Northwestern vs. Michigan: NCAAF Week 8 betting odds, preview, and pick

One week away from their meeting with undefeated Michigan State, the No. 6 Michigan Wolverines enter a lopsided battle against a 3-3 Northwestern team fighting to turn its season around.

Wolverines slide into bye week following nail-biting win

The Wolverines are currently listed as a 24-point favorite at home, despite narrowly escaping a 3-4 Nebraska team, 32-29, in their most recent outing.

In the Week 6 road contest, the Wolverines found themselves in a three-point hole entering the fourth quarter, which marked the first time the team had trailed all season.

Nebraska wideout Levi Falck put his team ahead on a 13-yard touchdown reception, which came after Michigan quarterback Cade McNamara had a pass intercepted for the first time in his collegiate career.

McNamara's interception was just the second turnover by Michigan all season.

Following Falck's touchdown, the Michigan run game found the end zone to start the fourth quarter, while Jake Moody sank a pair of field goals in the final three minutes to score the program's first victory in Lincoln.

A much-needed bye week should help the Wolverines regroup, as they prepare for a Northwestern team that fared far worse in its Week 5 clash with Nebraska.

Wildcats turn corner after embarrassing blowout loss

A year removed from a Big Ten Championship berth, Northwestern has played like a shell of itself to start the 2021 season.

The Wildcats opened with a 38-21 defeat to Michigan State and fell 30-23 at Duke in Week 3, but their most humbling loss of the season occurred against Nebraska, in a 56-7 blowout on the road.

In their latest loss, nothing went right for Northwestern's defense, which surrendered 427 rushing yards and eight total scores.

The team's 49-point defeat was the program's second-largest loss in Pat Fitzgerald's 16-year tenure as coach, and signified Nebraska's largest win against a Big Ten opponent.

There was no better time for Northwestern to go on a bye week, and the rest appeared to recharge the team enough for a 21-7 win against Rutgers.

Quarterback Ryan Hilinski enjoyed a two-touchdown outing in the victory, while the rushing attack accounted for 135 yards, after it recorded just 37 against Nebraska.

The defense also held Rutgers to 222 yards of offense, including just 63 rushing yards. 

The stop unit will need a similar outing against Michigan, which ranks sixth in the nation in rushing yards per game (246.5) and averages 440.5 yards of total offense.

Northwestern and Michigan betting trends

• Northwestern is 4-1 ATS in its last five games as an underdog
• Northwestern is 6-2 ATS in its last eight games following a bye week
• Michigan is 5-1 ATS in its last six games overall
• Michigan is 4-1 ATS in its last five games as a favorite
• The Under is 4-1 in Michigan's last five games as a home favorite
• The Under is 7-3 in the last 10 meetings between these teams
• The underdog is 4-1 ATS in the last five meetings

Michigan won't get trapped by lowly opponent

Northwestern may have temporarily washed away the taste of a bad Big Ten loss with its win over Rutgers, but the Wildcats are in for another beatdown against a refreshed Michigan squad.

Northwestern is the seventh worst team in all of college football at defending the run (243.6 yards per game), and while it stuffed Rutgers' rushing attack, the Wolverines are an entirely different beast.

Rutgers averages 125.2 rushing yards per contest (89th in the country), which is 120 yards fewer than Michigan's average output.

Northwestern also gives up 218.6 passing yards per game and seven yards per pass attempt, so McNamara will be able to move the ball through the air on occasion to keep the Northwestern defense off balance.

Running backs Blake Corum and Hassan Haskins will primarily star in this offense on Saturday and will light up the scoreboard for a pair of scores each. The Wolverines will coast on the back on their run game and cap off a decisive win ahead of their showdown with No. 9 Michigan State.

Score prediction: Michigan 41, Nebraska 10

NCAAF Week 8 pick: Michigan -24

Northwestern vs. Michigan pick powered by The Quant Edge

Our predictive engine is calling for Michigan to win outright and Northwestern to cover the spread. The total is expected to go Over 51 points.