Michigan and Washington square off on Saturday night in a rematch of last season’s national championship game.
This game, however, looks quite different. Each team has new coaches and quarterbacks, and both have shown some early-season inconsistency. The stakes are high, and both squads will be hungry for a big win.
The bookmakers are holding 10th-ranked Michigan as a 3-point underdog against Washington. We were a bit surprised at first, but once you peel everything back you see there’s some solid reasoning behind that.
The total for the game is set at 41, and the moneyline favors Washington at -142, while Michigan sits at +120. This matchup will be played in front of a loud Husky Stadium crowd, as it’s the Wolverines' first road game of the season.
While Michigan has a roster full of stars, there are a couple that stand out and might tip the scales in this game if they play well.
Donovan Edwards will be a crucial figure for Michigan. Washington fans haven’t forgotten his big-play ability from last year’s national championship, where he broke off long touchdown runs that set the tone for the Wolverines. Michigan will need more of that to come out on top here. While Kalel Mullings has been steady on the ground, it’s Edwards who adds that explosive spark.
Alex Orji also needs to step up. His ability to contribute both in the air and on the ground has been underused this year. Michigan’s coaching staff must get creative with Edwards and Orji to generate the explosive plays they’ve been lacking.
There are some new faces in Washington, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t some that need to dominate to overtake Michigan.
Will Rogers, Washington’s quarterback, will be the player to watch. Rogers is the SEC’s all-time leader in passing yards from his time at Mississippi State. He has been phenomenal this season, completing 74.8% of his passes with 10 touchdowns and no interceptions. If Michigan can’t disrupt Rogers, they’ll be in for a long night.
Keep an eye on Giles Jackson and Denzel Boston. Both of these fellas have been reliable targets for Rogers, racking up more than 400 receiving yards each this season.
Michigan comes into this matchup at 4-1. However, their record doesn’t tell the full story. After a loss to Texas and close calls against Minnesota and Fresno State, there’s still a lot of uncertainty.
Beating No. 11 USC was undoubtedly a bright spot, but the Wolverines haven’t looked like a well-oiled machine on offense. They’ve been relying heavily on their defense and the running game. They’ll need to improve in other areas if they want to be world champions again.
Washington, on the other hand, is 3-2, with some head-scratching losses to Rutgers and in-state rival Washington State.
Despite boasting one of the nation's top passing offenses, they’ve struggled to convert yards into points. They currently rank 89th in scoring offense.
Sure, Rogers has been stellar, but they’ve been undone by their inability to finish drives, which raises questions about how they’ll handle Michigan’s strong defensive front — especially in the red zone.
One big factor to consider — Washington has allowed seven sacks so far and struggled to contain Rutgers’ run game last week, giving up 188 rushing yards.
This could play into Michigan’s hands, especially given how dominant they were in last season’s championship matchup.
We think this game is shaping up to be a defensive battle. If you’re into over/under bets, we recommend the under on 41 points.
Washington has shown flaws in protecting Rogers, and Michigan’s defensive line should be able to exploit that. Even though the Wolverines have struggled offensively, their defense has been solid, and it feels like this game will come down to who can control the trenches.
BettorsInsider Best Bet: Michigan +3.
Michigan’s defense is likely to make life difficult for Will Rogers, and if they can generate pressure, they should be able to force a critical mistake or two.
Look for Will Johnson to make a big impact on the back end, and don’t be surprised if the Wolverines come away with a key interception or defensive score.
Final Prediction: Michigan 19, Washington 14.
This feels like a low-scoring, grind-it-out affair where Michigan’s defense and running game come through just enough to steal a tough road win in Seattle.