The Michigan Wolverines take on the Oklahoma Sooners in Norman, Oklahoma, on Saturday, Sept. 6. Week 2 action kicks off at 7:30 p.m. ET on ABC.
No. 18 Oklahoma is favored by 5.5 points on the spread against No. 15 Michigan with a moneyline of -200. The Wolverines, meanwhile, come in at +165 to pull off the upset. The total is set at 43.5 points.
Here’s my Michigan vs. Oklahoma prediction and college football picks for Saturday, September 6.
Michigan Wolverines vs Oklahoma Sooners Prediction, Picks
Michigan vs. Oklahoma Pick: 1H Under 21.5 or Better
My Oklahoma vs. Michigan best bet is on both teams to go under the total in the first half. Find the best line available on our live NCAAF odds page.
Michigan vs Oklahoma Odds, Lines, Spread
| Michigan Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+4.5 -110 | 44 -110o / -110u | +165 |
| Oklahoma Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-4.5 -110 | 44 -110o / -110u | -200 |
Michigan vs Oklahoma Betting Preview: Bryce Underwood vs John Mateer
Why Michigan Can Cover
The opening game for freshman phenom Bryce Underwood ended in victory.
Michigan beat New Mexico despite a few hiccups in areas other than the quarterback position.
Underwood completed 21-of-31 passes (with a touchdown) without recording a mistake. Not only did the freshman pass his opening test, the touch on the football in the passing game is new for fans in Ann Arbor.
Michigan needed to replace bundles of production from last year's team, but it produced enough in the opener against the Lobos.
The Wolverines stuffed 11 of 25 New Mexico rushing attempts, limiting the Lobos to just three yards per play.
The havoc of coordinator Wink Martindale carried over from previous season, as the Wolverines generated nine tackles for loss in an opening statement game.
Why Oklahoma Can Cover
The preseason steam on quarterback John Mateer's arrival in Norman was peak leading up to kickoff, but the rushing statistics didn't meet the expectation. Mateer evaded a pass rush for a 20 yards scramble, but managed just eight yards on the ground from three designed rushing attempts.
A trio of running backs also had issues creating yards, as Tory Blaylock, Xavier Robinson and Jovantae Barnes forced just three missed tackles on 23 rushing attempts. Those are tepid numbers for a Sooners offense that was expected to dominate Illinois State on the ground.
The Oklahoma defense did come to play, allowing just seven first downs in the first game. Illinois State went 1-for-11 on third down attempts with an average distance of 9.5 yards.
Combined with four tackles for loss and two quarterback hurries, the Sooners ended the opening game allowing a minuscule 3.3 yards per play to Illinois State.
Michigan vs Oklahoma College Football Week 2 Pick
The struggles of Oklahoma on the ground weren't expected, as Illinois State limited the Sooners to 3.5 yards per play on rushing attempts. Oklahoma produced just one rush (on 31 attempts) that went for more than 12 yards.
Mateer was able to air out the ball in long distance passing downs, generating a 45% success rate with an average of 12 yards per attempt. The Sooners dependency on the arm of Mateer — strictly in passing downs — could be a hindrance in Norman during Week 2.
Michigan running back Justice Haynes averaged 5.8 yards after first contact with three touchdowns against New Mexico, but it'll face one of the best defenses in the nation.
Head coach Brent Venables had led the Sooners to be a dominate team against the inside zone read through last season and in Week 1 against Illinois State.
For Michigan to get into scoring position on possessions beyond the 40-yard line, Underwood will need to shed the stigma of a freshman playing in his first hostile environment.
Pick: 1H Under 21.5 or Better
