Colorado State vs Michigan Odds: Wolverines are Heavy Favorites in Season Opener
Will the Michigan Wolverines Rely on the Passing Game More in 2022?
Colorado State Looking to Pull the Upset at the Big House
Michigan isn’t going to wow too many poll voters with the early part of their schedule. It starts against Colorado State, a team with the eighth-best odds to win the Mountain West title. The good news for the Wolverines is that they are currently eighth in the Associated Press poll and sixth in the American Football Coaches Association poll.
The Wolverines are coming off a run to the Big Ten title and a spot in the College Football Playoff. However, Ohio State is favored to win the conference title in 2022.
When looking at the Colorado State vs Michigan odds, the Wolverines come into the game favored by 31 points Michigan has won its last three games and covered each time when favored by at least 20 points. Colorado State has covered in the last three contests when listed as a 20-point underdog.
Colorado State vs Michigan Game Information
- Matchup: Colorado State 3-9 (1-6 in the Mountain West in 2021) Michigan 12-2 (8-1 in the Big Ten in 2021)
- Location: Michigan Stadium, Ann Arbor, Michigan
- Date/Time:
- TV: ABC
A New Chapter Begins at Colorado State
New Colorado State head coach Jay Norvell certainly knows how to make an entrance. The former Nevada head coach begins his new gig at Colorado State by traveling to Ann Arbor where he will be greeted by more than 100,000 fans at Michigan Stadium
The Rams need to replace quarterback and second-leading rusher Todd Centeio. Tight end and leading receiver Trey McBride is off to the NFL. Top running back David Bailey returns, but he will be looking to top his mark of 3.8 yards per carrying.
The key to the offense could be seeing receiver Dante Wright return to the form he displayed as a freshman when he had 805 yards on 57 receptions. He’s been slowed by injuries the last couple of seasons.
Dequan Jackson is back for his fifth season to lead the defense. Fellow linebacker Cameron Carter is another key returnee on defense. The Rams will need to improve on that side of the ball after allowing 102 points in the final two games of the 2021 season as Colorado State ended the campaign on a six-game losing streak to tumble down the Mountain West standings.
McNamara Returns to Lead Michigan Offense
In recent years, quarterbacks have been a featured part of the Michigan offense. With leading rusher Hassan Haskins off to the NFL, perhaps that will change in 2022.
Quarterback Cade McNamara is back after throwing for 2,576 yards and completing 64.2% of his passes. He had 15 touchdown passes and just six interceptions. Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh does things a little bit differently and he is saying that while McNamara will start the opener, J.J. McCarthy is set to be the starter in Week 2.
Keep an eye on receiver Cornelius Johnson, who led the Wolverines with 39 catches and 620 yards a season ago. Michigan brings back nine of the 11 players who had at least 10 catches in 2021.
Blake Corum is back after rushing for 952 yards and 11 touchdowns. He averaged 6.6 yards per carrying, he has +10000 odds to win the Heisman Trophy. He is one of the reasons why the Colorado State vs Michigan odds are very much in favor of the Wolverines.
Linebacker Junior Colson (61 tackles) is the top returning tackler. Fellow linebacker Nikhai Hill-Green (50 tackles) is also back as are defensive backs R.J. Moten and D.J. Turner.
Colorado State vs Michigan Head to Head
This is the first meeting between the programs.
Colorado State has lost its last five games to Big Ten teams, although the Rams have covered in the last three contests. In the most recent matchup against a Big Ten foe, Colorado State fell to Iowa 24-14 on the road as a 23.5-point underdog. Each of those last three contests finished under the total.
Michigan has won five games in a row against teams from the Mountain West Conference. The Wolverines have covered in just one of the last four matchups. The last time Michigan played a Mountain West team came in 2017 when the Wolverines were favored by 23 points and topped visiting Air Force 29-13.
Colorado State vs Michigan Injury Update
When looking at the NCAAF news, linebacker Nikhai Hill-Green is questionable for Michigan. The Wolverines could hold Hill-Green out until he is healthy thanks to a less than stellar non-conference schedule.
Colorado State vs Michigan Betting Preview
Things will look a little bit different for opposing quarterbacks without the Michigan duo of player Aidan Hutchinson, the Heisman Trophy runner-up, and David Ojabo around. Still, seeing both of them selected in the 2022 NFL Draft hasn’t stopped the Colorado State vs Michigan odds from predicting a blowout by the Wolverines.
Colorado State has lost its last five games to teams from Power-5 Conferences. The Rams were outscored 152-78 in the first three games, but in 2021, only lost by three points to Vanderbilt and by 10 to Iowa.
Michigan has won five of its last six season openers. Not counting Notre Dame, the last time Michigan lost to a team that is not from a Power-5 Conference
The Rams have failed to cover in each of their last five season openers. The total has gone over in six of Michigan’s last nine season openers.
Follow us on Twitter
