Michigan is hosting Washington for a Week 8 matchup on Saturday afternoon. Kickoff is scheduled for 12:00 p.m. ET in Ann Arbor, Michigan.
The Wolverines are listed as 4.5-point home favorites on DraftKings Sportsbook, with the total set at 51.5 points. Below is my full preview, prediction, and best bet for this Big Ten conference matchup between Washington and Michigan.
Washington vs. Michigan prediction, preview
Washington Preview
The Huskies are one of the teams still competing for a College Football Playoff spot in the Big Ten. They were unable to stand up to the No. 1 team in the country, Ohio State. However, they have one of the most exciting offenses in the country. Quarterback Demond Williams Jr. is an electric player, and he feeds the ball to one of the nation’s best running backs, Jonah Coleman, and wide receivers, Denzel Boston. When this offense is firing on all cylinders, they are hard to stop. The Huskies have been dealing with injuries in the secondary for the last several weeks, but that should not be as much of a factor against a run-heavy Michigan offense. They will need to load the box and stop the run, especially from Michigan quarterback Bryce Underwood.
Michigan Preview
The Wolverines are reeling after a beatdown from USC last week. Michigan’s entire identity in recent years has been dominating the line of scrimmage and playing hard-nosed Big Ten football. When a West Coast pass-heavy offense lays a 31-13 domination on you, that is demoralizing to a team like Michigan. Sherrone Moore has tried to raise spirits in Ann Arbor by cosplaying as a blue-collar worker. However, the reality is that all of the NFL talent that Michigan has lost on the defensive side of the ball in recent years has finally caught up to them. They are struggling to get stops, and quarterback Bryce Underwood is not yet at a level where he can carry this team with his play on offense. Michigan needs to dominate the line of scrimmage, running the ball effectively on offense, and causing problems for Demond Williams on defense, if they want to win this game.
Washington vs. Michigan pick, best bet
My best bet for this game is Washington +4.5. The Huskies were unable to defeat Ohio State, the nation’s top-ranked team. However, the final score doesn’t properly reflect how good a fight Washington put up, especially on defense. It was just 7-3 Ohio State at halftime, and it was a one-score game going into the fourth quarter, before the Buckeyes ran away late. Washington’s vulnerability is its pass defense, something that Michigan can’t exploit. The Wolverines rank 93rd in the country in passing yards per game, with no top-tier individual pass-catcher. Michigan wants to run the ball, and Washington ranks 23rd in the country in defensive EPA/rush. Michigan might also be without the Big Ten’s leading rusher, Justice Haynes, who is recovering from an injury. That would be a massive blow if Michigan were without Haynes. Demond Williams should move it through the air in this game. The Huskies rank fourth in the nation in offensive EPA/pass, while the Wolverines rank 61st in defensive EPA/pass. This is a well-balanced offense that is tough to stop. Washington should keep this game close, with a real chance to get a signature win against Michigan.
