vs. Wolverines Prediction, Picks & Spread
The Hawkeyes vs. Wolverines game might come down to who blinks fast. The spread is high at 10.5, with the Wolverines the favorites to win. The high spread is partly due to the Hawkeyes’ offensive struggles this season. Michigan is expected to win with an over/under of 42 in a low-scoring match. We expect the game to be up to Michigan’s defense. The relentless Iowa defense will bottle up the offense, but the running backs can provide enough to edge the results in Michigan’s favor.
Prediction: Michigan 26, Iowa 13
Moneyline
The Wolverines are favorites at – 431 and the Hawkeyes at +331 to get the win. We think Michigan will win, so the Moneyline is worth a shot, although you’ll need to lump on to get a decent return.
Spread
A spread of 10.5 seems massive but maybe a good choice, given that Iowa’s team struggles with scoring. Michigan is yet to give anything away.
The Georgia Bulldogs made their first participation in the College Football Playoff in 2017, defeating Oklahoma in double overtime 54-48. They also went beyond regulation in the title game, but fell short in overtime, losing 26-23 to Alabama. The third-ranked Bulldogs (12-1) want to escape overtime in their second CFP appearance, when they face the No. 2 Michigan Wolverines (12-1) at the much-awaited 2021 Orange Bowl semifinals.
Michigan has won five consecutive games, including back-to-back wins against Ohio State and Iowa. Meanwhile, Georgia Bulldogs seemed to be the ones on the verge of becoming undefeated till the SEC Championship match.
Storylines from Michigan vs. Georgia
Michigan has been in excellent form recently in the NCAA season. They have won five games in a row in their past five games (WWWWW). Georgia, like its opponents, has been in excellent form recently, with four victories in a row and only one defeat in their past five games (WWWWL).
After 13 games in the 2021 season, the Wolverines were ranked first in the Big Ten table with a win percentage of 0.923. In the meanwhile, the Bulldogs ended first in the Southeast with a win percentage of 0.923 after 13 games.
Spread
These two teams are so similar that it’s difficult to envisage a situation in which one of them may break away from the other. Both strategies rely on rushing the ball behind a strong offensive line that may wear down and break down an opponent’s defense late in the game. Due to a pair of quarterbacks who aren’t great but are more classic “game-manager” sorts, both teams’ passing offenses are underappreciated. Then there are the counter-measures. Georgia has an outstanding front seven that has been impregnable to virtually everyone it has faced this season. Aidan Hutchinson, a Heisman nominee, and David Ojabo lead Michigan’s pass rush.
Alabama exposed Georgia’s secondary in the SEC Championship Game, even though it is still fairly excellent! Michigan’s secondary is improved, and Daxton Hill is an X-factor who can assist against the run while also covering receivers and the tight ends like Georgia’s Brock Bowers. That isn’t enough to lead Michigan to win, but it is just enough to prevent Georgia from pulling away. So, when we gaze at the Wolverines’ hook at the seven on the spread, we can’t help but choose them. We’d pick Georgia if the spread falls below seven points before kick-off. That looks to be the razor-thin margin. Michigan is the predicted winner. +7.5
Total
We’re going to do something that looks paradoxical. Yes, both teams have excellent defenses, but they have been obscured by two excellent attacks. Georgia’s offense has the best success percentage in the country and is sixth in points per drive. Michigan is sixth in the country in terms of success percentage and ninth in terms of points per drive. While we don’t expect this game to become an 80-point shoot-out, a final score of 27-20 is certainly within the realm of possibility. Let’s take a step back and consider the broad agreement. Over 45.5 is our pick.
Number 2 placed Michigan on Saturday earned its first Big 10 title since the year 2004 and the 43rd in program history. This followed their win against Iowa, thus securing a position in the College Football Playoff field. In the Big Ten Championship Game, the Wolverines thrashed No. 13 Iowa 42-3, leaving no debate about who the top team in the conference is this season.
After the game Aidan Hutchinson was voted by the media to win the Grange-Griffin MVP award, adding to his collection of honors. The Wolverines defense smothered everything Iowa tried to accomplish, including shutting down the run game.
Following the celebrations, several of the players and Jim Harbaugh gathered with the media to discuss their historic victory.
The Michigan Vs Iowa game
Cade McNamara threw for 169 yards and a touchdown during the Iowa game. Blake Corum led the team in rushing with 74 yards, with the bulk coming on his 67-yard scoring run, but Hassan Haskins had 17 carries for 56 yards and two touchdowns. Haskins’ two scores gave him 20 on the season, a new single-season record for the Wolverines.
Defensively, the Wolverines held the Hawkeyes to only 279 yards of offense and 3.9 yards per play. Star rushers Hutchinson and Ojabo combined for six tackles as well as a sack to keep the Hawkeyes out of the end zone. Aidan became the first-ever defensive player to get the Big 10 Championship Game MVP.
Many media commentators predicted that the Wolverines had little chance of winning the Big Ten or even reaching 10 victories, let alone finishing with a 6-6 or slightly better record. That was good bulletin board material for Michigan, as it was for most teams. And Aidan Hutchinson said it did remain in the back of the team’s mind — to overcome the odds.
Michigan-Georgia to Put Defence in the Spotlight in the Orange Bowl
On selection Sunday, the skies in Georgia’s capital city were unusually dark. Perhaps echoing the attitude of Dawgs supporters who awoke with a similar hangover after losing to them in the SEC championship game in Atlanta on Saturday. While Georgia finds itself in a familiar situation for better or worse after a disheartening defeat (it is still in the dance, after all), Michigan is in rarefied air.
Jim Harbaugh’s Wolverines have consistently passed the tests as the stakes have risen, and now the big one has arrived. Michigan, welcome to the College Football Playoff.
Despite their thrashing at the hands of Alabama in the SEC title game and how well Michigan has played recently, the Dawgs are a touchdown favorite. There will be a lot of talk about this game. So let us be one of the first to offer you a sneak peek.
Important Fact to keep an eye on
This season, the Wolverines’ defense has flourished so far. On the defensive side of the ball, new defensive coordinator Mike Macdonald has done a good job. He’s completed Don Brown’s partial job of retooling the Wolverines to be more multiple and less of a blunt instrument.
