The No. 18 Michigan Wolverines are 5-0 straight up and 3-2 against the spread, and will attempt to stay undefeated visiting Penn State on Saturday. The Nittany Lions have won three straight against Michigan, after losing nine straight to them.
Michigan vs. Penn State betting odds, trends, and pick: Wolverines in a shootout
Penn State is a tempting home underdog against an erratic Michigan team in Big Ten betting this weekend.
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The Wolverines are a tough team to figure out. In wins over Central Michigan, Notre Dame, and Minnesota, Michigan looked like a team that could compete with anyone with outstanding speed and production on offense. In back-to-back games against Akron and Connecticut, Michigan looked sub-par.
Michigan opened as a 1-point road favorite but had been bet up near to -3 at shops such as SportsInteraction.
The Jekyll and Hyde act has prevented the Wolverines from garnering much national attention despite their undefeated start, but another big win over Penn State could start to change that.
After getting off to a 3-1 SU and 2-2 ATS start with the only loss coming to a solid Central Florida team, many fans and bettors were willing to write that loss off. But a 44-24 blowout loss last week to Indiana as a 3.5-point road favorite has people wondering how good this Nittany Lions team really is.
Penn State’s usually sound defense allowed 34 points and 507 total yards to UCF and 44 points and 486 total yards to Indiana, which is worrisome going into a game against a generally strong offensive team like Michigan.
The total has gone UNDER in four of Michigan’s five games this season and in six of the last nine games between these two Big Ten rivals. This Saturday’s total is currently set at 51 points, via the Penn State-Michigan matchup report at OddsShark.com.
Penn State is 2-0 SU and ATS in its last two home games against Michigan, but the most recent meeting between these two teams was back in 2010. With both teams playing so inconsistently this season, it is anyone’s guess how this game will go.
But so far we’ve seen more out of Michigan, and if both teams do show up they definitely figure to be the better team. Giving up only two points, they appear to be the side to go with on Saturday.
PICK: Michigan -2.0 | Computer Prediction: 43-36 Michigan (the computer picked a high score last year and was ridiculed; that one ended up 41-31, so who knows)
