Oddsmaker: Michigan football team 'a significant favorite' against Ohio State
The Michigan football team hasn't walked off the field smiling after an Ohio State game since 2003.
Michigan will need to contain dual-threat quarterback Braxton Miller to beat the Ohio State on Saturday.
Associated Press
Now Jim Tressel is gone, Ohio State is reeling at 6-5, and the oddsmakers have noticed, especially since The Game is among the most bet upon games in the nation each season. So Michigan is seven-point favorite entering the game Saturday (Noon, ABC).
Bodog Sportsbook director Richard Gardner outlined the point spread in an email for AnnArbor.com.
“This week Michigan has opened as 8 point favorites as they host their big 10 rivals Ohio State. The early action is on Michigan as 74% of all players believe that Michigan will cover the spread this week," Gardner wrote.
"From the books perspective this is one of the most exciting games of the year. Traditionally the Michigan-Ohio State game is the most bet regular season college football game. It has been one of the top five bet regular season games in each of the last 16 seasons at Bodog. Michigan is a favorite in this game for the first time since the 2004-2005 season.
"The most significant factor that went into making Michigan an 8 point favorite is the experience for both teams at quarterback. Michigan is led by the dynamic junior Denard Robinson who has a full season under his belt and knows what it is like playing in this rivalry game. On the other hand, freshman QB Braxton Miller will be playing the biggest game of his young career in front of 72,000 screaming fans in the Big House. Considering the QB situation for both teams it is easy to see why Michigan is a significant favorite this Saturday at the Big House.”
What do you think?
Comments
Macabre Sunset
Fri, Nov 25, 2011 : 5:23 p.m.
Nothing is for certain. I wouldn't like the spread if I were betting, because it's above the touchdown threshold and I would expect a low-scoring game. We all know rankings are thrown out the window when it comes to The Game. And I'd bet Hoke has been stressing this to the kids since the day he took over. Each and every one of those players wearing the Maize and Blue knows that his legacy depends on how the team plays tomorrow. Only 72,000 "screaming" fans? Yeah, I don't like to scream myself. But I didn't know Michigan Stadium had added no-screaming sections. Is that where the students sit?
Hebner
Fri, Nov 25, 2011 : 12:50 p.m.
Miller is good, but he has not seen a defense this good yet. Also, along with our defense is our punishing offense who have the ability to milk the clock with leads. Miller will get desperate and turn the ball over. Big Blue is so jacked up for this one! Denard's confidence is soaring while managing the game better and better each week, and this is a game he is ready to win! Go Blue! As a fan, I wont change my game day ritual, except that I may put some Bad A.. beer in my Michigan mug when the game is in hand. It is great to be a Michigan fan...the fight song will ring in my ear all day today!!!! Our basketball team is looking good too. I like Burke, he reminds me of Rickey Green for some reason.
iamcris
Fri, Nov 25, 2011 : 9:21 a.m.
Have faith Wolverine fans, The Michigan coaching staff will have the Wolverines prepared and focused. There will be a group of starving students wearing winged helmets whose hunger can only be satisfied by beating Ohio. "The strength of the Pack is the Wolf, and the strength of the Wolf is the Pack". -Rudyard Kipling Have faith Michigan fans, a new era is upon us, enjoy the success of the football program and celebrate the student athletes who have given so much for our entertainment. Now that we as Michigan fans are allowed to sit at the big boy table again, let us not forget how to use our silverware. As for the point spread, I noticed the line at -8.5. I don't make a habit of predicting scores but just once this season I will for your entertainment purposes. Ohio uses an early turnover and good field position to score three points. That will be their last scoring opportunity until a garbage time touchdown against a bunch of deserving Wolverines (2nd/3rd string) that take the field in their supporting roles of THE TEAM, THE TEAM, THE TEAM! Proud to support TEAM#132, Go Blue! beat Ohio. Michigan 38, Ohio 10. *as always thank you for spending your valuable internet time reading my post. /flattered.
PaulRL
Fri, Nov 25, 2011 : 12:29 a.m.
I'm more worried about over-hyped than over-confident. Don't try to play better than you can, when as good as you can is good enough. It will be interesting to see what the offensive style will be. they've been pointing to this Game all year. Go Blue!!
mookienation
Thu, Nov 24, 2011 : 10:13 p.m.
I'd feel a lot more comfortable if Ohio was favored by 8 points. A LOT more comfortable.
Chad Williams
Thu, Nov 24, 2011 : 9:16 p.m.
7 points sounds like a lot but its only a touchdown difference. That touchdown could come on a game winning drive and that doesny sound to me as a big win. This game has had its share of upsets as in tress first year or 2004 when michigan got blew out in columbus by ginn and smith. This is truly a rivalry that records and rankings matter little. Osu is 6 -5 but some close losses only miami truly dominated them. Michigan has its flaws still not as glaring but very obvious. The secondary isn't exactly stout agianst the pass so if osu has success running then michigan is in trouble. On offense not very good passing look for osu to follow msu blueprint and make denard pass. Can denard complete 60 percent and not turn the ball over? This game will be.won in the trenches where the two losses came. Win that battle win the game.
heartbreakM
Thu, Nov 24, 2011 : 8:02 p.m.
Point spreads don't interest me at all. Wins interest me, as well as playing clean and seeing good football. (I wouldn't mind quadrupling the spread in the outcome, but if we won by 1 point, that would suit me well). Go blue.
DonAZ
Thu, Nov 24, 2011 : 5:40 p.m.
Overconfidence is Michigan's enemy ... a steely workman-like gaze is our friend. Thankfully, we have coaches who have made sure the latter is in place, not the former. If Michigan plays the football it's capable of -- ala Nebraska -- then OSU goes down hard. Ball control, 1st down production, line of scrimmage play ... that'll determine the outcome.
Doug
Thu, Nov 24, 2011 : 5:22 p.m.
Hey Go Bucks- "Warm pile of cow dung"?? Leave OSU's admissions standards out of this discussion. I agree with Drader: UM 31, OSU 20. Not just for The Game, but for the schools' respective median ACT scores.
Mick
Fri, Nov 25, 2011 : 5:02 a.m.
that's some funny stuff Doug, I up voted you buddy.
GoBucks
Thu, Nov 24, 2011 : 4:54 p.m.
Once upon a time there was a fat maze and blue birdie sitting on the branch of a tree located in a cow pasture. This little birdie was very smug and arrogant because his feathers were maze and blue, and the birds had not such beautiful feathers. One early morning, this birdie was grooming his feathers and dreaming how beautiful he will look when the noonday sun shines on his maze and blue feathers, when he suddenly tipped backwards and fell into a pile of warm cow dung. There the maze and blue birdie was in that warm steaming cow dung yelping "help', "help", "help". Along came scruffy scarlet and grey cat who looked at the maze and blue birdie and said: "sure, I will help you out and clean up your beautiful maze and blue feathers. So the fat little birdie extended his maze and blue wing to the scruffy scarlet and grey cat. A few minutes later the scruffy scarlet and grey cat went on his way with a full belly. Moral of story??? 1. Being too arrogant can land you in a pile of warm cow dung. 2. Be careful who pulls you out of the warm pile of cow dung.
Mick
Fri, Nov 25, 2011 : 5:01 a.m.
That's what I'm talkin' about Hebner. It's funny how fans of that school in ohio talk about arrogance when their previous coach was doing some shady things in order to keep players playing who shouldn't have been playing. To condone that and allow what happened to your program and not be irate makes me shake my head.
Hebner
Thu, Nov 24, 2011 : 7:32 p.m.
Confidence and arrogance can be confusing to an opponent and their fans. This Michigan team is peaking at the right time, and Ohio is not playing well. Why wouldn't Michigan fans be confident? GO BLUE! Not only will we cover the spread, we will possibly triple it. If Denard is error free...stand by the woodshed because it wont be pretty.
lawrencelaundry
Thu, Nov 24, 2011 : 4:22 p.m.
This game will be a nailbiter. Osu can justify their season with this win alone. I just hope Al Borges does not choke like he did against Iowa and MSU. Michigan loses this one and it can continue losing if urban meyer goes there. But, with mattison there, im comfortable with michigans coaching staff even with meyer there. Defense wins championships and even meyer was losing when his staff started to leave for better things. Go Blue BCS Bound! !!!
DraderOHIO
Thu, Nov 24, 2011 : 3:28 p.m.
"The most significant factor that went into making Michigan an 8 point favorite is the experience for both teams at quarterback. Michigan is led by the dynamic junior Denard Robinson who has a full season under his belt and knows what it is like playing in this rivalry game. On the other hand, freshman QB Braxton Miller will be playing the biggest game of his young career in front of 72,000 screaming fans in the Big House. Considering the QB situation for both teams it is easy to see why Michigan is a significant favorite this Saturday at the Big House." Really 72,000???? The B1G House holds 113,000+ and only 72,000 is Michigan fans?? I say it's more like 100,000 + of it is Michigan Fans Go Blue!!!! Michigan 31 Ohio State 20
Hebner
Thu, Nov 24, 2011 : 7:27 p.m.
Right on!