Michigan State’s National Title Odds Improve to +4000 After Beating Michigan; Wolverines Fade to +6000

• Michigan State beat Michigan 37-33 in Week 9 of college football
• The Spartans Title odds improved to +4000, while the Wolverines faded to +6000
• Read below to see the full updated National Championship odds after Week 9

Michigan State saw major improvement in it’s National Title odds after taking down Jim Harbaugh’s Michigan in Week 9.  The Spartans rallied from a 16-point deficit to remain undefeated atop the Big Ten East Division.

Michigan State’s CFP National Championship odds improved to +4000 after the victory, while the Wolverines faded to +6000. Both teams still have to face Ohio State, which earned a big victory over Penn State in Columbus.

The table below shows the updated National Championship odds after Week 9.

National Championship Odds

Odds as of October 31st at DraftKings.

Spartans Run Over Wolverines

Michigan State remains undefeated through eight games after beating Michigan 37-33 in East Lansing during Week 9. The Spartans were down 23-14 at halftime, but rallied in the second half to secure the comeback. RB Kenneth Walker III had a monster day, rushing for 193 yards and five touchdowns.

FINAL FROM EAST LANSING💚#GoGreen pic.twitter.com/8whwxIYGwH

— Michigan State Football (@MSU_Football) October 30, 2021

Mel Tucker’s team saw it’s National Title odds improve from +8000 to +4000 after the victory. The last time the Spartans began the season 8-0 was 2015, when they qualified for the College Football Playoff. Oddsmakers still have them as a longshot this year, as upcoming games vs Ohio State and Penn State won’t be easy.

Walker III has been the big story for Michigan State, as he leads the FBS in rushing yards and is rising in the Heisman odds. The Wake Forest transfer rushed 23 yards for the winning score in the fourth quarter Saturday, becoming the first-ever MSU running back to rush for five TDs against the Wolverines.

Kenneth Walker III has FIVE touchdowns vs #6 Michigan 🤯

RB1 on our 2022 draft board 😤pic.twitter.com/16Dvk2MKpB

— PFF (@PFF) October 30, 2021

Despite the comeback victory for Michigan State, there are reasons to tread lightly with the Spartans in the Title odds. MSU’s secondary was lit up for almost 400 yards by Michigan QB Cade McNamara, which could be a problem in a potential CFP game. Alabama, Oklahoma and Ohio State all have explosive passing attacks that could pick apart MSU’s secondary.

Wolverines Down, But Not Out

Michigan faded from +3500 to +6000 in the National Championship odds after losing to their in-state rivals. The Spartans did plenty of things well in the victory, but also had some mistakes. Harbaugh’s team racked up 552 yards of offense, but two turnovers in the second half proved costly.

PICKED OFF! @MSU_Football's defense comes up HUGE late! pic.twitter.com/xgfIFHesiC

— FOX College Football (@CFBONFOX) October 30, 2021

The game featured a questionable coaching decision from Harbaugh. He brought in freshman QB J.J. McCarthy late in the fourth quarter with a three-point lead, and the youngster fumbled and lost the ball to the Spartans. Walker III would score for Michigan State on the ensuing drive before an interception by Charles Brantley secured the win for MSU.

Harbaugh is now 2-13 against top 10 teams at Michigan, as he simply hasn’t been able to get it done when it matters most. The game that will define Harbaugh’s season is November 27th against Ohio State at the Big House. The Buckeyes have won eight straight games in the series and can’t afford to have that streak snapped this year.

Jim Harbaugh’s struggles continue 😅 pic.twitter.com/cnvxYCpiqV

— Sports Illustrated (@SInow) October 30, 2021

The reason Michigan hasn’t faded longer in the odds is because they’ve showed signs that they can at least compete with Ohio State. Aidan Hutchinson and David Ojabo form a lethal pass-rush randem, while McNamara can sling it. The Wolverines made six trips to the red zone in Week 9, but only scored TDs on two of those.

Panthers, Hawkeyes Fade

Georgia remains atop the National Championship odds after beating Florida in Week 9, but we can rule out some CFP longshots. Pittsburgh and Iowa are both out of the College Football playoff conversation after suffering their second losses of the season. The Panthers lost to Miami, while the Hawkeyes were dominated by Wisconsin.

HUGE WIN FOR WISCONSIN 👀

The Badgers take down No. 9 Iowa in dominant fashion. pic.twitter.com/0Sct7IzGCh

— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) October 30, 2021

Iowa had a fantastic first-half to the season, but they’ve been exposed by Purdue and Wisconsin in back-to-back weeks. The Badgers forced three turnovers and produced six sacks in a commanding 27-7 victory over the Hawkeyes. With four straight wins, Wisconsin is now favored to win the Big Ten West Division.

Pittsburgh, meanwhile, lost a close 38-34 game to Miami. Panthers QB Kenny Pickett threw for a school-record 519 yards, but Hurricanes QB Tyler Van Dyke almost matched his output, throwing for 426 yards on Pitt’s secondary. The Panthers remain favored to win the ACC, but they won’t be making the CFP with two losses on their resume.

With Pittsburgh and Iowa fading, the door is open for an undefeated Cincinnati or one-loss Oregon to potentially sneak into the CFP. The problem is Oklahoma remains undefeated and moved from +1500 to +1200 in the Title odds after beating Texas Tech. If the Sooners and Buckeyes win out, we may not see any new blood in this year’s College Football Playoff.