Posted on Mon, Aug 15, 2011 : 10:39 a.m.
Oddsmakers have Michigan as a 14-point favorite in season-opener against Western Michigan
By AnnArbor.com Staff
Michigan will open its football season Sept. 3 against Western Michigan as a 14-point favorite in the eyes of Las Vegas oddsmakers, the Kalamazoo Gazette reports.
And Western hasn't covered an opening-game spread since 2005, when it lost 31-19 to Viriginia.
Graham Couch, the longtime Western Michigan beat reporter for the Gazette, says the Broncos might be able to stay close to Michigan, but he'd be more optimistic if it weren't the season opener. From Couch:
I wouldn't be stunned if the Broncos upset either Illinois (Sept. 24) or UConn (Oct. 1) down the road a few weeks. And those teams may or may not wind up being better than Michigan. But the Wolverines are the opener and that usually makes more of a difference than Las Vegas realizes.
Comments
DonAZ
Tue, Aug 16, 2011 : 4:21 a.m.
No chance Hoke and staff are looking past this game; no chance they'll allow the players to look past the game. The game starts conservatively then opens up. Early on it'll be execution and ball control. Later on, as the game settles in and the players get all the first-game jitters out of them we'll start to see what Borges has up his sleeve.
riverraisin
Tue, Aug 16, 2011 : 2:04 p.m.
DonAZ You sound like a man that knows UofM football. I couldn't have said it better myself.
Terry Star21
Tue, Aug 16, 2011 : 4:49 a.m.
I agree Don, I don't believe they will hold back early or not show all their plays (in lieu of notre dame)...they will take each team as serious as a playoff game - wouldn't it be great to match the Lions first PS game, 35-3 and get the second and maybe third teams some field time (too cool !)
ThoseWhoStayUofM
Tue, Aug 16, 2011 : 12:42 a.m.
The over looks like easy money here. I really don't see Michigan winning by any less than 21 points. Michigan has superior athletes all across the board and that defense is going to be better than last year. The only way this could turn ugly is if the kids are seriously looking ahead to Notre Dame. This has potential to be a trap game but I just don't see it happening the first game of the season. It's the first impression and I don't see anybody sluffing off over Western. On the other hand, Brady Hoke and company would love nothing more than to take an early lead and then play manball to burn the clock. It would keep our skill players healthy and it's a relatively simple strategy so Notre Dame will have nothing to game plan against. It's really the same thing Michigan did last year to beat them on their home turf and Hoke would be wise to do the same. Then again, Michigan beat a significantly better opponent on their home opener by 20 points... so I would still say the over 14+ is the way to go.
Mick
Tue, Aug 16, 2011 : 12:29 a.m.
U-M 41 WMU 10, we will kick 2 FG's, Broncos will have 1 FG and a late garbage TD, anyone have a problem with this?
john n
Mon, Aug 15, 2011 : 11:08 p.m.
Cubit is feeling the heat. He's been at WMU long enough to get over the annual opener collapse and CMU disaster.
missionbrazil
Mon, Aug 15, 2011 : 9:54 p.m.
Sounds like the odds makers are thinking of the last 3 years in this prediction. We will win by at least twice the predicted 14 points. Go Blue.
Elton in Atlanta
Mon, Aug 15, 2011 : 7:54 p.m.
Part of me would like to see a 12-3 Michigan win. 4 field goals, strong defense, and show nothing to our friends in South Bend.
Terry Star21
Mon, Aug 15, 2011 : 6:02 p.m.
This game will be very close and extremely tight when the gun goes off. Michigan scores on their first possession and that's as close as it gets. Second quarter Michigan puts in the cheer team on offense, the ushers will play defense. At halftime the broncos don't make it back out of the locker room, walmart sparty is treated for choking on his own words, and Michigan notches the first of many, many wins. Next year we open the season against bama at JR Ewing's house in dallas, on the way to crystal and Hoke's words come back to make him a hero ! MgoBlueForTiM........yes, it is absolutely great to be a Michigan Football Faithful !
Wally the Wolverine
Mon, Aug 15, 2011 : 5:05 p.m.
Blue wins, but why do I have the sinking feeling that the game will be tighter than everyone else thinks? If they didn't have to learn a whole new scheme, I'd feel much better. I just think it will look a little ugly through at least the first third of the game - there's bound to be a few bugs that need to be worked out. Good thing we don't have to open against a higher caliber opponent.