College Football Predictions: Will Michigan upset Wisconsin? 11/18/17
Can No. 5 Wisconsin avoid a letdown performance at home when it plays host to No. 19 Michigan today at noon ET? Here’s our College Football Predictions for this game.
ODDS
According to oddsmakers at Bovada.lv, Wisconsin is the favorite at home, as the Badgers are getting odds of -7.5 points against Michigan. The over/under total for the contest has been set at 40.5 points. The home team has won eight of the last 10 meetings in this series and Wisconsin is 8-1-1 against the spread in the last 10 meetings. The public is currently putting 58 percent of the wagers on Michigan on the road. Today’s game takes place from Camp Randall Stadium in Madison, Wisconsin and will air live on FOX.
MICHIGAN
Michigan is coming off a 35-10 win at Maryland for its third straight victory. The Wolverines are now 8-2 on the season and 5-2 in the Big Ten. Michigan is 4-5-1 against the spread on the year, covering in their last two games. The Wolverines are averaging 27.9 points and 373 yards per game behind their run game, which produces 207.8 yards per contest.
Karan Higdon leads the way with 854 yards and 10 touchdowns while Chris Evans has 569 yards and Ty Isaac has 548. Both Isaac and Higdon are listed as questionable for this game due to injuries. Isaac has missed the last two games with a lower body injury while Higdon is battling an ankle injury. Brandon Peters has thrown for just 329 yards in his limited time as starter, but has four TD passes with 0 interceptions. Defensively, Michigan is holding opponents to just 16.4 points and 254.8 yards per game.
WISCONSIN
Wisconsin is coming off a big 38-14 win at home over Iowa last week to improve to 10-0 on the season and 7-0 in the Big Ten. The Badgers are 6-4 against the spread this season, covering in three of their last four games as well. Wisconsin has a great defense that is holding opponents to just 13.4 points and 247.6 yards per game. Their run defense is especially tough, allowing only 81.5 yards per game on the ground.
On offense, Wisconsin is putting up 36.3 points and 433.1 yards per game. The Badgers are averaging 245 rushing yards per game as well as Jonathan Taylor has 1,525 rushing yards with 12 touchdowns. Alex Hornibrook has thrown for 1,863 yards and 17 touchdowns with just 12 interceptions. Leading receiver Quintez Cephus is out for the rest of the year with a leg injury.
COLLEGE FOOTBALL PREDICTIONS
Michigan has been able to look good in recent weeks against poor teams like Rutgers, Minnesota and Maryland. Things changed today against Wisconsin. The Badgers can match, and likely surpass, Michigan’s physical ability up front on both sides of the ball. We have seen what happens to the Wolverines when they meet a team that can match them physically, as they loss to Michigan State and Penn State. Wisconsin should continue its ability to run the ball while actually forcing Peters to throw on defense. I don’t Peters is up to the challenge of winning this game with his arm.
COLLEGE FOOTBALL PREDICTIONS: WISCONSIN -7.5
