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Sportsbook Reports 78% of Handle Is on Ohio State in “The Game” vs Michigan

Chris Amberley

by Chris Amberley in College Football

Updated Apr 8, 2020 · 11:18 AM PDT

Ohio State Football
Money is pouring in on No. 1 Ohio State versus No. 13 Michigan ahead of Saturday's massive tilt. Photo by Michelle Eberhart (Wikimedia Commons).
  • No. 1 Ohio State and No. 13 Michigan clash Saturday afternoon in “The Game” (Noon ET, Nov. 30)
  • The Buckeyes are 8-point road favorites, and 78% of the ATS money is on Ohio State
  • The top ranked team in the Nation is also receiving 72% of all ATS bets – read below for our betting prediction

No. 13 Michigan is the only thing standing in the way of a perfect regular season for No. 1 Ohio State. The two bitter rivals clash Saturday in “The Game” from Ann Arbour, and money is pouring in on the top-ranked Buckeyes at one prominent online betting site.

No.1 Ohio State vs No. 13 Michigan Odds & Betting Handle

Team Spread Handle
Ohio State Buckeyes -8.0 (-111) 78.0%
Michigan Wolverines +8.0 (-109) 22.0%

All odds taken Nov. 29.

According to the site, 78% of all ATS money wagered is on Ohio State, as well as 72% of the ATS tickets. The Buckeyes opened anywhere from an 8 to 8.5-point favorite in the Ohio State vs Michigan odds, and that’s roughly where the line currently sits. Ohio State is 8-3 ATS this season, but has failed to cover in back-to-back outings.

The Wolverines meanwhile, are 7-4 ATS and have covered in five straight. After a disappointing first seven weeks of the season, Jim Harbaugh’s group has completely flipped the switch, and would like nothing more than to spoil the Buckeyes’ undefeated campaign.

The Case for Michigan

Michigan’s offense eclipsed 24 points in just three of its first seven games this season and committed 14 turnovers along the way. In their last four games, the Wolverines are averaging 41.5 points per outing and have outscored their opponents 166-45 .

They routed No. 16 Notre Dame by 31 points a month ago, and three weeks later beat Michigan State by 34. Quarterback Shea Patterson is playing some of the best football of his collegiate career and has thrown nine touchdown passes in his last two games.

Their defense has been rock solid, limiting opponents to 14 or fewer points in four straight weeks, and has racked up 28 sacks during that stretch. They’ll need to continue generating pressure at a high rate if they have any hopes of slowing down the Buckeyes’ juggernaut offense. Ohio State ranks first in the nation in points for, but just 83rd in sack rate allowed.

The Case for Ohio State

The Buckeyes have won seven straight versus the Wolverines and 14 of the last 15. They’ve never lost to a Harbaugh-led Michigan team and have scored 30 or more points in eight of their last nine meetings. Not only do they lead all of college football in points per game, but they also allow the fewest points in the country. They’ve surrendered 20 points on just two occasions this season, and last week against Penn State was the first time they were held under 34 points.

They’ve won every game this season by at least two scores, and feature perhaps the best player in college football in Chase Young. The projected top-two pick in the 2020 NFL draft returned from suspension last week and wreaked havoc on the Nittany Lions.

Young is one of four players on the Buckeyes roster considered be among the best at their respective position, along with Heisman candidate Justin Fields (QB), JK Dobbins (RB) and Jeff Okudah (CB). Ohio State’s roster is loaded with talent and depth at every level, and they have a significant advantage over Michigan at nearly every position. If the game was decided on talent alone they’d win by three scores, but there are some reasons to be concerned.

Trends to Consider

Teams catching seven or more points in this rivalry have covered in nine of the past 10. Over the history of rivalry week, favorites of between 7 and 9.5-points win 72% of the time, but cover just 47% of the games.

The Wolverines haven’t lost at home since 2017 and are playing at a level that rivals anyone in college football at the moment. The Buckeyes showed a hint of vulnerability last week against Penn State and while they’ll likely still win this game, Michigan can certainly keep the score within eight points.

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