Michigan Football Odds: Wolverines Lose Ronnie Bell, Still Favored Vs. Washington

Please rewrite your request.

The Michigan football team managed to make significant progress over the weekend, despite a preseason lacking in excitement.

Maybe the Wolverines are more than we initially believed, following their impressive 47-14 victory over Western Michigan to start the season.

Michigan is shifting its focus towards facing a more challenging opponent, as it prepares to take on the once-ranked Washington.

Can playing under the lights at The Big House increase the chances of Michigan football going 2-0?

How to watch: Michigan Wolverines vs. Washington Huskies

• The matchup is between Washington (0-1) and Michigan (1-0).
• Saturday at 8 p.m. ET
• The event will take place at Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor.
• The television network ABC will feature the announcers Sean McDonough, Todd Blackledge, and Molly McGrath.
• ESPN+ offers an online livestream service.
• The Michigan Sports Network on the radio is provided by Learfield.
• SiriusXM Channel 197 is designated for Washington on satellite radio, while Channel 201 is designated for Michigan.

Oddsmakers like Michigan by a touchdown

Last weekend, Michigan had no trouble surpassing a 17-point spread in their game against Western Michigan. However, this week, the odds suggest a much closer matchup as they face Washington. At the start of the week, various sportsbooks placed Michigan as a 6- to 6.5-point favorite over Washington.

The moneyline odds for the Michigan team ranged between -255 and -275, while the opening odds for Washington were set at +200 to +210.

The initial range for the over/under total was between 51 and 51.5 points.

The tracker provided below displays the most favorable current odds in every betting category.

Michigan vs. Washington Odds: NCAA Football Week 2

Out of the 12 meetings between these two teams, Michigan emerged victorious in seven of them. Their most recent clash took place in 2002, resulting in a 31-29 triumph for Michigan on their home turf.

Wolverines win opener, but lose Ronnie Bell

Michigan had a predominantly positive experience during their 47-14 victory over the Broncos on Saturday.

Unfortunately, the team had to face the loss of senior receiver Ronnie Bell for the rest of the season due to a knee injury sustained during a punt return.

In 2020, Bell emerged as the team’s top receiver and showcased his skills with a remarkable 76-yard touchdown catch before getting injured during Saturday’s game.

In the victory, Michigan’s offense showcased an impressive performance, accumulating a total of 551 yards, with 335 of those gained through rushing. Spearheading the effort was Blake Corum, who carried the ball 14 times and achieved 111 yards, along with scoring a touchdown. Additionally, A.J. Henning contributed a remarkable 74-yard touchdown run. Hassan Haskins also made a significant impact, accumulating 70 yards on 13 carries and scoring a touchdown.

Cade McNamara completed 9 out of 11 passes for 136 yards and two touchdowns. Meanwhile, the freshman J.J. McCarthy also made an appearance and threw for 80 yards during the clean-up period. His remarkable 69-yard touchdown pass to Daylen Baldwin caught the attention of the nation.

Michigan’s defense performed admirably by limiting Western Michigan to a mere 317 total yards. However, despite their defensive efforts, they were unable to generate any turnovers and only managed to secure a single sack.

Huskies suffer massive upset at home

Few results from the opening weekend were as shocking as Washington’s unexpected 13-7 defeat against Montana at home.

The Huskies, previously ranked as high as No. 20 in the preseason, entered the game with a significant advantage of being a 22.5-point favorite.

Saturday’s game was characterized by a defensive struggle, as the total yards accumulated by both teams (521) were fewer than Michigan’s individual total against WMU.

The Huskies struggled with turnovers, resulting in only 291 yards. In his forgettable debut, freshman Washington quarterback Dylan Morris completed 27 out of 46 passes for 226 yards, but unfortunately threw three interceptions. Morris also faced three sacks throughout the game.

Richard Newton accounted for 62 out of the total 65 yards gained by the Washington ground game, which was achieved through 27 carries.

Despite their strong defensive efforts, the Huskies were unable to generate any turnovers and only managed to sack Montana once, while limiting them to a mere 232 total yards.

Wolverines dominant under Michigan Stadium lights

The football program hasn’t had a long-standing tradition of playing under the lights of Michigan Stadium.

The Wolverines experienced their inaugural home night game a mere decade ago in 2011, triumphing over Notre Dame with a score of 35-31.

Over the course of the last decade, Michigan has hosted nine evening games at home, and the upcoming match against Washington on Saturday will mark their tenth.

Out of those games, the Wolverines have won 7 and suffered 2 defeats, against Michigan State in 2017 and Wisconsin in 2020.

The upcoming Saturday marks Michigan’s inaugural home night game hosting a Pac-12 Conference program.

Please rewrite the given statement.