Notre Dame Michigan Betting – Notre Dame Tries To Right The Ship Against Michigan
One of college football’s best non-conference rivalries explodes in full color on Saturday night in Ann Arbor, Michigan, as the Notre Dame Fighting Irish tackle the Michigan Wolverines.
Notre Dame Fighting Irish @ Michigan Wolverines – Saturday, September 10
Sports betting line: Notre Dame -4.5
Why Notre Dame Will Win
Why will Notre Dame win? The Fighting Irish will be fighting mad, that’s why. Notre Dame outgained South Florida by a 3-to-1 ratio in the first 20 minutes of this past Saturday’s season opener in South Bend, Indiana, but didn’t score in that span of time. Notre Dame moved the ball regularly, but committed two turnovers in third-and-goal situations. The first of those two turnovers was a fumble that South Florida ran back 96 yards for a touchdown. The Irish committed key turnovers in or near opposing teams’ end zones last season, most memorably a last-minute interception against Tulsa that turned near-certain victory into a stunning defeat. Notre Dame coach Brian Kelly was livid during the South Florida loss, a 23-20 setback that has put all the pressure on the Irish coming into this game. Yes, Notre Dame’s confidence might have been shaken by that clunker on home turf, but the Irish have no choice but to prevail against Michigan. Losing is not an option for Notre Dame… not if the program is going to take a few forward steps this season. Urgency and the natural corrective process – fixing mistakes in a climate of high expectations – should drive the Irish to perform better and make plays when they need them. It’s also worth pointing out that Michigan, in the first season of a new era under coach Brady Hoke, has a roster of players recruited to play for former coach Rich Rodriguez. Hoke will need one year to truly re-shape the program in the manner he desires. This will be a transition year for the Wolverines; it’s going to be hard to trust this team in big games such as this one.
Why Michigan Will Win
The best reason to take Michigan in this game is that Notre Dame just doesn’t have a reliable quarterback. If you’re a Michigan-based MLB baseball betting guru who follows the Detroit Tigers, you know how important it is to have a great pitcher (Justin Verlander). Notre Dame doesn’t have that kind of pitcher in its backfield. Not yet, at any rate. Dayne Crist’s poor decisions in the red zone got him benched against South Florida, and while his replacement, backup signal caller Tommy Rees, did a little bit better, the Irish still failed to score with the consistency Kelly expects. Notre Dame is nowhere close to becoming an elite offense. Michigan has a very weak defense, particularly up front, but is Notre Dame equipped with the resources to expose the Wolverines and light up the scoreboard? Not really. If Michigan can keep this game close heading into the final five minutes of play, the Wolverines – who have stunned Notre Dame with late rallies each of the past two years – can feel confident in the abilities of quarterback Denard Robinson, a born playmaker whose speed can turn broken plays into game-changing plays.
Who Will Win
Notre Dame feels like a team that’s adrift, not a team that will easily rebound from its week-one setback. Michigan is confident and will be playing at home in the first-ever night game at Michigan Stadium. The emotions of the moment, combined with the Irish’s quarterback struggles, will allow the Wolverines to pull off the upset. Take Michigan plus the points in this sports bet.
College Football Betting Pick: Michigan +4.5
