We’re at the midway point of the Michigan Wolverines’ season and there is plenty of room for improvement. The fact that this team is on its third quarterback and has a defense that went from the most dominant in the country to what it is today shows that there is a lot of work to be done if this team wants to reach eight wins.
Hopefully, some things will be sorted out after the bye week when the team will have the chance to reboot following a loss to the Washington Huskies in Seattle. The college football world will not be waiting in the meantime. In fact, Oct. 12 will be a day when some of the season’s most anticipated matchups occur. Here’s a brief synopsis of the action you won’t want to miss this Saturday.
No. 2 Ohio State Buckeyes vs. No. 3 Oregon Ducks
- Day: Saturday, Oct. 12, 2024
- TV: NBC/Peacock
- Time: 7:30 p.m. ET
- Location: Eugene, Oregon
- Weather: 70 degrees, sunny
- Odds: OSU -3.5 O/U: 52.5
The game of the Big Ten season is here as Ohio State heads west to take on Oregon. These two were the conference’s favorites all season and they both are a perfect 5-0 to start the year. While the Buckeyes have been dominant, Oregon has taken a second to get itself figured out with Dillon Gabriel under center.
So far, Big Ten teams that have had to travel across the country have been miserable. When traveling two-plus time zones, the conference’s teams are 1-7; Indiana’s win in Los Angeles against UCLA is the lone victory. This played a role just last week when USC fell to Minnesota and Michigan dropped the ball against Washington. It’s safe to say that teams haven’t adjusted to time zones well.
That’s why I anticipate Ohio State getting off to a sluggish start. Eugene is one of the toughest places to play in the country and this is the marquee matchup of the season for the Ducks. The Buckeyes traditionally have not faired well on the road in Ryan Day’s tenure, and they haven’t done well against top-5 opponents. Day is just 2-5 in his career when playing top-5 teams, and is 1-2-1 ATS on the road against top-10 teams.
Ohio State is the better team, but I’ll take a shot at Oregon with the hook in what should be the best matchup of the weekend.
The play: Oregon +3.5
Other top games in Week 7
3:30 PM ET – No. 1 Texas Longhorns vs. No. 18 Oklahoma Sooners
Oklahoma stunned Texas last year, but this Longhorns team may be the best in college football. The Sooners at a 14-point dog in the Red River Rivalry, and I like Texas to win, cover, and run up the score in this one.
7:30 PM ET – No. 9 Ole Miss Rebels vs. No. 13 LSU Tigers
After a weekend of bangers in the SEC, the conference is ready for some more with Ole Miss taking on LSU at Tiger Stadium. Last season, the Rebels were 2.5-point home dogs and wound up winning in 55-49 in one of the most thrilling games of the season. The Rebels can still put up a ton of points, but I’m not sure LSU can keep up, even at home.
Betting Record: 8-11
