Oregon State Beavers vs. Michigan Wolverines
The Oregon State Beavers (1-0) head to Ann Arbor, Mich. for their first real test of the season, a showdown with the Michigan Wolverines (0-1) at Michigan Stadium. Head coach Gary Anderson picked up a victory in his Oregon State debut, led by an impressive performance by true freshman quarterback Seth Collins. Meanwhile, Jim Harbaugh is looking to pick up his first win since taking over at Michigan.
Details for Saturday’s game are below:
Date: Saturday, September 12th
Start Time: 12 p.m.ET
Location: Ann Arbor, Mich.
Stadium: Michigan Stadium
TV Info: ABC
Live Stream: Watch ESPN
Radio: Oregon State — KEJO-AM 1240 (Corvallis, Ore.), Michigan — WWJ 950 AM (Detroit, Mich.), SiriusXM-Ch. 84
Ticket information: For Oregon State ticket info click here. For Michigan ticket info click here.
Keys to Victory
Oregon State:
Seth Collins had a tremendous performance to start his college career last week, rushing for 152 yards, while throwing for two touchdowns and no interceptions. Playing on the road in The Big House is much different than a home game against Weber State, though. The true freshman will have to rise to the occasion and not be overwhelmed by the hostile environment. Also, if the Beavers can force Michigan quarterback Jake Rudock to turn the ball over as he did during the Wolverine’s season opener, they will have a chance to pull off an upset on the road.
Michigan:
The Jim Harbaugh era at Michigan got off to a rocky start last week, as the Wolverines lost 17-24 to the Utah Utes. The most notable problem was the quarterback play, as Jake Rudock threw three interceptions on the day. But another issue that is flying under the radar is the ineffectiveness of their running game. As a team, Michigan rushed for just 76 yards last week, averaging 2.6 yards per carry. They must improve in both of these areas if they are going to win on Saturday.
Betting Odds
Point spread: Michigan -14.5
Money line: Oregon State +535
O/U: 45
Prediction
Michigan will be the more talented team on the field this weekend, but that does not mean they will play like it. Their inconsistency on offense will allow Oregon State to keep this game close. If Jake Rudock has another multi-interception game, do not be surprised to see this game come down to the final possession.
As many questions as the Wolverines have on offense, though, their defense will be the difference maker. They will force Oregon State to make mistakes, and Seth Collins will struggle in a difficult road environment.
Michigan wins a close game, putting their talent on display, while struggling to protect the football.
Final Score: Michigan 24, Oregon State 17
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