Michigan football opens as favorite over Ohio State in early 2023 betting lines

The Ohio State Buckeyes last beat the Michigan Wolverines in football during the 2019 season when OSU went 13-1 and Michigan football went 9-4. Since the start of the decade, Jim Harbaugh and his program have a 2-0 record against Ohio State, claiming back-to-back dominant victories over the past two seasons. In their most recent matchup, Michigan walked into Columbus and took home a 22-point win over Ryan Day and his team. Heading into the 2023 season, Draft Kings’ early betting lines favor the Wolverines to claim a third-straight win in the rivalry series.

Michigan football opens as an early favorite over Ohio State in preseason betting lines

For years, it seemed like Michigan football would never catch up to Ohio State on the football field, even under Jim Harbaugh. The Buckeyes dominated the Wolverines year after year, including their last two wins in 2018 and 2019 when they scored 62 and 56 points, respectively.

However, in 2021 everything changed for Michigan football and Jim Harbaugh. The Wolverines finally broke Ohio State’s eight-game winning streak with a 42-27 victory and won the Big Ten East title. They continued their momentum in 2022, beating Ohio State 45-23 in The Shoe, their first road win against the Buckeyes since 2000.

Heading into the 2023 season, Ohio State will be losing some notable talent, including two-time Heisman candidate CJ Stroud, while the Wolverines are returning more production than any other program in the Big Ten. Additionally, Ohio State must come to Ann Arbor this year, making it a tough task for Ryan Day and his new quarterback. It’s possible Day may be facing his third straight loss to the Wolverines.

According to the Draft Kings Sportsbook, Michigan football is favored by nearly a field goal ahead of the season. The current betting line favors Jim Harbaugh’s squad by 2.5 points. This is the first time in a long time that Michigan is entering a season as the favorite to beat Ohio State and win the Big Ten title once again. Of course, the betting line is subject to change, though it is a good indication of the progress that the Michigan football program has made over the past two seasons.

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