UCLA vs MICHIGAN
When: 3/30/2021 9:57 PM
Where: Lucan Oil Stadium, Indianapolis, IN

TV: 9:57 PM
LINE: -300
PREDICTION: UCLA, Michigan

Oddsmakers currently have Michigan listed as 7 point favorites versus UCLA while the game’s total is sitting at 136.

Underdog UCLA sets sights on Michigan for another upset win

UCLA was expected to have a short stay in the NCAA Tournament, but the Bruins stand just one win away from reaching the Final Four.

The 11th-seeded Bruins aim to win their fifth straight tourney game when they attempt to upset top-seeded Michigan in Tuesday night’s East Regional final at Indianapolis.

The Bruins (21-9) are attempting to join Virginia Commonwealth in 2011 as the only schools to go from being relegated to the NCAA Tournament’s First Four to crashing the Final Four. They earned their date with the Wolverines by posting an exhilarating 88-78 overtime win over second-seeded Alabama on Sunday.

“There’s many times we could have packed it in, but I told them they’ve put up with me for two years trying to pound into them toughness and competitive spirit,” UCLA coach Mick Cronin said. “They allowed me to do it, and you’re seeing the results right now.”

The Bruins were mired in a four-game losing streak before starting their tournament run by defeating Michigan State in overtime in the First Four. They have followed up with double-digit victories over BYU, Abilene Christian and the Crimson Tide.

UCLA has its eyes on reaching the Final Four for the first time since 2008 when it made the last of three straight such appearances under former coach Ben Howland.

The Bruins will again be in the position of needing to score an upset when they play Michigan (23-4), which is playing in the Elite Eight for the fourth time in its last seven NCAA Tournament appearances.

UCLA sophomore swingman Jaime Jaquez Jr. said to go ahead and slap the underdog label on his team because he says the highly confident club won’t wilt under the pressure.

“I don’t want to say invincibility. Everyone is beatable,” Jaquez said. “Everyone has good nights and bad nights. We’re definitely a confident team. We definitely believe in ourselves, even when no one else was or did. So we just believe in each other every single day and knew, if we got this opportunity, we’re going to take full advantage.”

Michigan certainly is operating on all cylinders after trampling fourth-seeded Florida State 76-58 on Sunday.

The Wolverines began their push with wins over Texas Southern and LSU but ramped up their effort against the Seminoles, and the whipping included a 50-28 edge in points in the paint.

“We knew coming in that they were going to switch a lot of ball screens and basically everything,” sophomore guard Franz Wagner said. “So we tried to move the ball. I think a lot of times people get in trouble just holding the ball and dribbling the whole time. So I think we moved the ball pretty well and then attacked close-outs.”

The stellar performance gave Juwan Howard an Elite Eight berth in his second season as Michigan coach.

“As a player, I’ve been to three Elite Eights,” said Howard, referring to the school’s Fab Five era in the early 1990s. “So Michigan has had a lot of success in the basketball program. It’s just beautiful to see that all the hard work is paying off this year.”

The Wolverines are experiencing their March Madness success without standout senior forward Isaiah Livers (foot). Howard said he remains out indefinitely.

This marks the fifth time the schools have met in the NCAA Tournament. The Bruins won three of the previous four meetings, including a 91-80 win in the 1965 national championship game when Gail Goodrich poured in 42 points.

The post UCLA vs. Michigan Odds, Picks & Preview 3/30/2021 appeared first on IdealCapper.

SMU vs MICHIGAN
When: 3:30 PM ET, Saturday, September 15, 2018
Where: Michigan Stadium, Ann Arbor, Michigan

TV: 3:30 PM
LINE: -35.5
PREDICTION: MICHIGAN , SMU

Oddsmakers currently have the MICHIGAN listed as -35.5 point favorites versus the SMU, while the game’s total is sitting at 53.5.

No. 22 Michigan looks for its second straight win when it wraps up the non-conference portion of its schedule at home against SMU on Saturday. The Wolverines bounced back from an opening week loss to eighth-ranked Notre Dame with a 49-3 victory over Western Michigan, which ended a four-game slide dating to last season, and Michigan hopes to stay on the winning track by beating an American Athletic Conference opponent for the third straight year.

“We want to start fast and play an entire 60 minutes,” Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh told reporters. “I like the way our team approached last week as they had an edge to them and I want to see that again this weekend.” Michigan routed Central Florida 51-14 in 2016 before taking down fellow AAC foe Cincinnati 36-14 last season and are 24-5-1 against teams currently in the American, including a 3-0 record since the conference’s inception in 2013. The Wolverines have won 10 of their last 11 non-conference games in the regular season and hope to knock off the Mustangs in their first meeting since 1963. SMU is off to a rocky start following back-to-back losses, including a 42-12 setback to 14th-ranked TCU in the Battle for the Iron Skillet, and hope to get back on track by notching a signature win under first-year head coach Sonny Dykes.

TV: 3:30 p.m. ET, Big Ten Network. LINE: Michigan -35.5.

ABOUT SMU (0-2): Ben Hicks was limited to 111 yards on 18-of-38 passing as the Mustangs were held to 242 yards on offense en route to their seventh straight loss to the Horned Frogs. “We’ve just got to find a way to stay on the field and sustain some drives,” Hicks told reporters. “I think that’s something we’ve done a poor job of in the last two weeks.” Junior running back Braeden West was the lone bright spot on offense as he rushed for 78 yards and a touchdown to help put him over 100 all-purpose yards for the second straight game this season and for the 13th time in his career.

ABOUT MICHIGAN (1-1): Shea Patterson completed 12-of-17 passes for 125 yards and three touchdowns, including a 44-yard scoring strike to Nico Collins, which was the first TD pass from a Michigan quarterback to a wide receiver since Sept. 9, 2017. Karan Higdon ran for 156 yards and a touchdown while Chris Evans added another 86 on the ground to go along with a pair of TDs as the Wolverines racked up 308 rushing yards against Western Michigan. Nose tackle Aubrey Solomon will be sidelined for the next few weeks after undergoing surgery on his right knee while fellow defensive lineman Lawrence Marshall is week-to-week with an undisclosed injury.

EXTRA POINTS

1. Michigan is 12-2 in the month of September under Harbaugh.
2. The Wolverines are 9-0 in non-conference home games since 2015.
3. Michigan has surrendered six points in the last six quarters.

PREDICTION: Michigan 45, SMU 10

The post SMU vs. MICHIGAN 9/15/2018 Free Pick & CFB Betting Prediction appeared first on IdealCapper.

W MICHIGAN vs MICHIGAN
When: 12:00 PM ET, Saturday, September 8, 2018
Where: Michigan Stadium, Ann Arbor, Michigan

TV: 12:00 PM
LINE:
PREDICTION: MICHIGAN , W MICHIGAN

Oddsmakers currently have the MICHIGAN listed as point favorites versus the W MICHIGAN, while the game’s total is sitting at .

No. 22 Michigan looks to bounce back from an opening week defeat when they host Western Michigan on Saturday. The Wolverines fell in an early hole and never recovered in the 24-17 road loss to eighth-ranked Notre Dame, which extended their losing streak to four games dating back to last season, and they hope to turn their fortunes around by beating the Broncos for the seventh consecutive time.

“It’s not the outcome we anticipated or wanted but we just gotta dig deep,” Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh told reporters. “Just need to show some good old fashioned resolve and there’s more we can do as this can be a very good football team.” Michigan has dropped six of its last 10 contests but are 9-2 in non-conference regular-season games under Harbaugh, and Michigan aims to extend its winning streak in home openers to 10 in a row. The Wolverines haven’t faced the Broncos since a 34-10 victory in 2011 and have won the last four meetings since 2001 by an average margin of 22 points. Western Michigan suffered a 55-42 setback to Syracuse in its season opener and hopes to recover in a big way by knocking off the Wolverines for the first time in program history.

TV: Noon ET, Fox Sports1. LINE: Michigan -28.5

ABOUT WESTERN MICHIGAN (0-1): Jon Wassink threw for 379 yards and three touchdowns in his first game since breaking his collarbone against Eastern Michigan on Oct. 21, 2017 while D’Wayne Eskridge was named the MAC-West Division Offensive Player of the Week after hauling in eight passes for a career-high 240 yards in the loss to Syracuse. “I have to give thanks to Jon as I couldn’t have made the plays if he didn’t put the ball where he did,” Eskridge told reporters. “It felt great to finally show off all the work we have been doing since summer camp.” Wide receiver Drake Harris, who spent four injury-plagued years at Michigan, caught one pass for 12 yards in his Western Michigan debut.

ABOUT MICHIGAN (0-1): Shea Patterson acquitted himself well in his Wolverines debut as he completed 20-of-30 passes for 227 yards in the loss to Notre Dame despite going back to the locker room for a series to get an IV. Starting safety Josh Metellus was ejected for targeting in the first quarter against the Fighting Irish, but is eligible to return from the opening snap against Western Michigan while All-American linebacker Devin Bush registered six tackles and a sack despite battling cramps for a majority of the second half. Ambry Thomas was named the Co-Big Ten Special Teams Player of the Week after returning a kickoff 99 yards for a touchdown, which was Michigan’s first since 2015.

EXTRA POINTS

1. The Wolverines are 32-1 against Mid-American Conference opponents.

2. Michigan is 17-4 at home under Harbaugh.

3. Western Michigan racked up 621 yards of offense in Week 1.

PREDICTION: Michigan 37, Western Michigan 13

The post W MICHIGAN vs. MICHIGAN 9/8/2018 Free Pick & CFB Betting Prediction appeared first on IdealCapper.

MICHIGAN vs NOTRE DAME
When: 7:30 PM ET, Saturday, September 1, 2018
Where: Notre Dame Stadium, South Bend, Indiana

TV: 7:30 PM
LINE: 1
PREDICTION: NOTRE DAME , MICHIGAN

Oddsmakers currently have the NOTRE DAME listed as 1 point favorites versus the MICHIGAN, while the game’s total is sitting at 47.5.

No.11 Notre Dame will host 14th-ranked Michigan on Saturday as one of the most storied rivalries in college football is set to resume after a three-year hiatus. The Fighting Irish have won at least 10 games in two of the previous three seasons and hope their Citrus Bowl victory against LSU serves as a springboard to their second straight win against Michigan, after routing the Wolverines 31-0 in the last meeting in the series in South Bend in 2014.

“We’re excited about it as this is something that Jim (Harbaugh) and I wanted to get back on the schedule,” Notre Dame coach Brian Kelly told reporters. “We think it’s great for college football and I know our kids and our coaches can’t wait for Saturday night.” Michigan looks to bounce back from a disappointing campaign, which saw the Wolverines drop rivalry games to Michigan State and Ohio State en route to an 8-5 record. There is plenty of optimism in Ann Arbor despite a three-game losing streak to end the season as Ole Miss transfer Shea Patterson was granted a waiver for immediate eligibility. The former five-star recruit hopes to lead Michigan to its first road win against Notre Dame since 2010. “I understand the shoes that I have to fill with so many good quarterbacks who have come through here,” Patterson told reporters. “I’m so excited especially with the group of guys we have here.”

TV: 7:30 p.m. ET, NBC. LINE: Notre Dame -1

ABOUT MICHIGAN (2017: 8-5): Patterson, who threw for 2,259 yards and 17 touchdowns in seven games before a knee injury ended his season prematurely, beat out Brandon Peters for the starting job, but was stripped of a major weapon as No. 1 wide receiver Tarik Black was ruled out indefinitely with a fractured right foot. Michigan’s defense, which gave up 18.3 points per game in 2017, promises to be fearsome once again as nine starters return, including preseason All-Americans Rashan Gary, a defensive end who is a projected top-10 pick in the 2019 NFL Draft, and linebacker Devin Bush. Karan Higdon flirted with the NFL after rushing for 994 yards and 11 touchdowns last season and will form a dynamic duo with Chris Evans, who accounted for 842 total yards and seven TDs.

ABOUT NOTRE DAME (2017: 10-3): Brandon Wimbush passed for 1,870 yards and 16 touchdowns to go along with another 803 yards and 14 TDs on the ground last season, and was named the starter after beating out Ian Book, who relieved him during the win against LSU and could see some action if Wimbush struggles. Tony Jones Jr. is likely to replace last season’s leading rusher Josh Adams, who bolted to the NFL after racking up 1,430 yards and nine touchdowns, while Dexter Williams’ status is unclear following speculation of a university imposed four-game suspension. Offensive lineman Robert Hainsey is expected to play on Saturday after missing two weeks of practice with a calf strain.

EXTRA POINTS

1. Notre Dame has won 25 of its last 31 season openers.

2. Michigan has won nine straight regular-season games against non-conference opponents under Harbaugh.

3. The Fighting Irish have won five of the last six meetings with the Wolverines in South Bend.

PREDICTION: Michigan 23, Notre Dame 20

The post MICHIGAN vs. NOTRE DAME 9/1/2018 Free Pick & CFB Betting Prediction appeared first on IdealCapper.

MICHIGAN vs OHIO ST
When: 11/26/2016 12:00 PM

TV: Noon ET, ABC.
LINE: Ohio State -6.5
PREDICTION: Michigan 23, Ohio State 21

COLUMBUS, Ohio — The Ohio State-Michigan game is big enough by itself to be considered one of the greatest rivalries in college football.

No matter what the records are, the annual border battle is intense for the players and fans. Bragging rights are a big deal, particularly in Ohio. This game means everything to the players.

This year, there’s even more at stake when second-ranked Ohio State (10-1, 7-1 Big Ten) and No. 3 Michigan (10-1, 7-1) square off on Saturday at Ohio Stadium in Columbus (noon, ABC).

The two teams are playing for a share of the Big Ten East Division title, the right to go to the conference championship game in Indianapolis next month and an anticipated berth in the College Football Playoff.

“It’s officially rivalry week,” Ohio State coach Urban Meyer declared after last Saturday’s narrow escape at Michigan State with a 17-16 victory. “Our eyes are forward. Let’s go.”

Without a doubt, this is the most important game of the season in college football. ESPN’s College GameDay is expanding to five hours from three during rivalry Saturday.

“It’s going to be intense. The game of the century,” Ohio State defensive end Jalyn Holmes said after the Buckeyes survived at Michigan State when the Spartans failed on a go-ahead two-point conversion attempt with less than five minutes remaining.

A win over Michigan doesn’t necessarily guarantee Ohio State a berth in the Big Ten championship or a playoff berth. If Ohio State takes down Michigan and Penn State beats Michigan State on Saturday in State College, Pa., the Nittany Lions go to Lucas Oil Stadium to likely face Wisconsin, based on a head-to-head win over the Buckeyes last month.

All the Buckeyes can do is win and then hope Michigan State pulls off the upset. Even if Ohio State beats Michigan and doesn’t get to Indianapolis, there’s still a strong possibility of landing a spot in the four-team national playoff.

Asked about the postseason possibilities, Meyer dodged the question in his only media availability of the week. As an Ohio native who grew up watching this game, he recognizes the history and importance of Michigan-Ohio State.

“I hope that our two tackles’ ankles are completely healed,” Meyer responded. “And we have to have a great Tuesday practice.”

For the Wolverines, the formula is much simpler. Win and they’re in Indianapolis for the first time since the Big Ten begin playing its championship game in 2011. Michigan hasn’t won a conference title since 2004.

“I feel like we’re ready to go to battle, in a football kind of way,” Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh said. “And I’m ready to lead them.”

Ohio State has dominated the series in recent years, winning 11 of the last 12 meetings. The only Michigan victory came in 2011 after Jim Tressel resigned as Ohio State coach in the wake of a scandal and Luke Fickell took over for one year before Meyer arrived.

In Harbaugh’s first year in 2015, the Wolverines didn’t fare so well, losing 42-13 at home to the Buckeyes. Harbaugh’s arrival has definitely injected some extra pizazz into the game, if it needed any more. The Meyer-Harbaugh coaching matchup is reminiscent of the Woody Hayes-Bo Schembechler era when the series was in its heyday in the 1970s.

Saturday’s clash will be the biggest in the series since the epic 2006 game when the teams entered as Nos. 1 and 2 in the country. Ohio State, led by Heisman Trophy winner Troy Smith, came away with a 42-39 victory in Columbus. The Buckeyes have not lost to the Wolverines in Columbus since 2000.

“I’ve never been in a top-five Michigan game,” Holmes said. “But we could either both be in the top five or we could both be 0-11. It’s still going to be intense.”

The teams appear to match up evenly. Both defenses are dominant and the two offenses are balanced. They rank No. 1 and 2 in the Big Ten in scoring offense and defense, and also in total offense and defense.

“When you face an elite defense like this, you need everything you’ve got,” Meyer said.

Michigan has more experience at the outside skill positions on offense and also has at its disposal the multitalented Jabrill Peppers, who plays defensive back but also returns kicks and takes some snaps on offense.

Ohio State is led by J.T. Barrett at quarterback. He could be the difference-maker in this game because of his ability to run and pass with a school-record 99 career touchdowns accounted for. Two years ago, he was in the process of leading the Buckeyes to a win over the Wolverines when he suffered a broken ankle at the start of the fourth quarter.

Michigan, meanwhile, had John O’Korn make his first start of the season at quarterback in last week’s win over Indiana after Wilton Speight, who started all year, suffered a shoulder injury in the Wolverines’ loss at Iowa. Harbaugh won’t say which one will start Saturday, only that Speight is day to day.

The quarterback situation adds some intrigue to a game that needs no more hype.

“It’s No. 2 vs. No. 3. We’ve never been in this position before. This is unreal,” Michigan offensive lineman Erik Magnuson said. “A lot different than in the past when it was like ‘hopefully, we can pull out a big upset. … Now now.”

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