Miami-(OH)-Michigan
Line: MIC -33
Betting Spread courtesy of Bovada
Michigan is 1-0 (excluding a drubbing of Appalachian State), having lost to then- No. 16 Notre Dame. The Wolverines failed to get in the end zone against the Irish, despite amassing 289 yards to ND’s 280 in the loss. Five penalties for a total of 50 lost yards and poor third down conversions caused the loss for the Wolverines, and the team was just 4-of-13 on conversions (and 1-of-2 on 4th down).
Michigan also turned it over four times in the game, with QB Devin Gardner having thrown three interceptions for three of his four first half turnovers.
Gardner racked up 226 yards on 23-of-34 completions, which is solid, but he has to cut down on the errant passes, while also protecting the football.
Brady Hoke said of his team, “We will bounce back. This is a very resilient, hard working group of young me who know what it takes to win.”
Hoke’s confidence in his team is reflected by college football oddsmakers with the line set 33 points in favor of Michigan.
Miami of Ohio has struggled in its first two contests. A 42-27 loss to Marshall kicked off the season, which was followed by a 17-10 loss to Eastern Kentucky in Week 2. With both losses having come against small and insignificant programs, it doesn’t bode well that the Colonels face the Wolverines this week, and Cincinnati next week.
The Red Hawks have been good at airing it out, though. The team averages 338.5 yards per game, but lingers near the bottom in rushing yardage (93 per game). It’s resulted in a team that rarely gets in the end zone, scoring just 18 points per game over its first two contest.
The Red Hawks have two receivers both averaging in excess of 100 yards per game (David Frazier and Rohkeem Williams). QB Andrew Hendrix has completed just 49 percent of his passes, and has thrown as many INTs as TDs (four). He’s had long throws of 47 and 40 yards in each game, respectively, but his massive stats are inflated by the Colonels over reliance on the pass.
Both backfield options for the Colonels have been mediocre, at beast. McInnis and Treadwell both have averaged under five yards per carry. Getting the backs going would add a different dimension to the Colonels’ offense, but it seems the team may have already found it (failed) identity.
Trends:
MIAOH: 1-6 ATS in last 8 games after accumulating more than 280 passing yards; OVER 5-1 in last 6 games after scoring less than 20 previous game; 2-8 ATS in last 10 following SU loss.
MICH: 6-1 ATS vs teams with losing records; 6-1 ATS in last 7 after allowing less than 100 yards rushing in previous game; 5-1 ATS in last 6 on turf.
