Michigan (10-1) at Ohio State (10-1)
When: Saturday, November 24th 2018
Where: Ohio Stadium,
Columbus, Ohio
Time: Noon ET | TV: FOX
Opening Odds: Michigan -2.5/57
The Michigan Wolverines’ ‘revenge tour’ concludes on Saturday with the biggest game of the season when they visit their hated rival, the Ohio State Buckeyes with a trip to the Big Ten Championship Game on the line. A possible berth in the College Football Playoff is also on the line, especially for Michigan. The Wolverines lost four conference games last season to Michigan State, Penn State, Wisconsin, and Ohio State. They have already beaten the first three this season and the fourth would be even more special for Jim Harbaugh’s group. Michigan has won 10 consecutive games, but the Buckeyes have won 14 of the last 16 meetings. The Buckeyes are 80-9 under coach Urban Meyer but come into this game as underdogs for the first time in 51 games. Ohio State rallied for a 52-51 overtime win against Maryland last week behind the arm of Dwayne Haskins, who set season program records for passing yards (3,685) and touchdowns tosses (36) last Saturday. The Buckeyes have an outside shot at reaching the playoffs, but would need some help in front of them, as their only loss this season was a bad one – 49-20 at unranked Purdue.
Michigan has the top-ranked defense in the FBS at 234.8 yards a game, but the offense has been a nice surprise this season. Quarterback Shea Patterson is coming off a 250-yard performance the 31-20 victory against Indiana last week while Karan Higdon rushed for 101 yards and a score to go over 100 yards for the eighth time this season. Freshman kicker Jake Moody set a single-game school record with six field goals and was named Big Ten Special Teams Co-Player of the Week. Defensive end Chase Winovich, who leads the Wolverines in tackles for loss (13.5), suffered a suspected shoulder injury in the third quarter last weekend and may not suit-up on Saturday. Offensive lineman Juwan Bushell-Beatty is also banged-up after the senior missed the win against the Hoosiers with an undisclosed injury.
Haskins earned his fifth Big Ten Player of the Week honors last week after throwing for 405 yards and accounting for six touchdowns in the win against Maryland. The Buckeyes gained 688 total yards against Maryland and running back J.K. Dobbins accounted for 204 of them on the ground. Fellow running back Mike Weber – who chose the Buckeyes over the Wolverines in 2015 – has been cleared to return to the lineup after missing a game with a sore quadriceps. Linebacker Baron Browning is also expected back for the first time since suffering an undisclosed injury on November 3rd.
Defense is going to be the key to this game and Michigan has the huge advantage in this one. Ohio State has just not impressed me enough this season to think they can win this game. Remember, Michigan should have beaten the Buckeyes two years ago here, but got hosed by the refs. Ohio State is not as good as that team was and Michigan is better now then they were then. I’ll lay the points.
Pick: Michigan -4.5
Betting Trends:
- Wolverines are 4-0 ATS vs. a team with a winning record.
- Wolverines are 5-1 ATS in their last 6 games after accumulating more than 450 total yards in their previous game.
- Wolverines are 18-7-1 ATS in their last 26 games following a ATS loss.
- Wolverines are 4-9 ATS in their last 13 games after accumulating more than 200 yards rushing in their previous game.
- Wolverines are 1-4-1 ATS in their last 6 road games vs. a team with a winning home record.
- Wolverines are 1-5 ATS in their last 6 road games.
- Buckeyes are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 games after accumulating more than 200 yards rushing in their previous game.
- Buckeyes are 1-4 ATS in their last 5 games following a ATS loss.
- Buckeyes are 1-4 ATS vs. a team with a winning record.
- Buckeyes are 1-4 ATS in their last 5 games in November.
- Buckeyes are 1-5 ATS in their last 6 games following a straight up win.
- Buckeyes are 1-6 ATS in their last 7 games after scoring more than 40 points in their previous game.
- Buckeyes are 1-6 ATS in their last 7 conference games.
- Buckeyes are 1-6 ATS in their last 7 games overall.
- Buckeyes are 0-5 ATS in their last 5 games after allowing more than 450 total yards in their previous game.
- Buckeyes are 0-4 ATS in their last 4 games after accumulating more than 280 yards passing in their previous game.
- Buckeyes are 0-4 ATS in their last 4 games on fieldturf.
- Over is 6-1 in Wolverines last 7 games on fieldturf.
- Over is 4-1 in Wolverines last 5 games after accumulating more than 450 total yards in their previous game.
- Over is 8-2 in Wolverines last 10 road games vs. a team with a winning home record.
- Over is 15-5 in Wolverines last 20 games following a ATS loss.
- Over is 19-7-1 in Wolverines last 27 vs. a team with a winning record.
- Under is 5-2 in Wolverines last 7 road games.
- Over is 11-5 in Wolverines last 16 games in November.
- Over is 30-14-1 in Wolverines last 45 games overall.
- Under is 5-1 in Buckeyes last 6 games after allowing more than 40 points in their previous game.
- Under is 4-1 in Buckeyes last 5 home games.
- Under is 4-1 in Buckeyes last 5 games after accumulating more than 280 yards passing in their previous game.
- Under is 4-1 in Buckeyes last 5 games after accumulating more than 200 yards rushing in their previous game.
- Over is 6-2 in Buckeyes last 8 home games vs. a team with a winning road record.
- Under is 6-2 in Buckeyes last 8 vs. a team with a winning record.
- Under is 5-2 in Buckeyes last 7 games following a ATS loss.
- Over is 12-5 in Buckeyes last 17 games after allowing more than 450 total yards in their previous game.
- Over is 7-3 in Buckeyes last 10 games after scoring more than 40 points in their previous game.
- Over is 5-0 in the last 5 meetings.
- Wolverines are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 meetings.
- Underdog is 4-1 ATS in their last 5 meetings.
- Over is 5-2 in the last 7 meetings in Ohio State.
