CFB Preview: BYU Cougars vs Michigan Wolverines
Written By David Hess (Follow me on Twitter @DavidHess311)
When: 12:00 PM ET, Saturday, September 26, 2015
Where: Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor, Michigan
Televised: ABC
Odds: Michigan started out as 6 points favorites, and it has been bet up to Michigan -7. The OU line was hit harder as it has been bet down from 48 to 44.5.
The BYU Cougars had such high hopes coming into this year as they had 13 starters back, including QB Taysom Hill, who was back and healthy and is really the engine that makes this offense go. Well he didn’t make it past the opening game before being lost for the season again. This team has to feel snakebit. In steps Tanner Magnum, who threw a Hail Mary pass at the end of the game vs Nebraska, which was caught for a TD on the final play of the game. The next week he did it again at the end of the game vs Boise State. In that game he hit a 35 yard bomb with 45 seconds to goto give BYU a 28-24 lead. Then BYU tacked on a 50 yard INT return for a TD to make the final 35-24. Still it was a heck of a two weeks for Tanner. Next up was UCLA and the Cougars weren’t as fortunate as they lost a game that was decided by 3 yards and just 1 point. The offense will still be fine, but the Cougars have issues on defense so far as they have allowed 402.7 ypg and 25.3 ppg so far. We shall see how good the offense is this week as they take on the best defense they have faced yet.
Michigan did not get off to a good start this year in their 24-17 loss at Utah to open the season. Still in that game they showed heart and promise which is something the team was lacking last year. Harbaugh looks like he has put his stamp on this team. In their next two games they had rather easy home wins vs Oregon State (35-7) and UNLV (28-7). This looks like a team on the rise and they should make it to a bowl game this year, but challenging for the Conference title is a year or two away. The big question coming into the was at QB, and it still is. Jake Ruddock transferred from IOwa, but hasn’t really helped the team as the Wolverines are 95th in the nation in passing and Jake has just 3 TD passes to 5 INTs so far. The running game has been decent so far as hey have averaged 185 ypg rushing, but at some point they will need more consistent QB play. Luckily they have a defense that has been excellent so far, ranking 7th in yards allowed (236.7 ypg) and 13th in points allowed (12.7 ppg). If Jake can improve at QB then this team could be very dangerous this year.
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Free College Football Pick
[467] BYU +7 over Michigan
The BYU Cougars are missing Taysom Hill for the rest of the season again, but Tanner Magnum has proven that he is more than capable of running this offense, plus he has now had a couple of weeks of experience. BYU is very underrated with hill out and they proved it last week as they lost by just 1 point at UCLA as 16 point dogs. UCLA is better than Michigan, So I fully expect the Cougars to keep this one very close as well. Michigan is an improved team and their defense has been excellent so far, but still their offense is a question mark and I just don't see them being able to put up enough points to win this one easily.
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