2009 Michigan Wolverines Betting Recap
Online betting gurus had reason to think that the Michigan Wolverines were going to post a winning season in 2009. After all, coach Rich Rodriguez’s team won five of its first eight heading into the home stretch. Everything changed, however, in one amazing sequence against the Illinois Fighting Illini.
Michigan led, 13-7, and looked to be on its way to a touchdown in the third quarter. UM receiver Roy Roundtree sprinted downfield with the ball in his hands after catching a pass from quarterback Tate Forcier. Roundtree was tackled by Illinois’ Terry Hawthorne on the 1, but with four chances to stick the ball into the end zone, Michigan didn’t figure to be hurt too badly by that play.
Michigan figured wrong… just like most NCAA football betting experts. Illinois stacked up the Wolverines on four straight runs from the 1, and just moments later, a 70-yard touchdown run put the woeful Illini in front, 14-13. Michigan not only failed to recover from that sequence – UM lost the game, 38-13 – but the Maize and Blue spiraled downward, losing their final three games against Purdue, Wisconsin and Ohio State. The 5-7 finish denied this proud program of yet another bowl game. Rodriguez – who has gotten himself in trouble with the NCAA over the use of too many staffers and too much practice time – is now in a position where he must deliver a bowl game, at the very least, to save his job. Very likely, Michigan must win at least eight games for the Rodriguez era to continue. The 2009 season featured a great comeback win against Notre Dame, but it fell far short of expectations.
2010 Preview To Bet Michigan Wolverines
A sports betting analyst should probably pick the Wolverines to have a winning season in 2010, but not a thunderous coming-out party. Iowa, Ohio State, Penn State and Wisconsin are all stronger than Michigan, which has not matched its personnel with the style of play the Big Ten currently rewards. You need to be brawny on the lines and have a very fast defense to win in this particular conference, and Michigan has lacked both qualities in the Rodriguez era. UM does seem to be faster heading into 2010, as Denard Robinson will likely see more snaps under center, with Forcier moving to the backup spot at quarterback. Michigan’s offense should be a little harder to stop on a consistent basis, and that should create more than five wins for this team. Defense will still be a concern, though, and one wonders just how many shootouts the Maize and Blue can win this fall.
The schedule is actually pretty decent. Connecticut – a good team – must go to Ann Arbor on the opening weekend of the season. In Big Ten play, UM goes to Penn State but will host Wisconsin and Iowa. That’s a fair trade-off. It’s actually good that Michigan must visit Ohio State because the Buckeyes would be heavily favored in that game no matter where it was played. Michigan should get its winning season. Just don’t expect anything more than eight wins.