All eyes in the college football world will be on Norman this weekend, as the No. 15 Michigan Wolverines hit the road to take on the No. 18 Oklahoma Sooners. This is the first true test for both team’s new quarterbacks, as Bryce Underwood and John Mateer will battle it out after impressive Week 1 performances.
Here are a few bold predictions for the huge clash.
Michigan’s defense will have 4+ sacks
Mateer looked good in Oklahoma’s Week 1 win over Illinois State, completing nearly 80 percent of his passes and throwing for nearly 400 yards
and three touchdowns. However, that is where all of the offense came from. The Sooners only rushed for 103 yards, and establishing the ground game will be much more difficult against a stout Michigan defensive line.
Michigan knows Mateer will need to have another great game and that Oklahoma is relying on him to do so. The Wolverines also know the Sooners have some inexperience along the offensive line because of injuries. That sounds like a good recipe for Michigan to get a lot of pressure on Mateer, so I believe the Wolverines will be in the backfield often, leading to barrage of sacks.
Marlin Klein will have more than 100 receiving yards and a TD
One of the biggest bright spots from last Saturday’s win over New Mexico was the play of tight end Marlin Klein. He has some big shoes to fill after Colston Loveland’s departure, and he certainly played well in Week 1, as he was Michigan’s leading receiver with 93 yards and a touchdown.
The Wolverines love to utilize their tight ends, and it seems like Klein and Underwood have formed a strong connection. For the Wolverines to have success offensively against Oklahoma, that connection will have to be on full display. Klein is one of the most talented players on this team, and he is going to have another big game that results in at least 100 yards and a receiving score.
Michigan will win by double digits
Vegas expects Oklahoma to take this one, as the Sooners are favored by almost a touchdown. However, I believe Michigan is going to go into Norman and win by two scores, 27-17. With Oklahoma’s inexperienced offensive line and struggling run game, this Michigan defense is going to be able to keep Mateer in check. On the other side of the ball, the Wolverines have a quarterback again — Underwood looked fantastic in his debut, and while this will be a bigger challenge, he and the offense will find a way to put points on the boards thanks to a balanced attack.
