Two of college football’s most storied programs collide on Saturday when the No. 15 Michigan Wolverines and No. 18 Oklahoma Sooners square off at Gaylord Family – Oklahoma Memorial Stadium in Norman, Okla. The Wolverines are the winningest team in college football history, with 1,013 victories. The Sooners rank sixth with 951 wins.
The game will be just the second meeting between the programs. In the only previous matchup, Oklahoma beat Michigan, 14-6, in the 1976 Orange Bowl en route to being voted the national champion.
The Sooners (1-0) are coming off a 35-3 victory over Illinois State. Led by transfer quarterback John Mateer, the Sooners piled up 392 passing yards. Meanwhile the Wolverines (1-0) enter the game off a 34-17 win against New Mexico. Highly touted true freshman quarterback Bryce Underwood completed 21-of-31 passes for 251 yards and a touchdown.
Top sportsbooks have made Oklahoma a 5-point favorite over Michigan. The line has not budged much after opening at Sooners -4.5.
However there are other games on the Week 2 schedule that have experienced massive line movement. One point spread has moved by almost a touchdown.
So how much have the point spreads moved in the Week 2 games? And is the line movement worth tailing or fading? Here’s a look at the Sooners-Wolverines game and four others that have seen significant line movement. All times Eastern.
Bowling Green at Cincinnati (3:30 p.m.)
Open: Cincinnati -18
Current: Cincinnati -23
This is one of the biggest line moves of Week 2. Bettors seem to be taking this angle: The Bearkats lost a competitive game away from home against a Big Ten team and now return home looking to take out their frustrations against a MAC team that is perceived to be inferior. That’s usually a reasonable angle when you can get a good number, but now Cincinnati backers will have to pay a premium. Data suggests that there has been some buyback on the Falcons at -23, so this line is more likely to move to -22.5 than the other direction.
North Carolina at Charlotte (7 p.m.)
Open: North Carolina -19
Current: North Carolina -13.5
College football fans who tuned into Monday’s North Carolina-TCU game saw a train wreck of a Tar Heels team that failed many aspects of Football 101, especially blocking and tackling. Bettors immediately jumped on Charlotte, and now, a 49ers backer will have to swallow less than two touchdowns. Coach Bill Belichick and North Carolina have a lot to correct in a short week, but they face a Charlotte team that didn’t look great in its opener either, losing by 23 points to Appalachian State.
No. 15 Michigan at No. 18 Oklahoma (7:30 p.m.)
Open: Oklahoma -4.5
Current: Oklahoma -5
The point spread for the game of the week has barely shifted, with the line moving a half point in favor of the Sooners. That likely is a reaction to Oklahoma’s overhauled offense putting up 35 points and 495 total yards in its Week 1 win over Illinois State. But Sooners backers beware: The Redbirds are an FCS team that gave up 40 points in last season’s opener against a punchless Iowa offense. Though the Wolverines have a true freshman at quarterback, they also have a defense that has given up just 11.5 points per game over its last five contests. Michigan +5 or Under 44.5 total points seem to be the right plays.
Tulsa at New Mexico State (9 p.m.)
Open: Tulsa -1.5
Current: Tulsa -4.5
The Aggies will be without arguably its best player on defense, linebacker Tyler Martinez, who broke a hand in the season-opening win against Bryant. Martinez’s absence and a rather uninspiring 19-3 win over the Bulldogs — an FCS team that went 2-10 last season — have pushed bettors in the direction of a Golden Hurricane team coming off a 35-7 win over an Abilene Christian team that advanced to the FCS playoffs last season. Tulsa looks like the clear play here, even on the road. But make sure to shop around; some sportsbooks are offering an even better number on the Golden Hurricane.
Sam Houston State at Hawaii (11:59 p.m.)
Open: Hawaii -9.5
Current: Hawaii -6.5
This is the third time in three weeks that the Hawaii game has been on this list. Last week the number moved in favor of the Rainbow Warriors’ opponent, Arizona, and the Wildcats covered easily, winning 40-6. This week the number has moved again in favor of Hawaii’s opponent. Warriors quarterback Micah Alejado has been battling an ankle injury since the opener against Stanford. Last week he was cleared early in the week to play against Arizona, but this week he will be a game-time decision. That does not bode well for his chances to play, which is likely one of the reasons this line has moved in Sam Houston State’s favor. However note: the Warriors have covered eight straight home games against FBS teams, the longest active streak in the FBS, and now the line has dipped below the key number of 7.
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