The sixth-ranked Michigan Wolverines haven’t had much trouble putting up points this season, scoring at least 31 in five of their six games. They also have done a good job preventing points as they’ve allowed 17 or fewer on five occasions. The Wolverines look to continue both trends when they host the Northwestern Wildcats on Saturday in a matchup between Big Ten rivals. Michigan (6-0, 3-0) squeaked past Nebraska 32-29 in its last contest on Oct. 9, while Northwestern (3-3, 1-2) is coming off last week’s 21-7 triumph over Rutgers.
Kickoff at Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor. is set for noon ET. The Wolverines are 23.5-point favorites in the latest Michigan vs. Northwestern odds from Caesars Sportsbook, while the over-under for total points scored is 51. Before locking in any Northwestern vs. Michigan picks, you need to see the college football predictions from SportsLine’s advanced computer model.
The SportsLine Projection Model simulates every FBS college football game 10,000 times. Over the past five-plus years, the proprietary computer model has generated a stunning profit of almost $3,700 for $100 players on its top-rated college football picks against the spread. It also enters Week 8 of the 2021 season on a 22-9 run on all top-rated college football side picks. Anyone who has followed it has seen huge returns.
Now the model has dialed in on Michigan vs. Northwestern and just revealed its CFB picks and predictions. You can head to SportsLine to see the model’s picks. Here are several CFB odds and betting lines for Northwestern vs. Michigan:
- Michigan vs. Northwestern spread: Wolverines -23.5
- Michigan vs. Northwestern over-under: 51 points
- Michigan vs. Northwestern money line: Wolverines -2400, Wildcats +1100
- MICH: The Wolverines are 5-1 against the spread in their last six games
- NW: The Wildcats are 5-1 ATS in their last six contests against teams with winning records
Featured Game | Michigan Wolverines vs. Northwestern Wildcats
Why Michigan can cover
The Wolverines have had tremendous success in the all-time series against Northwestern as they have gone 58-15-2 in 75 meetings. Michigan enters Saturday having won six consecutive overall contests and 33 of the last 37 while owning a 35-6-2 record in Ann Arbor. The last showdown at Michigan Stadium was a laugher as the Wolverines rolled to a 38-0 victory on Oct. 10, 2015.
Michigan is 14th in the nation with an average of 38.5 points per game and have scored in 20 of its 24 quarters this season, reaching double digits in 11 of them. The Wolverines have made a habit of getting off to good starts as they’ve outscored their opponents 41-13 in the opening quarter and 118-23 in the first half. They also have been efficient in the red zone, scoring on 25 of their 26 opportunities (16 touchdowns nine field goals).
Why Northwestern can cover
Despite having lost six straight meetings with Michigan, the Wildcats have been competitive in most of those contests. Four of the last five matchups were one-score decisions, including two in overtime, while Northwestern has lost by fewer than four points in two of the last three. Meanwhile, the Wildcats’ most recent victory in the series took place in Ann Arbor, a 21-14 triumph on Nov. 15, 2008.
After struggling against Ohio in his first start of the season, sophomore quarterback Ryan Hilinski has raised his game of late. The South Carolina transfer, who threw for only 88 yards against the Bobcats, had 256 and a touchdown versus Nebraska in his next outing before recording 267 and a pair of scores in Northwestern’s 21-7 win over Rutgers last week. Senior receiver Stephon Robinson Jr. has been his top target, registering over 100 yards in each of those two contests to raise his team-leading total to 424 on 28 receptions.
How to make Northwestern vs. Michigan picks
SportsLine’s model says the game goes under on the point total, projecting the teams to combine for 49 points. It also says one side of the spread has all the value. You can only get the model’s picks at SportsLine.
So who wins Michigan vs. Northwestern? And which side of the spread has all the value? Visit SportsLine now to see which side of the spread to jump on, all from the advanced model that is on a 22-9 run on top-rated picks, and find out.
