Texas at Michigan picks, odds, how to watch: Defending champs get test from favored Longhorns

Whereas it’s not fairly the marquee slugfest it will have been final season, Texas heads to Ann Arbor to face Michigan in unquestionably the field workplace draw of Week 2. UT arrives with an offense designed for explosive output and captained by a quarterback who runs his coach’s scheme to perfection. Michigan once more options an all-world protection, and being roughly a landing underdog at The Huge Home actually gained’t sit nicely with the defending champs.

Texas signal-caller Quinn Ewers and head coach Steve Sarkisian have reached simpatico, and the ensuing Longhorn passing assault appears to be like polished regardless of lacking their 4 finest receivers from final season. They took aside Colorado State 52-0 of their opener, with Ewers finishing 20 of 27 passes for 260 yards and three touchdowns. He appeared utterly in management whereas doing so, earlier than handing issues over to backup Arch Manning.

However Michigan’s unit is a number of dozen steps up from CSU’s, and whereas its secondary might be the largest query mark in its protection, it’s nonetheless anchored by cornerback Will Johnson. The All-American and future first-rounder allowed simply 17 catches all season in 2023 and is contemporary off of sealing the Wolverines’ win towards Fresno State with an 86-yard pick-six late within the fourth quarter.

The truth that it took these heroics to lastly put the Bulldogs down is indicative of simply how a lot Michigan firepower is gone from final season, nevertheless. They’re nonetheless looking for a QB between Davis Warren and Alex Orji, and heir-apparent working again Donovan Edwards stalled out of the gate in Week 1. With the Texas assault in a position to put a recreation out of attain in a rush, Michigan’s offense might want to sluggish the tempo to a crawl, which implies transferring the ball significantly extra successfully than final week.

It is probably not the playoff recreation many needed final season, however the stakes are nonetheless excessive. A two-loss Michigan or Texas doubtless squeaks into the 12-team playoff, however a 3rd defeat would nearly actually preserve both out. Each groups have brutal convention schedules forward, and whoever will get the loss Saturday will solely have yet another to provide.

All odds from BetMGM. Searching for school soccer tickets? Discover them right here.