Ohio at Michigan. Line released. Its a Pick 'Em
Sportsbooks have finally released lines for some Ohio games. Head over to the JCB if you can stand me blogging somewhat glowingly about Ohio.
The news is that The Game in Ann Arbor is a Pick 'Em. Line was released on Friday (at least thats when I first saw it) and its still holding firm, despite how fast folks were betting against Michigan and moving the line against the Wolverines in their other contests.
Perspective: Five other Big 10 teams and Notre Dame are favored to beat Michigan, but Ohio isnt. Northwestern is 3-point chalk against Michigan, but at the same book, Ohio isnt chalk at all.
Other lines: Ohio +12.5 at Brasker, Ohio +3 at home vs Wisco, Ohio -3 at home vs PSU
Discuss
I choose you....Michigan!
Did someone watch a Christmas movie this weekend?
August 2nd, 2011 at 10:52 AM ^
Pokeymans, methinks
Are you in no way a guy or now a guy?
Ohio gonna lose and usher in the FIRE RICH ROD era in Columbus.
I feel strongly about this one. I'm not sure about some other games on our schedule, but I think Hoke and the rest of the coaches will have the team ready for this game. Ohio's streak ends this year.
Michigan and the points against NW any freaking day!
I'd take them (Michigan) in a pick 'em but not with the points. NU is going to be a team that's very similar to Michigan last year. If the defense isn't much better and Persa looks okay, we could very well have another 67-65 type game.
"chalk" = favorite. michigan and the points means he takes michigan and GETS the points. we're the underdog
Ah...my reading of that was flawed. Please continue with your day and I'll stand here looking like an idiot.
I like some of those odds. Especially if Wile comes through as a serviceable kicker.
August 1st, 2011 at 11:07 PM ^
I agree. It all comes down to kicking. How many games did we loose because of our kicker?
none. i believe all our losses were basically blow-outs.
Ohio State anymore:)
Hoke's all about building character so I'm onboard with avoiding the S-word after Ohio.
By eliminated said Sailor-talk I've already irked some friends who went to Ohio (i.e. TSIO).
August 2nd, 2011 at 12:35 PM ^
An ohio st university .... I always hated THE. Aosu.
I've also taken to never capitalizing ohio or state.
of people are still calling them Ohio State, on account of the fact that "Ohio" already is another school/an entire state, and it seems as silly and juvenile as using O$U to simply call the school a different (and already taken) name, just for the sake of "getting" the rivalry in some really contrived way.
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<br>At least "that school in Ohio" reasonably implicates the correct school, even if it's just a TSUN ripoff.
Hey, they are the ones that feel the need to spell out "Ohio" every game
as long as Brady Hoke is our Head Football Coach, can we? The laws of linguistics would somehow prohibit it, yes?
If we ever did, he would no doubt refer to them as "The Ohio University: Religio Doctrina Civilitas, Prae Omnibus Virtus" ever time he referenced them just as some bizarre (and effective), psychological swipe at T(other)SIO.
Not sure exactly what Vegas thinks of Ohio this year. Those lines don't seem entirely internally consistent. Either way, November is a long way off, so...
You complete me.
Is there going to be a line for their game @MSU? I would be really interested to see where that one came down. I'd guess State by 3, but that could be off by +/- 7 points.
Yes, there is a line about already for the Paul Bunyan game
5dimes has listed it for at least the last month. It was MSU -7.5
But, sportsbook.com just released their games of the year before last weekend started and had MSU -4.5. I checked 5dimes asap as saw they had knocked it down to MSU -6
Just checked now and the lines are holding steady: 5dimes, MSU -6; sportsbook.com, MSU -4.5
Interestingly,at sportsbook the regular season win totals are basically the same UM O/U 7 wins, MSU O/U 7.5 wins.....5dimes doesnt have win totals yet.
I expect OSU to be a 3 point favorite quite soon. If you like them this year, bet them now. That number isn't getting better.
Please try to be reasonable before you neg me.
Ohio State may have lost their coach (but so did we) and its best player from last year, but our defense was absolutely atrocious last year. While I'm hopeful of marked improvement, am I the only one who thinks that a full 30 point improvement from last year's game is asking a bit much of this squad?
It's going to be difficult to make direct comparisons to last year, given that 1) last year's game was in Columbus (where OSU rarely loses, period); 2) OSU's program was a well-oiled machine at the time while ours was surrounded by turmoil, with widespread speculation of a coaching change and 3) OSU had its best coach ever, as far as the rivalry is concerned.
There is a non-trivial chance that OSU will go into Ann Arbor with a freshman QB, to go with a rookie coach. As we've seen before, a struggling young QB can derail an otherwise talented offense. There is also the possibility that Fickell will be dogged with questions about his job security all season, which could be a major distraction, especially if there's a sense that his job could be riding on the Michigan game.
(And there was that whole 1969 thing that happened a year after a 30+ point loss, too.)
August 2nd, 2011 at 10:03 AM ^
of the season, everything should be pretty clear. Job security won't really an issue (at least particularly at that point) because it is obviously an issue all season unless he is 9-1 or undefeated going in. As for the QB, whoever it is will be the clear starter by that point in the season (barring injuries) and should be comfortable playing the college game. Not to say OSU 11 is just as good as OSU 10 but the O-line is mostly seniors, Senior RB (among several RB options). Braxton Miller (or whoever it will be) will have a formidable running game to back him up, whether or not he can muster a passing game to boot is TBD. While UM will be better than last season and at home, I still wonder how the defensive depth will play out through the season.
Coach will have them ready.
3 words for that chilly saturday afternoon:
The Ohio Statement.
I expect Michigan to be favored by gametime. I also hope that Ohio is "faxing it in" by then, because effort is difficult to turn on and off at that level.
5 Big Ten teams favored to beat Michigan....in one season.
This madness must end. Life HAS to get back to normal.
This team will surprise some people this year. I really hope some B1G teams take us lightly. They will be in for a rude awakening.
Hate to say it but i think the public is overstating how much osu is going to be affected
I also hate to say this, but if you put a gun to my head, i would have to pick them. with all thats happened the last few years, i just think you have to have reasonable expectations
The line'll get better for Michigan bettors.
I can't start my own thread so I hope you don't mind.
http://news.yahoo.com/loose-cash-found-along-ohio-highway-totals-21k-111127294.html
I think one of the bucks got careless with his equipment signing cash???
Well, Vegas Jeff above could not have been more correct
In the two hours or so since I posted at the JCB and began this forum thread, the line has suddenly gone from pick 'em to OSU -2.....and the Brasker line from from 12.5 to 11
Either some coke dealer went nuts again or I followed through on my threat and loaded up on OSU in the interim. I'll let your imagination ponder that
I honestly cant believe it didnt move over the weekend, but maybe it took the gospel of the JCB to spread the word of the line, HALOL
So, now MICH is an underdog at sportsbook.com and other places to six Big 10 teams and Notre Dame. Not every place lists all those lines, but sportsbook does. Here they are as it stands at this moment at that particular off shore:
+3.5 vs ND
-7 vs SDSU
+1.5 at Northwestern
+4.5 at MSU
+3 at Iowa
+3 at Illinois
+5.5 vs Nebraska
+2 vs OSU
Especially Iowa...
"+3.5 vs ND" 6 of the last 7 games in the series have been upsets. Visitor is 3-9 since 1997.
"+1.5 at Northwestern" UM is 3-8 in road openers but 10-4 in conference road openers. Northwestern is 4-27 since 1966; average win for NU is 4 points per game.
"+3 at Iowa" 57th meeting between the teams. Iowa has never won three straight.
"+3 at Illinois" UM is 9-1 in recent trips to Illinois, but lost last one. Illinois is 3-9 in Nov/Dec games in last 3 years.
August 2nd, 2011 at 12:57 AM ^
Six of the last seven games in the ND series have been upsets? I would have assumed that we were favored in 2007, and they were in 2008. Which of those was not the case?
Remember now, in 2008 nobody knew how bad we were yet at that point. We lost a squeaker to Utah and had beaten Miami OH. We were coming off a Cap 1 bowl victory over Florida and returned a decent chunk of that defense.
We were favored in 2008. ND was coming off that horrific 3-9 season of their own and nobody could have imagined the disaster that was about to become of the 2008 UM team. Like he said, we lost a close game against a great Utah team (they weren't expected to go undefeated but were expected to be very good), and won against MIA (NTM). The wheels didnt really come off that season until after the UW game. And boy did they fly off.
Michigan was favored by 2 points against ND in 2008
Dont forget that ND had a bye opening week in 2008 and then almost lost to SDSU (Hoke was not coaching there at the time) as 20-point chalk at home in their opener. Even though MICH sucked ass in their win over Miami Ohio, people were fleeing the ND train that week.
The underdog has covered all but like five times in the modern day series and, IIRC, the underdog also has a winning straight up record in this series during that time as well
The Irish have covered once as chalk against Michigan and that was in 1982, the first even night game in South Bend.
The last time chalk even won straight up in the series were the 2003 and 2007 MICH blowou wins. Chalk won in 1997 and 1999 as well, but the Irish, as the underdog, covered the spread in both contests.
Honestly, jmblue....I never analyze Mich/ND games. Been betting football since the late 1990s and I always take the dog here, no questions asked. The only time I didnt was 2007 when I laid off the game period, because holy shit who knew what the fuck would happen in that game with both teams tanking so poorly early on. I just stayed away.
My theory is the underdog in this game pretty much plays its best of the game of season in this contest.
August 3rd, 2011 at 11:23 AM ^
2004 Michigan -12.0 NOTRE DAME. Result: ND 28 UM 20. Upset.
2005 MICHIGAN -7.0 Notre Dame. Result: ND 17 UM 10. Upset.
2006 NOTRE DAME -5.5 Michigan. Result: UM 47 ND 21. Upset.
2007 MICHIGAN -9.5 Notre Dame. Result: UM 38 ND 0.
2008 Michigan -2.0 NOTRE DAME. Result: ND 35 UM 17. Upset.
2009 Notre Dame -3.0 MICHIGAN. Result: UM 38 ND 34. Upset.
2010 NOTRE DAME -12.0 Michigan. Result: UM 28 ND 24. Upset.
FWIW, since 1997, the home team is 9-3 in the series, with the 3 losses being in 2010, 2006, and 2005. Sportsbook.ag lists Notre Dame as a 3.5 point favorite right now.
is that the game is late enough that they might have developed a QB by then... but if this game was early Michigan wins it convincingly. I expect Michigan to be much better on defense with how stout their DL should be against the run... and OSU doesn't look like a team prepared to air it out.
August 2nd, 2011 at 10:17 AM ^
because I was not aware of games played yet.
August 1st, 2011 at 10:03 PM ^
I am sorry but FANS sound ridiculous saying "Ohio." You just come off as a follower and a wannabe. You are not Brady Hoke, OK?
Eleven Warriors had a good piece on Hoke recently and talked about his use of "Ohio," summing it up perfectly: On the surface, it's absurd. A grade school attempt at a burn. But for someone in HIS specific position at this time, it makes perfect sense and is smart.
Fans can't say the same thing.
August 1st, 2011 at 11:08 PM ^
I'm looking forward to the new rivalry with the Bobcats. Ohio U is not an upper echelon MAC team like Toledo, so UM should have a good chance to win.
August 1st, 2011 at 10:51 PM ^
Even with the loss of Pryor, et al, OSU still has the best five recruiting classes to draw from in the Big 10. That counts for something really significant.
OSU is going to have issues, but its not like they didn't keep the whole rest of the staff and the rest of the players. We'll see if OSU can overcome losing Pryor and all the graduating starters on defense, but I don't think it'll be as rough for them as people want to believe.