Ohio State vs Michigan Betting Odds - Wolverines to stick with Buckeyes in the Big House
The Ohio State vs Michigan betting odds will renew one of the best rivalries in college football, but it doesn’t have as much cache as it normally does. Online betting cappers know that Ohio State has already clinched its spot in the Rose Bowl while the Michigan Wolverines are still playing for bowl eligibility. That motivation should be enough to get them a win.
| Ohio State vs Michigan betting odds: Ohio State -12 |
| WHAT: NCAA Football betting |
| WHEN: Saturday, November 21st – 12:00 PM ET |
| WHERE: Michigan Stadium – Ann Arbor, MI |
| PICK: Michigan +12 |
Ohio State vs Michigan betting odds maker breakdown: What’s On The Line
The Ohio State Buckeyes (9-2, 6-1) aren’t really playing for much this weekend, as they have already secured their destiny. They will be playing in the Rose Bowl this year, which means they may not have as much motivation to beat Michigan as they normally would. It’s still a bitter rivalry, but keep in mind that Ohio State is coming off an emotional win last week, and they may not be as charged up to win this game.
For Michigan (5-6, 1-6), NCAA football betting fans know that they’ve been a disappointment lately. They’ve lost six straight games in the Big Ten and four straight overall. At one point, this team was 5-2 with a great chance to get back to a bowl, but now they need to win on Saturday to have a shot. But that could be a motivational difference this week, as they have more to play for than Ohio State.
Betting Edge: Ohio State
Ohio State vs Michigan betting odds maker breakdown: Offense
The Buckeyes offense isn’t exactly rolling right now, but it’s getting better. Terrell Pryor hasn’t exactly improved as a passer but he’s not making the critical mistakes he was earlier in the year. He’s running a little bit more, which gives the Buckeyes offense enough of a dual threat. The truth of the matter is that there aren’t enough playmakers around Pryor, which forces him to do a little too much.
For Michigan, their offense has gone a little sour recently. Freshman quarterback Tate Forcier is coming off a good game, but the Wolverines will need more than the 188 yards of passing that he provided last week. The bigger issue for Michigan is that they were averaging over 200 rushing yards per game, but they only had 71 rushing yards in their loss to Wisconsin last week. This offense has to play at its best to beat Ohio State.
Betting Edge: Even
Ohio State vs Michigan betting odds maker breakdown: Defense
The reason the Buckeyes are back in the BCS is because of their defense. While their offense has been spotty, their defense has been as stout as it gets. The defense stifled Iowa in overtime after giving up a tying touchdown in regulation. For as much credit as they do get – and they are a good unit – the praise should be tempered, as they did blow a 14-point fourth quarter lead to the Hawkeyes, who were starting a freshman quarterback.
Meanwhile, Michigan’s defense has been abysmal of late. The Wolverines are coming off a game where they allowed Wisconsin to rack up 45 points, which is the most they’ve ever scored against Michigan. The Wolverines are more talented than that and will have to feed off their crowd to get the win here.
Betting Edge: Ohio State
Ohio State vs Michigan betting odds maker breakdown: Notable Injuries
Both teams are healthy for this contest.
Betting Edge: Even
Ohio State vs Michigan betting breakdown: Outlook and Pick
The Buckeyes are the big favorite in the sportsbook, but keep in mind that this game means a whole lot more to Michigan than it does to Ohio State. The Buckeyes have already won the Big Ten and are going to the Rose Bowl no matter what. Michigan needs to win to be bowl eligible. Beyond that, it’s a big rivalry and the game is in Michigan. Take the points in this game as it should be very competitive.
BLAKE’S PICK: Michigan +12
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