Michigan vs. Utah - Game Time, TV Schedule, Line, Preview, Predictions
The good news for Michigan is that it bounced back after getting thoroughly outclassed by Notre Dame two weeks ago with a 31-10 victory over Miami (OH). The bad news is that its opponent this week - Utah - is very good, especially on the offensive side of the ball, and as we saw against the Fighting Irish, Michigan's defense struggles against fast-paced, efficient offenses.
The even worse news is that the pressure on Wolverines QB Devin Gardner may reach a breaking point if he doesn't have a huge game this week, as fans continue to call for Shane Morris to get the nod at quarterback over the senior.
Can Michigan, and particularly Gardner, respond to the pressure and have a big game against an underrated Utah squad with the team's conference schedule starting in one week? It's certainly going to be be fun to watch.
Date: Saturday, Sep. 20
Time: 3:30 p.m. ET
Channel: ABC/ESPN2
Location: Michigan Stadium (Ann Arbor, MI)
Betting Line: Michigan -4.5 via 5Dimes
Prediction: A lot of what happens in this game will come down to the health of Michigan WR Devin Funchess. It's not a stretch to say that the converted tight end may be the best wideout in the Big Ten, and he is certainly Gardner's favorite target, as he leads the Wolverines in receptions, yards, and touchdowns despite not playing last week. If he's healthy, he will certainly be the most important member of Michigan's offense.
Unfortunately for Michigan, this Utah team is really good, and it will be in for a challenge even if Funchess can play. The Utes play fast and put up a ton of points, and there's no reason to expect that they won't be able to score on Michigan with all of the team's talent at the skill positions - namely running backs Devontae Booker and Bubba Poole, along with wide receivers Dres Anderson and Kenneth Scott.
Utah also is one of the few teams that uses two quarterbacks successfully in Travis Wilson and Kendal Thompson. Really, if the Utes can stop Michigan's offense -- which is a legitimate concern, because Utah's defense isn't exactly great -- this may be a bad afternoon for Michigan fans.
Give us Utah to win and cover the spread. While we do think the Wolverines' offense can put up a few points, we're not sure it will be enough.
