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UCONN vs. Michigan
Pointspread – Michigan -3 O/U 54
9/4/10
Anytime a team like UCONN, the football team, not the hoops team, gets to take on a program like Michigan, it’s a monumental Game. It’s a chance for the UCONN football team to validate their program oNCe again, under the national spotlight in a big time Game against a big time program. Winning a Game like this always does wonders for the recruiting efforts. Bottom line, expect a huge effort from the Huskies in what is without a doubt one of the biggest Games UCONN football has ever played.
But emotion alone can’t win this Game. You still have to have the talent. The last time UCONN had an opportunity like this was last season when they went into South Bend and knocked off Notre Dame in double overtime. This Game figures to be similar. Michigan has the better overall talent. as did Notre Dame. But the Wolverines are still trying to find themselves under coach Rich Rodriguez. They’re certainly not scaring many teams these days. In fact if you compare these two teams a year ago, you’d have to come to the coNClusion that they were fairly even. The one common opponent, Notre Dame, they both beat by similar margins.
The coaches in this Game, Randy Edsall and Rich Rodriguez are familiar with each other. They went head to head for 4 years while Rodriguez was at WVA. Rodriguez won every one of those, iNCluding the last time they met in a Game of huge importaNCe, 66-21, in a year that West Virginia contended for a National Title. You know that old saying, what goes around comes around? Food for thought.
The oddsmakers probably have this line right. These teams figure to be even. UCONN is at the top of their Game and is loaded with returning starters from last season. Michigan is still trying to find their way back to promineNCe, and is also loaded with veterans.
UCONN lost 5 Games last year, but no loss was by more than 4 points. They capped the season by beating South Carolina in a Bowl Game. Randy Edsall is one of the best coaches in college football today. We’d be shocked if he isn’t coaching a major college football power within the next decade. His teams play solid fundamental football, they don’t beat themselves. For Rich Rodriguez, the pressure in this Game couldn’t possibly be any more intense. Cam you imagine if Michigan starts the year with a loss to UCONN?
As mentioned above, the number on this Game, we feel, is ACCurate. That means, from a betting standpoint, we have to sit on the sidelines. This will be a good football Game. It should be a close Game and up for grabs in the 4th quarter. Having played in South Bend last season helps this veteran UCONN team. They won’t be intimidated by the atmosphere and the capacity crowd that’s more than double what their home stadium holds.
At the end of the day, we think Michigan comes away with the win. The line is 3 at most sportsbooks, however we have seen a couple of -2.5’s out there. At that price, if we had to play this one, we’d lay the number with the assumption that, if Michigan pulls this one out as we suspect, their likely to cover the small spot. No question this will be a great Game to watch to kick off the 2010 college football season.