Tennessee football: Vols, SEC, top 25 predictions for Week Four of 2019
No. 11 Michigan Wolverines at No. 13 Wisconsin Badgers
Line: Wisconsin -3.5; Over/Under: 44.5; TV: Fox
Saturday, Sept. 21 at Noon E.T.; Camp Randall Stadium; Madison, Wis.
Yes, the first non-SEC game we’ve covered all year is not until Week Four. So much for all the talk that the SEC avoids playing top 25 schools, seeing as how every game to this point involving two top 25 schools has included SEC teams. Anyway, there is clear pressure on one head coach for this game, more than even what Tennessee football is putting on Jeremy Pruitt.
Jim Harbaugh is in a make or break year with Urban Meyer having left the Ohio State Buckeyes. His team needed overtime to beat the Army Black Knights two weeks ago, and coming off a bye, seems to be hanging on by a thread as a program.
Meanwhile, the Wisconsin Badgers have just blown people out. They are also 2-0 and coming off a bye and have won their games by a combined score of 110-0. Given those facts, it’s easy to see why the Badgers are a favorite in this game. They do, after all, have one of the most experienced offenses in the nation.
Prediction
This is our most against the grain pick of the week. Traditionally, when these two teams face, you always take the under. But they both returned lots of talent on offense this year and not a lot on defense. Meanwhile, people are making far too much of Michigan’s struggles with Army. It’s alway difficult to face a triple-option in a random week.
Taking that into account, with all the love Wisconsin’s getting, we’re going with Michigan in the upset. Bet the Wolverines on the spread in this upset pick, which we’re not confident of. But also take the over, which we are confident of.