Michigan and Ohio State are set to do battle on Saturday morning for the 119th time in “The Game’s” storied history. The Wolverines hold the all-time advantage in the rivalry with 60 wins, 51 losses and six ties; this includes wins in the last two contests.
Michigan — which will be without head coach Jim Harbaugh — is seeking to win its third consecutive game in the series for the first time since 1995-1997. Michigan Stadium, a.k.a. The Big House, will play host as these two undefeated teams prepare to play for a berth in the Big Ten Championship Game.
Who are oddsmakers giving the advantage to heading into the contest?
Caesars Sportsbook, the official odds partner of Bet.NOLA.com, is favoring the Wolverines by 3.5 points as of Monday, Nov. 20. Michigan is a -178 money line favorite over Ohio State with an implied probability of 64.03%.
This is the first time that the hosts open as favorites over the Buckeyes in the last five seasons. It’s also the first time Ohio State has been an underdog in a Big Ten bout in the same span. Thus, this line will be an interesting one to watch throughout the week.
While the Buckeyes haven’t won in Ann Arbor since 2019, they haven’t lost three straight to their bitter rivals in almost 30 years. Ryan Day’s squad is one of the best in the country against the spread as it’s compiled a 7-3-1 record, including covering in its last three contests.
Meanwhile, the Wolverines are middle of the pack against the spread. They’re tied for 56th in the country against the spread with a record of 5-5-1. This includes a history of only covering once this season in five attempts without Harbaugh present on the sidelines.
The over/under for ‘The Game’ is set at 46.5 total points. This number would have gone over in the last 11 meetings between Michigan and Ohio State. However, these teams head into this weekend’s meeting with two of the top three defenses in the nation, so oddsmakers don’t expect a ton of scoring.
The highly anticipated clash is set to kick off at 11 a.m. CT from Ann Arbor, Michigan. Fox will carry the national broadcast with Gus Johnson and Joel Klatt on the call.
