Ohio State’s stunning defeat last week will likely keep it out of the playoff race. The Buckeyes can still get over the Michigan State loss and win the Big Ten title with a little help, but they have to get by a Michigan team that has its own dreams of taking the West championship. Ohio State has felt right at home in the Big House going 4-1 SU and ATS in its last five there.
College Football Odds at BookMaker.eu
Michigan Wolverines -1
Ohio State Buckeyes +1
Over/Under 45
ODDS ANALYSIS
It may not have been the best time for Ezekiel Elliott to go off about the play-calling, but he was right in his assessment. Don’t expect the Buckeyes to make the same mistake twice. Ohio State has gotten the better of the Wolverines recently, especially at the Big House, going 4-1 SU and ATS in its last five visits to Ann Arbor. The line was wagered to Michigan -2 but the Buckeyes appear to be the smart play in this one.
KEY MISMATCH
Elliott wants the ball and he’s going to get it against the Wolverines. Elliott only got 12 carries for 33 yards and a score against Sparty. Did the coaching staff think too much or was Michigan State just that good? Possibly a little bit of both. But the key to Elliott’s game is keep the drip, drip, drip going until the dam breaks. He had rushed for better than 100 yards in every game prior to last week and averages 132.5 yards per game, the second-highest total in the conference, and 6.5 yards per carry. Taking the offense out of his hands was an interesting move. He might get stopped several times in a row but he has to keep pounding the rock behind one of the best offensive lines in the country. Eventually, he’ll blow open a big run or three, but he didn’t get the chance against Michigan State. Last year he ran for 121 yards and two touchdowns on just 17 carries in the win over the Wolverines. Expect him to get more touches this time around.
KEY STAT
-5 – Michigan’s turnover margin. The Wolverines are 12th in the Big Ten and have a league-low 10 takeaways. Ohio State is plus-1 in turnover differential.
BETTING ANGLE
There are two ways this could go. Either Ohio State completely implodes – with it already starting after the Michigan State loss with Cardale Jones and Elliott each saying that they’re off to the NFL five seconds after the season ends – or the team rallies and opens it up against the Wolverines. There’s too much talent, too many pro players, and too much experience to be this mediocre and this vanilla. Or maybe this is Ohio State. Maybe this is how good it really is, in which case it still has one of the best defenses in college football, it still has terrific special teams and even though the offense might not be performing at a high level, it’s still strong enough to handle a Michigan team that struggles in turnover margin and has a D that’s looking a bit vulnerable over the last two weeks.
ANALYSIS AND ODDS PREDICTION
Last week’s outcome gives Michigan hope that it can end a three-game slide to its bitter rival. But the Wolverines just aren’t good enough offensively to challenge one of the best defenses in the country. Sure, they’ll be inspired by a huge crowd and the emotion should be channeled for a fast start. Quarterback Jake Rudock will take his shots and might come up with a big play or two, but the Buckeyes are strong and will limit the scoring opportunities. Despite what happened last week, the fact is Ohio State is tremendously talented and will not go out with a whimper in its two biggest NCAAF games. The Michigan State game was a wake-up call after waltzing through the first 10 games of the year and the Buckeyes aren’t going to throw it all away and they are not going to play the same lousy game twice.
Ohio State 27, Michigan 20
Access live betting lines from your mobile device or tablet at BookMaker Sportsbook! You can wager on sporting events as they unfold on television with BookMaker’s live betting platform. Real-time spreads, totals, props and moneyline odds are all available by clicking here so start betting with BookMaker today! The Ohio State Buckeyes and Michigan Wolverines square off on Saturday, November 28, 2015, at 12 p.m. ET at Michigan Stadium. The matchup will be televised live on ABC.
