Bowling Green vs Michigan Odds: Michigan’s Approach Against Bowling Green

The Michigan Wolverines are 2-0 without their head coach on the sideline.

Michigan gave head coach Jim Harbaugh a three-game self-imposed ban for alleged violations during the COVID-19 dead period.

In Week 3, against the Bowling Green Falcons, the Wolverines will have to play one more game without him. It’s another non-power-five game for Michigan before Big Ten play next weekend.

The Falcons have gone 1-1 on the season. The year started with a loss to Liberty on the road, but the Falcons earned a win against Eastern Illinois last weekend, 38-15. Bowling Green has a former SEC and Big Ten quarterback at quarterback in Conor Bazelak.

However, there’s a reason that Bazelak has dropped from the Power Five schools and into the MAC. He needs to produce more to stick around in the bigger and better schools. This year, he’s already thrown three interceptions in two games.

Michigan will win on Saturday. But by how much?

Here are the Bowling Green vs Michigan Odds for Saturday’s matchup in Ann Arbor, MI.

Can Connor Bazelak Push Bowling Green To New Heights?

Connor Bazelak is already with his third school, heading into his 5th season as a college quarterback.

Bazelak began his career with Missouri and added 21 attempts in 2019. Eventually, he was handed the starting job in 2020 and held onto the position in 2021, where he threw for nearly 5,000 yards in those two seasons.

He left Missouri for Indiana in 2022, completing just 55.2% of passes. His fourth season in college football was his worst. He threw just 13 touchdowns and added ten interceptions on 426 pass attempts.

After another failure of a season, Bazelak left the power-five scene and went to Bowling Green.

So far, it hasn’t been much better for Bazelak. He’s thrown a completion percentage of just 59.2% and has added 390 yards with three touchdowns and three interceptions.

Bazelak threw 21 interceptions in his last two previous seasons. He’s well on his way to another season filled with 10+ interceptions.

Granted, the pass protection has not been good for Bowling Green. But he’s got to make better decisions and hasn’t since coming to Bowling Green.
Looking at the NCAAF schedules, it was clear that Bowling Green’s toughest challenge would be against Michigan this year. If the offensive line can’t protect against Liberty and Eastern Illinois, they will struggle even more against a College Football Playoff contender in Michigan.

NIL Was Made For Michigan

Sports Illustrated wrote an article discussing how NIL money has strengthened Michigan’s football program.

Michigan was apparently reluctant to dive into the NIL world. But once convinced, the Wolverines have thrived in it.

Since the Supreme Court ruling, Michigan has won back-to-back Big Ten titles and has played in the last two College Football Playoffs.

Running back Blake Corum was the first player to push Michigan into this new world of college athletics. Corum has added 31 touchdowns and rushed for over 2,000 yards in the last two seasons. He was a Heisman candidate, and it was very marketable for brands.

Corum has earned over 12 NIL deals, ranging from Bose to Subway to Wolverine boots. He’s also added a couple of rental properties in Virginia and has invested in an apartment complex in Michigan.

He’ll be in great shape whether he makes the NFL or not. It’s deserving.

But he’s also paved the way for the offensive lineman and other players who don’t get marketed enough for their play. If you watch commercials, you won’t see offensive linemen on TV. It’s the playmakers, between quarterbacks, running backs, and wide receivers on the offensive side of the ball.

Corum hasn’t agreed to every single deal. But he’ll never forget about his teammates. He’ll suggest other athletes on the team for different NIL deals when he sees a fit.

This season, Corum is looking just as good as last year. He’s added 25 carries for 153 yards and four touchdowns. The Heisman’s is essentially a quarterback’s award. But those four touchdowns will have him in the conversation until the end of the year.

Corum’s graciousness has gone a long way in that Michigan locker room. The chemistry on the Wolverines is like none other right now.

They’ll more than likely sustain this success moving forward.

Bowling Green vs Michigan Odds

The Michigan Wolverines are one of the best NCAAF teams in the nation, and oddsmakers know it.

The Wolverines are -40.5 against the spread, with the total at 53.5 against Bowling Green.

The Falcons were 7.5-point underdogs against Liberty and lost by 10. However, as a 16.5-point favorite against Eastern Illinois, Bowling Green earned a 38-15 win and a cover. The Over has hit in both games for Bowling Green this season.

On the other hand, Michigan has been a 35.5-point favorite and a 38.5-point favorite in their first two games this season. The Wolverines haven’t even scored more than 35 points in a game yet. The Under has won in Michigan’s first two games of the season.

So what gives?

Bowling Green has a solid pass rush. But that pass rush likely won’t be able to break through against Michigan. Michigan’s pass rush has given J.J. McCarthy tons of time in the pocket. The junior quarterback has thrown for 558 yards and five touchdowns while completing 48-of-55 passes this season.

While the Falcons have a solid pass rush, the secondary hasn’t played well. Therefore, McCarthy should stay poised and make the plays he’s used to making in this game.

On the other hand, Bowling Green hasn’t played well in the passing game. Bazelak and the Falcons have thrown for 252.5 yards per game. The offensive line has struggled and likely won’t contain a fierce Michigan defensive line.

The Wolverines have held opponents to 82 yards per game on the ground. One of our college football predictions for this game is that the Falcons won’t earn more than 100 yards on the ground.

Michigan Won’t Run Up The Score!

The Wolverines will outplay the Falcons throughout the entire game on Saturday. The Bowling Green vs Michigan odds agree with that sentiment. But we don’t expect any significant NCAA Football scores in this game. The Wolverines typically don’t run up the score.

Michigan added no points in their wins against UNLV and East Carolina in the fourth quarter. The Wolverines let the defense do its thing and play conservatively in the last portion of the game.

While Jim Harbaugh is out, the Wolverine coaching staff doesn’t want to get anyone hurt or be to blame for something terrible happening in the final quarter.

When keeping that in mind, let’s back the Under 53.5 in this game.

For NCAAF betting news, odds analysis, and more, visit Point Spreads Sports Magazine.

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