The Michigan football team is hoping to get bowl eligible this weekend as they will be hosting Northwestern. Not many people were expecting the Wolverines to be battling for bowl eligibility at this point in the season, but here we are. This is also an important game because of the trophy that is at stake. Michigan and Northwestern will be playing for the George Hewett Trophy which honors Hewett, the first African American to play at both schools and also in the Big Ten. It is time to continue our college football odds series with a Northwestern-Michigan prediction and pick.
This season has not gone to plan for Michigan, but getting to a bowl game is important. The Wolverines have lost two games in a row since getting their fifth win, and they now sit at 5-5 with just two games to go. After this week, Michigan has to go on the road to play #2 Ohio State. If the Wolverines can’t beat Northwestern, they likely won’t be able to knock off the Buckeyes to get bowl eligible. It’s now or never.
Northwestern is having the season that everyone expected them to have. David Braun is in his official first year as the head coach of the Wildcats, and the team is currently 4-6 on the year. They aren’t expected to go on the road and beat Michigan, but this game is expected to be fairly close. The Wildcats are hoping to keep their bowl game hopes alive as well.
Northwestern-Michigan Last Game – Matchup History
Michigan and Northwestern have played 70 times before, and the Wolverines have dominated the series history. Michigan has won 55 games against the Wildcats all-time and they have lost just 13. There have also been two ties.
The last time these two teams met was in 2021 and it was also in the Big House. The Wolverines easily defeated the Wildcats, cruising to a 33-7 win. Michigan went on to win the Big Ten that season.
Michigan has won the last seven meetings between these two schools. Four of those seven games have been one-score games, and two of them went to overtime. The last time that Northwestern won was back in 2008
Overall Series: Michigan is 55-13-2
Here are the Northwestern-Michigan College Football odds, courtesy of FanDuel.
College Football Odds: Northwestern-Michigan Odds
Northwestern: +10.5 (-110)
Moneyline: +365
Michigan: -10.5 (-110)
Moneyline: -490
Over: 36.5 (-110)
Under: 36.5 (-110)
How to Watch Northwestern vs. Michigan
Time: 3:30 ET/12:30 PT
TV: CBS
Stream: fuboTV (Free Trial)
Why Northwestern Could Cover The Spread/Win
Northwestern can cover this spread because their defense is their strength, and the Michigan football team has one of the worst offenses in the country. Michigan ranks #129 in the nation in total offense. They don’t score a lot of points, so the Wildcats won’t have to score a ton to be able to cover this 10.5. Finding a way to win it will be more difficult, but the lack of offense from Michigan should keep Northwestern in the game and within striking distance.
Why Michigan Could Cover The Spread/Win
Michigan can cover this spread for a similar reason. The Northwestern offense is also one of the worst in the country as the Wildcats rank #130 in total offense. The Wolverines have a solid defense, and they should be able to keep Northwestern from moving the ball. If Michigan can just have a decent day offensively, they should be able to win comfortably.
Final Northwestern-Michigan Prediction & Pick
We’re going to take Michigan to cover this weekend. Northwestern is the worst Big Ten team that the Wolverines will face this year, and they should be able to handle them at home. It doesn’t seem likely that the Wildcats have success on offense in this one, so the Wolverines just need to focus on making smart plays on offense and taking care of the ball. If they can do that, they should be okay. Michigan wins this one 24-10.
Final Northwestern-Michigan Prediction & Pick: Michigan -10.5 (-110)
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