Michigan vs Michigan State Opening Odds – Wolverines 4-Point Road Favorites in East Lansing

• Michigan (7-0) faces Michigan State (7-0) at Spartan Stadium Saturday at Noon Eastern on Fox
• Michigan State RB Kenneth Walker ranks 2nd with 997 rushing yards
• Below are the opening odds and team break downs to help predict potential line movement prior to kickoff

It’s a battle of the unbeatens in the state of Michigan this Saturday.

Both Michigan and Michigan State enter the rivalry game at a perfect 7-0. The Spartans won last year’s match up by a field goal and are coming off a bye week. Despite those facts, the Wolverines opened as 4-points favorites on the road. The winner of this game will own top spot in the Big Ten East division and will sit in the drivers seat as the conference championship draws near.

Michigan vs Michigan State Odds

Odds as of October 24th at DraftKings

Let’s take a deep dive into both programs to sniff out any potential line movement prior to kickoff.

Jim Harbaugh Takes Aim At Statement Win

Michigan is enjoying a fantastic start to the season with not only an undefeated record but a 6-1 mark against the spread. They are consistently exceeding expectations which is great news to fans in Ann Arbor. More conservative thinkers will mention it’s important to take the Wolverines schedule into consideration. There are a couple nice wins but none against ranked opponents. Michigan State will be their first ranked opponent of the season which could be a problem for Jim Harbaugh. He’s 1-9 in true road games against ranked opponents as head coach at Michigan.

The race for the final spot in the CFP 👀

(📍 @Allstate) pic.twitter.com/lYN4XCzCIx

— ESPN College Football (@ESPNCFB) October 24, 2021

Offensive lineman Zak Zinter is expected to play but fellow lineman Trevor Keegan may miss the game. This is important because of Michigan’s heavy reliance on the run game. Running backs Hassan Haskins and Blake Corum have combined for 1,331 yards and 20 touchdowns so far this season. Quarterback Cade McNamara is the ultimate game manager, and tends to by time between electric plays by his dynamic duo in the back field.

Michigan State Confident On Both Sides Of The Ball

Michigan State is one of a handful of teams in the country with several different ways to beat an opponent. They are one of only two teams that has yet to allow more than 21 points in game – the other is the top ranks Georgia Bulldogs. But this Spartans team is much different than others in the past. They also have a balanced offense with quarterback Payton Thorne leading the way. He has two receivers with more than 500 yards already in Jalen Naylor and Jayden Reed. The crown jewel of the offense though is running back Kenneth Walker. He’s already compiled 997 rushing yards and nine touchdowns this season.

Kenneth Walker hasn't fumbled in 338 rushing attempts (2019) @MSU_Football pic.twitter.com/wcCq5J5YKw

— PFF College (@PFF_College) October 24, 2021

The similarities between Michigan State and Michigan run deep. Both from the same state, both with identical records, both 6-1 against the spread with the lone loss to Nebraska. This game is shaping up to be close with potentially two advantages for the Spartans that could entice bettors – the venue and Michigan State’s top shelf talent on both sides of the ball.

Expect Line Movement Prior To Kickoff

Michigan State opening as underdogs at home for this one should entice public action in the early going. If you’re looking to bet on the Spartans, getting your wager in early is the smart play. If you’re siding with the Wolverines, be patient and see you if you can get the line closer at less than a field goal.