Michigan vs Minnesota Prediction, Game Preview, and Betting Lines

Michigan is back among the living again.

The thrilling 27-24 win over USC got the Wolverines back in the Big Ten and College Football Playoff title chases, and now they have to keep it going by keeping the Little Brown Jug with a win over Minnesota.

There’s a problem for the Golden Gophers. They got rolled over by Iowa in a 31-14 home loss, and they can’t give away too many more losses with a whole slew of rough games still to play, indulging USC up next.

Michigan vs Minnesota Preview

Michigan vs Minnesota How to Watch
Date: Saturday, September 28, 2024
Game Time: 12:00 pm ET
Venue: Michigan Stadium, Ann Arbor, MI
How to Watch: FOX
Michigan (3-1), Minnesota (2-2)
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Predicting the Rest of the Season
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Why Minnesota Will Win

Michigan can’t throw the football.

Actually, that’s not right. It can throw it, but it probably won’t complete enough passes to matter.

To be fair to Alex Orji, the game plan against USC centered around pounding away with the ground attack, and in the end, it worked. But Orji threw just 12 times for 32 yards.

Minnesota is struggling, but it’s second in the nation in passing efficiency defense, and second in pass D.

The Gopher secondary has yet to allow a touchdown pass, has picked off seven, and hasn’t allowed 120 passing yards to anyone. But …

Why Michigan Will Win

Give Minnesota a little bit of credit. The defense held Nevada and Rhode Island to a dead stop, and it wasn’t that bad against the run in the tough loss to North Carolina.

But Iowa …

Yeah, RB Kaleb Johnson and the Hawkeyes turned on the steamroller and bad things happened. The Hawkeye O ran 45 times for 272 yards and four scores in the 31-14 win, and Minnesota had absolutely no answer for it.

If Michigan has a brain, it realizes that it doesn’t have to do anything tricky here. Repeat the USC offensive show - run, keep running, and the gashes will come.

Michigan vs Minnesota: Who Will Win

Minnesota is overdue for one of those games under PJ Fleck when the team plays two steps above its pay grade.

No, the Michigan defense isn’t what it was last year, but it’ll hold down the Gopher O, the ground game will rumble, and the Little Brown Jug will stay in Ann Arbor.

Michigan vs Minnesota Prediction, Betting Lines

Michigan 30, Minnesota 16
Line: Michigan -10.5, o/u: 34.5
ATS Confidence out of 5: 3
Michigan vs Minnesota Must See Rating: 3

Week 5 CFN Expert Picks
Georgia at Alabama | Kentucky at Ole Miss
Minn at Michigan | Okla St at Kansas St
Nebraska at Purdue | Wisconsin at USC
Louisville at Notre Dame | Ark at Texas A&M
Colorado at UCF | Ohio St at Michigan St
Illinois at Penn St | Wash St at Boise St
Arizona at Utah | Oregon at UCLA