Michigan football extended its winning streak to 16 games in the season opener on Saturday, but it didn’t look pretty.
Oddsmakers took notice and adjusted the spread ahead of their game next week vs Texas, moving a massive three points from 3.5 to 6.5, per DraftKings.
While Fresno State was coming off three-straight 9+ win seasons, the Wolverines did not look like the defending champs, up one possession until midway through the final quarter.
Now, they will face a more serious challenge as No. 4 Texas visits Ann Arbor with College GameDay on the scene. It will mark the Wolverines’ first of four games against a team ranked in the preseason AP Top 25 Poll. It will also be their first of three matchups against an opponent ranked in the top 10.
While Michigan is the defending national champions and at home, it’s no surprise to see them as 6.5-point underdogs. While the Wolverines struggled to move the ball against a weaker opponent (269 total yards), the Longhorns dominated a solid Colorado State team, 52-0.
To defeat Texas – or even cover the spread – the offense will need to be far more efficient.
What’s more frightening about the spread is home field advantage is worth ~3-to-3.5 points in college football. That means oddsmakers like the Longhorns by 10 points or more on a neutral field.
Can the Wolverines defy the odds?
No. 1 CFB Show Will Be in Ann Arbor for Michigan vs. Texas
College GameDay will be in Ann Arbor in Week 2 when the Michigan Wolverines host the Texas Longhorns. The top-ten matchup is one of just two games next week – along with Tennessee at NC State – that will feature two opponents ranked in the Top 25.
The College GameDay crew consists of Desmond Howard, Nick Saban, Pat McAfee, Kirk Herbstreit, Lee Corso, and Rece Davis. The game will air on FOX at noon ET as part of Big Noon Kickoff.
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