Michigan Football: vs Wisconsin odds and prediction for Week 5
Michigan football heads to Wisconsin on Saturday for a huge Big Ten game and here are the odds and a prediction for the Wolverines against the Badgers.
During the first three weeks of the season, Michigan football dominated. The Wolverines also went 3-0 against the spread.
That all changed last week. Michigan football was a heavy favorite to beat Rutgers and the Wolverines were forced to hold on for a seven-point win, despite leading 20-3 at the half.
Outside of that, Michigan has performed really well this season and according to the Saragin Ratings, a computer rankings system, the Wolverines are the fourth-best team in the country and have beaten three top-40 teams: Rutgers, Western Michigan, and Washington.
Sagarin has Michigan at #4 with three top-40 wins, and I've had to reread it like 10 times to make sure my brain isn't playing a trick on me. pic.twitter.com/iy3JcQZnDu
— Drew Hallett (@DrewCHallett) September 27, 2021
Wisconsin has struggled but has also played a tough schedule. The Badgers have lost to a pair of top-10 teams: Penn State and Notre Dame and the Badgers led in the fourth quarter against the Irish before it all fell apart.
Now, Wisconsin returns home to face a Michigan team that hasn’t won in Madison in two decades (2001). Wisconsin defeated the Wolverines soundly in each of the past two seasons and its top-ranked run defense (nationally) should bode well against Michigan’s run-heavy offense.
Michigan Football vs Wisconsin odds Week 5
The Week 5 odds according to WynnBET have Michigan football listed as a one-point favorite over Wisconsin. There is also an over/under of 43.5 points.
Michigan Football vs Wisconsin Prediction Week 5
Wisconsin’s run defense isn’t just good — it’s crazy good. The Badgers are allowing just one yard per rush and the Wolverines have struggled to run in each of the past two seasons against Wisconsin and the last time they were in Madison, they fell behind 35-0.
This Michigan team has played mistake-free football on offense and still doesn’t have a turnover this season. The defense ranks 4th in the country in scoring and is top-40 in total defense.
Graham Mertz has one touchdown compared to six interceptions but the goal for the Badgers will be to throw as little as possible.
Rutgers rushed for 196 yards last week against Michigan and without some red-zone failures, could have easily won the game in Ann Arbor.
Michigan does excel in the red zone defensively and this is going to be a low-scoring affair that not’s for the faint at heart.
At the start of the season, I wouldn’t have given U-M much chance of winning this game. But this team is better, especially on defense and along the offensive line than expected.
Cade McNamara will avoid mistakes but I don’t see him making enough plays to win this game. Blake Corum has to do something special or the defense, which has just one interception, needs to force a couple of takeaways.
Next. 5 things learned against Rutgers. dark
It’s close but the Badgers win it with defense in the end by a score of 17-13.