Michigan vs. Purdue Prediction
Is No. 8 Michigan facing a potential upset when it opens up Big Ten play on the road against Purdue later today at 4PM ET?
According to oddsmakers at Bovada.lv, Michigan is favored on the road, as the Wolverines are getting odds of -10.5 points against the Boilermakers. The over/under total for the contest is listed at 50 points. Michigan has won three straight over Purdue, covering the spread in the last two meetings. Today’s game takes place from Ross-Ade Stadium in West Lafayette, Indiana. The contest will air live on FOX.
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Purdue is off to a nice 2-1 start under new coach Jeff Brohm while posting a 3-0 record against the spread. Purdue is looking like a well-rounded team, as the defense is giving up just 19.7 points and 374.3 yards per game right now. Their run defense is holding opponents to 129.7 yards per contest. On offense, Purdue is posting 459.7 yards and 35.7 points per game. David Blough has thrown for 597 yards and six touchdowns to lead the offense while Tario Fuller is adding 261 rushing yards and two scores.
Michigan is off to a 3-0 start to the season with wins over Florida, Cincinnati and Air Force. The Wolverines are just 1-2 against the spread, failing to cover in both games where they were a double-digit favorite. The U-M defense still appears to be one of the best in the nation. Michigan is allowing just 14.7 points and 208 yards per game this season. The offense hasn’t been quite as reliable, as it is posting 32.7 points and 402 yards per game. Wilton Speight only has 571 passing yards with three touchdowns and two interceptions. The offense is being led by Ty Isaac, who has 336 yards on 47 carries.
This is a big game for Purdue. The Boilermakers are hoping to prove they are for real and are taking a step toward being a contender in the Big Ten. Purdue has looked good so far, but I think the offense is about to step into a real road block in the Michigan defense. While the Wolverines have struggled on offense, the spread is small enough where that shouldn’t be an issue. Michigan’s defense can lock down Purdue while grinding out some touchdown drives through its run game. Speight isn’t great, but he’s still an experienced quarterback that can make some big throws. Take the Wolverines to cover today.
COLLEGE FOOTBALL PREDICTION: MICHIGAN -10.5