Army has Michigan on upset alert with a 14-7 halftime lead. But is there a real chance that Jim Harbaugh’s Wolverines actually get upset and lose?
Army is not intimidated by the 100,000-plus in attendance for their game at Michigan. Some teams might see the stadium and all the people and get a little flustered by the size, noise and history residing in that building. Nope, not the Black Knights who hold a 14-7 lead at halftime.
The point spread saw Army as 22-point underdogs, but that line always seemed a little too large for my liking. I recommended taking the points because I thought this would be a much closer game than the oddsmakers.
For at least the first half, that has rung true.
Army took Oklahoma and Heisman winner, Kyler Murray to overtime last year, so they aren’t unfamiliar with trying to slay the giant. Army ended up losing that game to Oklahoma last year. It is the last time the Knights lost as they are owners of the nation’s second-longest winning streak in the nation at 14 games. Only the reigning national champion Clemson Tigers are on a longer streak.
So will Army pull off the upset and beat Michigan in the Big House?
I’m still not willing to go that far.
Michigan is the far more talented team, but they haven’t played like it in the first two quarters. Michigan quarterback Shea Patterson lost a pair of fumbles and that has proven to be the difference in the first half. If Michigan doesn’t turn the ball over in the second half and leans on freshman running back Zach Charbonnet, who had 10 carries for 50 yards in the first half, the Wolverines should avoid the upset.
But I don’t think there is enough time or explosiveness in the Michigan passing game to score as many points in as little time as is left.
So if you took Army to cover, you’re looking good, but an outright win might be out of grasp.
But if Michigan should lose, you can forget about taking them seriously as a Big Ten contender.