Gophers open as 2.5 point favorite over Michigan

BleedGopher

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The Big Ten football season is officially set to kick off next weekend after a long pause during a COVID-19-altered landscape. We are one step closer to games taking place with Vegas odds now being placed on the board for the Week 1 games, headlined by the Michigan Wolverines taking on the Minnesota Gophers.

According to odds released Thursday from BetOnline.ag, Michigan opens as a 2.5-point underdog for its trip to the Twin Cities with the Little Brown Jug on the line. Michigan’s struggles on the road against ranked opponents are well-documented to this point with the lone victory coming against Michigan State in East Lansing in 2018. They are 0-7 in all other ranked road games and 0-10 in the Harbaugh era as an underdog.

However, Michigan has dominated the Minnesota rivalry of late, having lost only twice to the Gophers since 1986. The Wolverines are 2-0 against Minnesota under Harbaugh with a Halloween win on the road in 2015 (29-26 W) and a home victory in PJ Fleck’s first season with the Gophers (33-10).


Go Gophers!!
 

Surprised. I had the Gophers as 3-7 point dogs in this one, especially since home field will be muted.

Solid respect from Vegas against a brand opponent. Will be a tease to the betting public to take points and Michigan against Minnesota
 


Seems to be a strength vs strength, weakness vs weakness (unknown vs unknown might be a better description) matchup. Game could come down to wether or not a kicker is clutch. Guessing we got a home site bump in the spread. Too close to call on paper.
 

Seems to be a strength vs strength, weakness vs weakness (unknown vs unknown might be a better description) matchup. Game could come down to wether or not a kicker is clutch. Guessing we got a home site bump in the spread. Too close to call on paper.

Finally writing MINNESOTA on the seats will create atmosphere instead of just highlighting who didn't show up
 




The spread at this stage of BIG football is hardly more than a guess.
It is time to remind everyone that the betting sites and Las Vegas do not care who wins.
They make their $$ from the cut they take from each bet.
They set the spread in the hope that there will be 50/50 bets and there will not be an unbalanced pay out.
The spread will change to balance the betting.
 

The spread at this stage of BIG football is hardly more than a guess.
It is time to remind everyone that the betting sites and Las Vegas do not care who wins.
They make their $$ from the cut they take from each bet.
They set the spread in the hope that there will be 50/50 bets and there will not be an unbalanced pay out.
The spread will change to balance the betting.
Wait, so you are saying Vegas makes money on betting?
 



I'd expect that to come down to a pick'em if not flipped by kickoff. So no need to rush!
Yeah, I can't imagine it goes much higher for Minnesota, so either flat or breaks slightly towards Michigan. I'm gonna wait as well, but I'm fairly confident MN covers this.
 

Yeah, I can't imagine it goes much higher for Minnesota, so either flat or breaks slightly towards Michigan. I'm gonna wait as well, but I'm fairly confident MN covers this.
I would agree that I expect this to be a pickem by kickoff. so id agree on waiting on dropping the money closer to kick or when the odds hit pickem (I'd guess there will be late money rolling in on the Gopher bettors who do just that)
 


So weird being a favorite against Michigan...

Hope we get revenge for that soul crushing Halloween game.
 






I not only have no idea what to expect for this game, but the season in general. It seems some teams are comparably better under no-fan covid conditions, while others are worse. No idea how either of these teams will be given the unique circumstances. B1G football (and power 5 in general) usually has non-con games lined up to work the kinks out. That isn't the case this year. How would you like to be Michigan, with their first action with a new QB, heading to a road game for a conference match up?

Meanwhile, despite the overall spectacular success for the Gophers last season, look at that very slow start through the first few games. Will that be the case for Fleck's team again this year? How will the Gopher D replace all the lost starters? Will the O be dinged by opt outs and injuries? So many variables, so many unknowns. Was last year a combo of luck and intensity that will wear out a bit this year, or was it just a prelude to an even better 2020? I could see either team winning this one by 20 or more, or a tight game to the finish. In other words, I have no idea what to expect. All I know, is no matter what actually does happen - I will tell myself I should have expected it all along. :)
 

I not only have no idea what to expect for this game, but the season in general. It seems some teams are comparably better under no-fan covid conditions, while others are worse. No idea how either of these teams will be given the unique circumstances. B1G football (and power 5 in general) usually has non-con games lined up to work the kinks out. That isn't the case this year. How would you like to be Michigan, with their first action with a new QB, heading to a road game for a conference match up?

Meanwhile, despite the overall spectacular success for the Gophers last season, look at that very slow start through the first few games. Will that be the case for Fleck's team again this year? How will the Gopher D replace all the lost starters? Will the O be dinged by opt outs and injuries? So many variables, so many unknowns. Was last year a combo of luck and intensity that will wear out a bit this year, or was it just a prelude to an even better 2020? I could see either team winning this one by 20 or more, or a tight game to the finish. In other words, I have no idea what to expect. All I know, is no matter what actually does happen - I will tell myself I should have expected it all along. :)

Yeah it's 2020, I equally expect to obliterate them, or get obliterated... no clue.
 

The spread at this stage of BIG football is hardly more than a guess.
It is time to remind everyone that the betting sites and Las Vegas do not care who wins.
They make their $$ from the cut they take from each bet.
They set the spread in the hope that there will be 50/50 bets and there will not be an unbalanced pay out.
The spread will change to balance the betting.

Exactly - thanks for clarifying this for all of the Jimmy The Greeks on here who pay for their kid's college tuition with their expertise on this subject!
 

I feel like anything 3 or sub ... kinda already is a pick'm ;)
I can't remember if college is the same, but wait until you pick up an L with a team scoring as time expires to go ahead 26-24 and then not kick the PAT (because you don't have to in the NFL). Then you'll wish it was a pick em haha
 

B1G football (and power 5 in general) usually has non-con games lined up to work the kinks out. That isn't the case this year.

Yeah, we've seen early season issues in both college and the NFL for that very reason. So you're right, it's must tougher predicting these week 1 games.

On that note, I had two free $50 free bets from an app to use in week 1 of the NFL season. One of them I put on a 4-leg parlay that would've paid out $650 (I lost by one leg when Detroit blew that game to Chicago, btw. Soul crushing). The other bet I put on the safest thing I could find so I could at least win something: Colts on the moneyline over the Jags at like -600. Anyone remember how that turned out?
 

I haven't seen Michigan get much love from the "experts" which in a weird way concerns me. The line will change significantly if Faalale and Dunlap opt out. I have no idea what to make of this game, Michigan will be ready and they have a lot to prove. Our defense is extremely young and our offensive line is just one big question mark right now. Cant wait to watch.
 

I haven't seen Michigan get much love from the "experts" which in a weird way concerns me. The line will change significantly if Faalale and Dunlap opt out. I have no idea what to make of this game, Michigan will be ready and they have a lot to prove. Our defense is extremely young and our offensive line is just one big question mark right now. Cant wait to watch.
I don't the the O-line is too bad right now if we have Schluter, Olson, Schmitz, Ruschmeyer and Andries. The murkiness, in my opinion, occurs once we lose any one of those guys.
 

I don't the the O-line is too bad right now if we have Schluter, Olson, Schmitz, Ruschmeyer and Andries. The murkiness, in my opinion, occurs once we lose any one of those guys.
I get whiplash about how I feel about our OL.

At times awesome!

Other times ... oh man not so much.
 

STOP TALKING ABOUT THAT GAME, I'VE SPENT ENOUGH ON THERAPY AS IT IS!
Bomb pass to Wolitarsky. TD!! We win!! Nope, actually he was down. But no big deal, we're right there. Gonna win!

First down and short. Our QB is like 240 lbs. Sneak it in! TD we win! Nope, actually we have this sweet play where we take almost the entire clock to shift formations, then do a stupid pass that doesn't work. But no big deal, two seconds left with the incomplete, so we for sure get it next time.

Second down and short. Our QB is like 240 lbs. Sneak it in! TD we win! Crowd: "JERRRR-RY!!! JERRRR-RY!! JERRRR-RY!! WIN ONE FOR THE GIPPER YOU SOB!!!!"

Nope. Stuffed like a T'giving F'ing turkey.

F you.
 

I haven't seen Michigan get much love from the "experts" which in a weird way concerns me. The line will change significantly if Faalale and Dunlap opt out. I have no idea what to make of this game, Michigan will be ready and they have a lot to prove. Our defense is extremely young and our offensive line is just one big question mark right now. Cant wait to watch.
Dunlap is back, he just might not be ready for the game.

Faalele ... I mean, if you had opted out back in the summer .... why would you suddenly opt back in with a week to go? He gone. Fleck just doesn't want to tip Michigan off that they don't have to prepare for him.
 

Dunlap is back, he just might not be ready for the game.

Faalele ... I mean, if you had opted out back in the summer .... why would you suddenly opt back in with a week to go? He gone. Fleck just doesn't want to tip Michigan off that they don't have to prepare for him.
Did Faalele officially opt out? I can't find a source for that, but either way based on rumors it sounds like he rather opt out.
 

Did Faalele officially opt out? I can't find a source for that, but either way based on rumors it sounds like he rather opt out.
I don't remember ever seeing an official opt out announcement, like with Bateman.
 

I get whiplash about how I feel about our OL.

At times awesome!

Other times ... oh man not so much.
Our depth everyone is so thin. If we lose two d ends were starting Gage Keys. Lose two safeties and we're also on freshman. Same at pretty much every position except for Oline.
 

Dies anyone have any actual information on Big Dan? Where did the opt out rumor actually start. Has he been in practice?
 




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