Handicappers looking to bet on college football in Big Ten action have an excellent matchup on Saturday as Indiana hosts #19 Michigan at 3:35 PM Eastern on Saturday. The game will be telecast on ESPNU and Sbgglobal opened with Michigan as a 10 point road favorite and with an over/under of 66.5
A Tale of Two Robinsons
The Michigan Wolverines have a record of 4-0 straight up and 3-1 against the spread. Last week Michigan crushed Bowling Green 65-21 as 25 point home favorites. Superstar quarterback Denard Robinson was injured with a mild knee problem but is probable for this matchup.
Robinson has quickly become the most exciting and feared player in the game as he single handedly beat UConn and Notre Dame in the first two weeks of the season with performances that were of Heisman Trophy Caliber. Thanks to the sophomore quarterback Michigan is 2nd in the nation for total offense and rushing. Robinson of course is the leading rusher with 688 yards and 8.7 yards per carry average with 6 touchdowns. He has completed 71% of his passes for 9.1 yards per attempt with a 4/1 touchdown/interception ratio.
Greg Robinson is the much maligned defensive coordinator that “leads” a 93rd rank defense. Robinson came to Michigan after failing as head coach of Syracuse and before that bouncing around various coordinator jobs in the NFL and NCAA with mixed results. Defense continues to be the weakness of the team and Robinson does not seem to show the ability to make the unit improve.
Impressive but Quiet Start
The Indiana Hoosiers have a college football betting record of 3-0 straight up and 2-1 against the spread. Indiana beat Akron last week 35-20 as 23 point home favorites. The Hoosiers have developed into a solid passing team as quarterback Ben Chappel has completed 72% of his passes for 9.1 yards per attempt and a 9/0 touchdown/interception ratio. This is a matchup that is in Indiana’s favor against the weak Michigan pass defense. However IU’s 92nd ranked run defense should be inviting to the Michigan QB Robinson.
By the Numbers
Michigan has paid out to those who bet on college football with them in 4 out of their last 5 trips to Indiana. Michigan is 2-5 against the spread as a road favorite and Indiana is 5-2 against the line versus teams with winning records.