Badgers favored on road at Wolverines
Seventh-ranked Wisconsin (9-1 straight up, 5-5 against the spread) is hoping to reverse a recent trend in Saturday’s matchup at Michigan (7-3 SU, 3-7 ATS). The home team has won the previous six meetings SU, while going 4-1-1 ATS. The Badgers are still in the running for their first Rose Bowl berth since 2000 while the Wolverines are trying to improve their bowl position.
Wisconsin, Michigan State and Ohio State are all atop the Big Ten standings with identical records. If all three schools win out, then the team with the highest ranking in the Bowl Championship Series will be the conference representative. The Badgers are currently the highest ranked team, followed by ninth-ranked Ohio State and 12th-ranked Michigan State.
Don Best's Real-Time Odds lists Wisconsin as 5 ½-point road ‘chalk’ over Michigan, but that line has since moved to seven. There is no total yet posted on this contest. ESPN will provide coverage of Saturday’s Big Ten matchup beginning at 9:00 a.m. PT from Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor.
Wisconsin enters this matchup having won its last five games SU and past four ATS after embarrassing Indiana last weekend as a 22 ½-point home favorite, 83-20. The combined 103 points soared ‘over’ the 57 ½-point closing total, helping the ‘over’ improve to 5-1-1 during the previous seven games.
Both teams scored in every quarter, but the Badgers enjoyed their best offensive performance in 95 years. Wisconsin dominated the Hoosiers across the board, finishing the contest with advantages in first downs (28-13), rushing yards (338-167), passing yards (260-149), turnovers forced (3-0) and time of possession (32:27-27:33).
Quarterback Scott Tolzien was 15-of-18 passing for 181 yards with three touchdowns before giving way to his backup. Running back Montee Ball had 22 carries for 167 yards and three scores in the rout, while wideout Jared Abbrederis caught two passes for 79 yards and a touchdown.
Michigan has strung together back-to-back SU victories after beating Purdue last weekend as 13-point road ‘chalk,’ 27-16. The combined 43 points never seriously threatened the 60 ½-point closing total, ending a string of three straight ‘over’ outings. The Wolverines have now failed to cover their last six games.
Michigan concluded the contest with advantages in first downs (21-12), rushing yards (202-124), passing yards (193-132) and time of possession (31:47-28:13). Quarterback Denard Robinson had four turnovers (two fumbles, two interceptions), but finished the contest by completing 13-of-21 passes for 176 yards with a touchdown along with 22 carries for 68 yards.
Wisconsin beat Michigan last season as an 8 ½-point home favorite, 45-24, while the combined 69 points went ‘over’ the 54 ½-point closing total. The Wolverines slipped past the Badgers two years ago as a 4 ½-point home underdog, 27-25, while the combined 52 points eclipsed the 42 ½-point closing total.
Wisconsin running back John Clay (knee injury) and center Peter Konz (ankle) are ‘questionable’ versus the Wolverines. The Badgers wrap up their regular season after this matchup with a home game against Northwestern.
Michigan running back Michael Shaw (head) is ‘questionable’ against the Badgers, while nose tackle Mike Martin (ankle) and linebacker Jonas Mouton (chest) are ‘probable.’ The Wolverines conclude their regular season Nov. 27 with their annual rivalry game against Ohio State.
Wisconsin has seen the ‘over’ go 7-1-1 its last nine Big Ten matchups, and the ‘over’ is 9-3 its previous 12 road games. The Badgers are 6-1-1 ATS the previous eight meetings with Michigan. The Wolverines are just 5-21 their past 26 conference games, while the ‘over’ is 14-6-1 their last 21 games in November.
Saturday’s forecast for Ann Arbor calls for mostly cloudy skies and a 20 percent chance of rain, with a high of 50 degrees and a low of 37.
Seventh-ranked Wisconsin (9-1 straight up, 5-5 against the spread) is hoping to reverse a recent trend in Saturday’s matchup at Michigan (7-3 SU, 3-7 ATS). The home team has won the previous six meetings SU, while going 4-1-1 ATS. The Badgers are still in the running for their first Rose Bowl berth since 2000 while the Wolverines are trying to improve their bowl position.
Wisconsin, Michigan State and Ohio State are all atop the Big Ten standings with identical records. If all three schools win out, then the team with the highest ranking in the Bowl Championship Series will be the conference representative. The Badgers are currently the highest ranked team, followed by ninth-ranked Ohio State and 12th-ranked Michigan State.
Don Best's Real-Time Odds lists Wisconsin as 5 ½-point road ‘chalk’ over Michigan, but that line has since moved to seven. There is no total yet posted on this contest. ESPN will provide coverage of Saturday’s Big Ten matchup beginning at 9:00 a.m. PT from Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor.
Wisconsin enters this matchup having won its last five games SU and past four ATS after embarrassing Indiana last weekend as a 22 ½-point home favorite, 83-20. The combined 103 points soared ‘over’ the 57 ½-point closing total, helping the ‘over’ improve to 5-1-1 during the previous seven games.
Both teams scored in every quarter, but the Badgers enjoyed their best offensive performance in 95 years. Wisconsin dominated the Hoosiers across the board, finishing the contest with advantages in first downs (28-13), rushing yards (338-167), passing yards (260-149), turnovers forced (3-0) and time of possession (32:27-27:33).
Quarterback Scott Tolzien was 15-of-18 passing for 181 yards with three touchdowns before giving way to his backup. Running back Montee Ball had 22 carries for 167 yards and three scores in the rout, while wideout Jared Abbrederis caught two passes for 79 yards and a touchdown.
Michigan has strung together back-to-back SU victories after beating Purdue last weekend as 13-point road ‘chalk,’ 27-16. The combined 43 points never seriously threatened the 60 ½-point closing total, ending a string of three straight ‘over’ outings. The Wolverines have now failed to cover their last six games.
Michigan concluded the contest with advantages in first downs (21-12), rushing yards (202-124), passing yards (193-132) and time of possession (31:47-28:13). Quarterback Denard Robinson had four turnovers (two fumbles, two interceptions), but finished the contest by completing 13-of-21 passes for 176 yards with a touchdown along with 22 carries for 68 yards.
Wisconsin beat Michigan last season as an 8 ½-point home favorite, 45-24, while the combined 69 points went ‘over’ the 54 ½-point closing total. The Wolverines slipped past the Badgers two years ago as a 4 ½-point home underdog, 27-25, while the combined 52 points eclipsed the 42 ½-point closing total.
Wisconsin running back John Clay (knee injury) and center Peter Konz (ankle) are ‘questionable’ versus the Wolverines. The Badgers wrap up their regular season after this matchup with a home game against Northwestern.
Michigan running back Michael Shaw (head) is ‘questionable’ against the Badgers, while nose tackle Mike Martin (ankle) and linebacker Jonas Mouton (chest) are ‘probable.’ The Wolverines conclude their regular season Nov. 27 with their annual rivalry game against Ohio State.
Wisconsin has seen the ‘over’ go 7-1-1 its last nine Big Ten matchups, and the ‘over’ is 9-3 its previous 12 road games. The Badgers are 6-1-1 ATS the previous eight meetings with Michigan. The Wolverines are just 5-21 their past 26 conference games, while the ‘over’ is 14-6-1 their last 21 games in November.
Saturday’s forecast for Ann Arbor calls for mostly cloudy skies and a 20 percent chance of rain, with a high of 50 degrees and a low of 37.
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