With the 2018 college football season just a couple of weeks away, both Michigan and Michigan State fans are starting to get excited to see how their team will fare.
When looking up and down the schedules, the Spartans certainly seem to have the upper hand in terms of schedule strength as they face a weak non-conference slate (vs. Utah State, @Arizona State) and have the advantage of hosting both Michigan and Ohio State while avoiding Wisconsin altogether. The Wolverines, on the other hand, have one of the most difficult schedules in college football as they go on the road to face Notre Dame, Michigan State, and their biggest rival, Ohio State to go along with home games against Penn State and Wisconsin.
Each year, Las Vegas releases the over/under for each team’s win total and this year is no different. According to Vegas, the O/U for both Michigan and Michigan State is 8.5 wins for the season.
College football senior analyst Josh Nagel from SportsLine recently put out a piece in which he predicts how each Big 10 team will fare in terms of their over/under total listed by Vegas.
According to Nagel, Michigan State will go over 8.5 wins.
“This is another razor-thin call versus an accurate win total. The Spartans exceeded most projections last year by winning 10 games, and they should have a better club returning this year. The benefit of the doubt goes to coach Mark Dantonio because of his penchant for extracting the maximum from his clubs. Highly touted QB Brian Lewerke must continue to improve, but veteran running back LJ Scott will help carry the load. The Spartans also return one of the most experienced secondary units in the country. A three-game Big 10 stretch against Penn State, Michigan and Purdue will determine this total, but history suggests betting against Dantonio and the Spartans is a bad idea. Take the Over on this one.”
As far as the Wolverines go, Nagel looks at their schedule as just too difficult to take the over 8.5.
“The immediate eligibility of transfer quarterback Shea Patterson from Ole Miss will no doubt help the Wolverines, who return 18 starters in what is looking like a critical season for polarizing coach Jim Harbaugh. The eclectic coach has yet to lead the Wolverines to a conference title or a playoff appearance. Conventional logic suggests the Wolverines are bound to improve upon an eight-win season in which they fielded one of the least-experienced teams in the conference. But their brutal schedule makes this a tough sell, with trips to Notre Dame, Michigan State and Ohio State in store. They could conceivably lose all three, and just one more slip-up sends this Under.”
What do you think, Nation?
