Free Daily NCAA Lock Pick, Wednesday October 18th: New Mexico State vs UTEP 9:00pmET
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The Michigan Wolverines and Michigan State Spartans will renew their in-state rivalry on Saturday at Spartan Stadium. The Battle for the Paul Bunyan Trophy will kick off at 7:30 p.m. ET.
UM (7-0 SU and 3-3-1 ATS) walloped Indiana 52-7 last weekend. It is leading the Big Ten East Division with a 4-0 conference mark.
MSU (2-4 SU and 3-2-1 ATS) fell 27-24 to Rutgers last Saturday. It is tied for last place in the B1G East with a 0-3 conference record.
The Wolverines are 24-point spread favorites and the game total is 46.5 points. Last season, Michigan beat Michigan State 29-7 at the Big House.
Wolverines: TE Martin Klein, LB Kalel Mullings, and QB Alex Orji are questionable. RB CJ Stokes is out.
Spartans: TE Jack Nickel, DB Jaden Mangham, DL Ken Talley, and OL Cole Dellinger are questionable.
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Michigan started slow last week versus Indiana, scoring zero first-quarter points, but it was all gas the rest of the afternoon. The Wolverines put 52 points on the board in the next three quarters, dominating both through the air (19-for-22 passing) and on the ground (163 rushing yards). The Hoosiers managed only 2.8 yards per carry and 4.8 yards per passing completion with four turnovers.
UM is paced by junior quarterback J.J. McCarthy, who has passed for 1,512 yards, 14 touchdowns, and three interceptions. His QBR, 92.6, is the best in the nation, and his completion percentage, 78.2%, is second to only Oregon's Bo Nix. The dual-threat Heisman hopeful has also rushed for 160 yards (5.3 YPC) and three scores.
McCarthy has three top-notch receiving threats: senior WR Roman Wilson (25 receptions for 396 yards and nine TDs), senior WR Cornelius Johnson (19 receptions for 357 yards and one TD), and sophomore TE Colston Loveland (19 receptions for 285 yards and two TDs). Senior RB Blake Corum leads the Wolverines' rushing attack with 546 rushing yards (5.7 YPC) and 12 scores.
Michigan scores 39.4 points per game (10th) and averages 413.7 total yards (54th), including 231.7 passing yards (70th) and 182.0 rushing yards (42nd). It converts 55.4 percent of its third-down plays (3rd) and scores on 86.2 percent of its visits to the red zone (52nd).
The Wolverines' defense surrenders 6.7 points (1st) and 233.1 total yards (2nd), including 142.1 passing yards (2nd) and 91.0 rushing yards (11th). They have 18 sacks and nine interceptions this season. Michigan's opponents have converted 31.4 percent of their third downs (15th) and scored on 42.8 percent of their red zone trips (1st). UM is also first nationally in stop rate (86.7%), the percentage of a defense’s drives that end in punts, turnovers, or a turnover on downs.
Free Daily NCAA Lock Pick, Wednesday October 18th: New Mexico State vs UTEP 9:00pmET CLICK TO SEE PICK NOW