The Michigan Wolverines and the South Carolina Gamecocks met in this game five years ago. That game gave us one of the most memorable moments of bowl season as Jadeveon Clowney delivered “The Hit” midway through the fourth quarter. Clowney ran untouched past the line of scrimmage and blew up Vincent Smith in the backfield. The hit knocked Smith’s helmet off and forced a fumble that Clowney picked up with one hand. It was an amazing play that will be shown multiple times during the broadcast of this game.
Watch the Outback Bowl live on Monday, January 1, 2018, at 12 p.m. ET at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida. This game will be broadcast on ESPN2.
College Football Opening Odds at BookMaker.eu
South Carolina +7.5
Michigan -7.5
Over/Under 43
Odds Analysis
This was always supposed to be a rebuilding year for Michigan. No team lost more talent than the Wolverines did in the offseason, and the two-deep was filled with underclassmen. They started off the season with four straight wins, but lost to all the good teams on their schedule to finish 8-4. However, they did get better on offense later in the season and that led to the over hitting in five of their last seven games.
It’s been a successful season for South Carolina. Although the Gamecocks lost to Kentucky and Texas A&M, they went 8-4 and picked up some nice road wins. They finished the year at 6-4-2 ATS and under was a great bet in their games. Eight of South Carolina’s 12 games finished under the total
Matchup to Watch
Michigan has one of the best defenses in the nation. Don Brown has made this defense great since coming over from Michigan last year, and the Wolverines shined on this side of the ball despite returning just one starter.
The Wolverines were the best team in the nation at stopping the pass. Opponents threw for just 142.7 yards per game through the air on this team, and they gave up 5.8 yards per pass.
Jake Bentley has been pretty decent this season. The sophomore quarterback made some big throws and led his team to some nice wins this season. He isn’t going to put up great stats in a Will Muschamp offense, but he is a talented passer.
Player to Watch
Due to injury and ineffectiveness, Brandon Peters has assumed the starting quarterback role for Michigan. Peters helmed the offense when it was at its best this season, leading them to 33 or more points in three straight games against conference opponents.
However, Peters wasn’t asked to do much. He didn’t throw for more than 157 yards in a game all season and only threw the ball 63 times in four starts.
Peters didn’t play in the season finale against Ohio State because he suffered a concussion the week before against Wisconsin. He is going to be the starter in this one though and has had some time to get more familiarity with the system. Don’t be surprised if he takes to the air early to try to gain some confidence.
Free ATS Pick
This is going to be one of the lowest scoring games of bowl season. Both of these teams have great defenses, yet are very limited on the offensive end and play things close to the vest.
In the end, don’t be surprised if South Carolina pulls off the upset. The Wolverines have yet to beat a quality opponent all season long while the Gamecocks have a couple good victories. South Carolina has a more well-rounded quarterback and he should be able to move the ball a little bit through the air. Getting this many points in a game like this is a little crazy, but don’t question it and put some on the moneyline too.
College Football Odds: South Carolina 20, Michigan 17
BookMaker offers play-by-play betting odds for live sporting events every day! The user-friendly wagering interface on your smartphone provides an easy way to place bets on the go. Mobile betting lines are updated by the minute, so click here to start gambling on thrilling live action at BookMaker Sportsbook!
