Coming off an impressive win over Flordia, that landed Michigan in the top ten, the Wolverines are hosting the Cincinnati Bearcats. As the first home game of the season kicks off, the Wolverines are a huge favorite. This game shouldn’t be close, the point spread reflects that.
Here are three reasons why Michigan will steam roll the Bearcats on their way to an easy victory.
STOUT D
Michigan’s defensive line was dominating in their win over Florida. They held the Gators to 11 rushing yards and were a big part of a defensive effort that accumulated 11 tackles for loss. Florida’s offense managed to score only three points the entire game.
The Wolverines’ defense as a whole was overwhelming, but the defensive line was the heart of that effort. Against a Bearcats offense that managed only 248 total yards last week against Austin Peay, look for the Wolverines to dominate up from once again.
THUNDER AND LIGHTNING
Photo Credit: Dustin Johnson | FlickrLast week, senior Ty Isaac and sophomore Chris Evans gave Michigan fans a preview of what could be a very dangerous “thunder and lightning” rushing duo for the Wolverines.
Isaac and Evans last weekend against the Gators combined for 192 yards on the ground; the former paced the team with 114 yards. If those two can keep that up, the Wolverines will be hard to beat.
Last week, Cincinnati gave up 224 rushing yards to the aforementioned Governors of Austin Peay. If the Bearcats can give up that many rushing yards to a team that has lost 28 games in a row, Issac and Evans could have a field day on Saturday.
THE DPJ-NORDIN EFFECT
Special teams can make the difference between winning and losing on any given week. This week, the Wolverines won’t have to rely on special teams to bring home the win, but I believe that the special teams unit will add some points to the board.
Look for Quinn Nordin to drill a few more field goals. Also, keep your eyes on feshman sensation Donovan Peoples-Jones, don’t be surprised if he rips off a big return at some point during the game. Last week, fans saw glimpses of the high ceilings for both Nordin and Peoples-Jones and it’s very possible we could see more of that in their first home contest.
As a huge favorite, at home, the Wolverines won’t have any problems this Saturday. Nobody will be shocked by the outcome. Look for them to march up and down the field and potentially hold the Bearcats scoreless. This game has all the makings of a huge blowout, and I expect it to be just that.
STAFF PREDICTIONS
| DSN STAFF | PREDICTION |
| EVAN JAMES BAILEY | MICH, 56-0 |
| DANIEL DYLAN BAIR | MICH, 34-10 |
| MATT BASSIN | MICH, 40-13 |
| DON DRYSDALE | MICH, 45-0 |
| ALEXANDER MULLER | MICH, 48-6 |
| ROB OTTO | MICH, 40-13 |
| PAUL ROCHON | MICH, 55-3 |
