Credit: Matt Cashore/USA TODAY Sports
Michigan and Jim Harbaugh have finally made it to the Big Ten Championship game. After losing to rival Ohio State the previous eight matchups versus their rival, they finally got a huge win this past weekend. Their opponent will be Iowa, after Minnesota knocked Wisconsin out of contention for a Big Ten Championship. Both teams are physical and both like to gain control of the line of scrimmage as early as possible, which should make for an interesting college football betting matchup.
The following Michigan vs Iowa college football betting preview will give you the current odds, betting trends, and a prediction for the Big Ten Championship Game.
2021 Big Ten Championship Game
Michigan (11-1, 8-1 Big Ten) vs Iowa (10-2, 7-2 Big Ten)
Date: Saturday, Dec. 4th, 2021
Time: 8:00 EST
Venue: Lucas Oil Stadium — Indianapolis, IN
Coverage: FOX
As I mentioned earlier, Harbaugh finally got a win versus Ohio State this past weekend. He’s been trying since he came to Michigan, and this year he finally got the big one. However, with only one win standing between him and the playoff, will Harbaugh once again fold in the spotlight?
On offense, the Michigan rushing attack was lethal last weekend versus Ohio State. Hassan Haskins totaled five rushing touchdowns versus OSU this past weekend. However, Blake Corum was more of the workhorse back before sustaining an injury late in the season. He is expected to play, but either way, the only way Iowa has a chance to win this game is if they can neutralize the Wolverine’s rushing attack. Quarterback Cade McNamara has been inconsistent all season, but got the job done last week. He’s only passed for just over 2,300 yards this season, but he has connected for 14 touchdowns to only three interceptions. Receiver Cornelius Johnson is a favorite target of McNamara, catching three touchdowns this season.
The Wolverines are at their best when their defense is playing lights out, as it has over the course of the last couple of weeks. Aidan Hutchinson is looking more and more like a top-10 pick in the upcoming NFL Draft. On the other end of the line of scrimmage is David Ojabo who has also been great this year, especially against the run. Linebacker John Ross and defensive back Daxton Hill are the leaders on the defense. Hill also leads the team with two interceptions. Michigan completely broke the Ohio State offense this past weekend, and Iowa’s isn’t nearly as good. With that being said this should be a rather easy victory for Michigan, but anything can happen in Indianapolis.
The Hawkeyes are also a very physical team. Up front, they may have the best offensive lineman in the country, and that includes tackles and guards. Tyler Linderbaum has been outstanding this season, leading the ground attack. He will likely be a top-ten pick in next summer’s NFL Draft. Quarterback Spencer Petras has been underwhelming, but has been a solid game manager over his career. If the Hawkeyes want any chance of beating Michigan they need to get the rushing attack going early. That would mean handing the ball off to Tyler Goodson as many times as possible on their first possession. Goodson has eclipsed the 1,100-yard rushing mark on the season and has found the end zone six times.
However, just like Michigan, Iowa’s bread and butter is their defense. Early in the year, they were averaging a pick-six nearly every game. Linebacker Jack Campbell is one of the best in the country, totaling 121 tackles on the season. Covering the pass for the Hawkeyes are two Thorpe Award finalists, defensive backs Riley Moss and Matt Hankins. Both have been great, but Moss has been special, as he has two interceptions returned for a touchdown on the season. Moss and Hankins may have to play closer to the box to stop the Michigan running game. However, that means they could get burned with play action. Thus a key for them is to hold the Wolverines to less than six yards on first and second down. It’s not an easy task, but it’s one they have to do if they want to win.
College football betting odds for Oklahoma State vs Baylor are taken from BetMGM Sportsbook.
Moneyline: MICH:(-452) | IOWA: (+345)
Spread: MICH: -11 (-110) | IOWA: +11 (-110)
Total: 43.5 — Over: (-111) | Under: (-108)
Public (Spread) Betting via Action Network: MICH: (51%) | BAY: (49%)
This Michigan vs Iowa college football betting prediction uses the ESPN Football Power Index (FPI). It gives Michigan a 76.5% to win the Big Ten Championship.
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This post was last modified on December 3, 2021 8:56 PM
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