The No. 14 Michigan Wolverines will hit the road to take on the Northwestern Wildcats in Week 5 of the college football season. The game is set for 4:30 p.m. ET on FOX (live streaming via FuboTV, Fox Sports GO).
Michigan vs. Northwestern 2018 live stream: Time, TV channel, and prediction
After its shaky start, can Michigan pick up another win before their schedule gets really tough?
Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports
Michigan suffered an opening-season loss to then-No. 12 Notre Dame, but put up 45-plus points in each of their last three games, none of which were against ranked opponents. They have two more games against unranked teams before they run into three-straight tough matchups: Wisconsin, Michigan State and Penn State.
Northwestern managed to bead Purdue in their season-opener, but have since lost to Duke and Akron, with the former game not particularly close. Unfortunately, the Wildcats got weaker as a team when starting running back Jeremy Larkin was forced to retire following a spinal issue.
Below is all you need to know to watch Saturday’s game.
Time, TV, and streaming info
- Time: 4:30 p.m. ET
- Location: Ryan Field, Evanston, Illinois
- TV: FOX
- Streaming: FuboTV, Fox Sports GO
- Odds: Northwestern opened as 9-point underdogs, but many books have Michigan favored by 14 points as the game approaches
Michigan vs. Northwestern news
- As noted above, Jeremy Larkin had to retire from football due to a diagnosis of cervical stenosis. The condition is not life-threatening, and he will immediately become a student coach. It unquestionably hurts Northwestern’s offensive production, however.
- The folks at Inside NU took a look at who steps up with Larkin out — and there isn’t a ton of experience to lean on.
- Michigan has struggled against Northwestern at times in their recent history, but rarely do the Wildcats come out on top in the head-to-head.
- Shea Patterson has been effective starting at quarterback for Michigan, and a lot of that is thanks to good play from the team’s offensive line and his ability to work from the pocket.
- Michigan’s offense isn’t the only unit that’s been improving — their special teams unit is one of the most-improved in all of college football.
Michigan vs. Northwestern prediction
In the latest college football S&P+ rankings, Michigan is fifth in the nation with 25.1 points, while Northwestern comes in at 2.6 points, implying a 22.5-point advantage for Michigan on a neutral field. They’re going to win this one, barring a major breakdown.
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