Opening Line: Michigan an underdog at Washington in first road trip

The Wolverines hit the road for the first time this season next Saturday, and are an underdog by the slightest of margins in a rematch of last year's national championship...

Matt Lounsberry | 10 Hours Ago

Michigan and Washington football helmets during a CFP national championship head coaches news conference at Liberty Hall in Houston on Sunday, Jan. 7, 2024. / Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK

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As No. 10 Michigan prepares for its first road trip of its 2024 campaign, the Wolverines find themselves as a point spread underdog for the third time already this year.

On Sunday, Michigan (4-1, 2-0 Big Ten) opened as a one-point underdog ahead of its trip to Washington (3-2, 1-1) next weekend, per Circa Sports. The Wolverines and Huskies are set to do battle in a rematch of the 2023 College Football Playoff national championship game back in January, only this time it will be as conference foes in the new, expanded Big Ten.

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Week 6 Opening Lines

Opening App Limits: $3k Sides, $1k Totals pic.twitter.com/ScpFfBYxWI
— Circa Sports (@CircaSports) September 29, 2024

Michigan has not fared well in the oddsmaking market this season, going just 1-4 against the spread through their first five games. The Wolverines lone cover came as a four-point underdog to USC in Week 4, a game Michigan won outright, 27-24. Michigan closed as a 10.5-point favorite this past weekend against Minnesota, but defeated the Golden Gophers by just three points (27-24). They also failed to cover as a 20.5-point favorite vs. Fresno State (won 30-10), as a 21.5-point favorite vs. Arkansas State (won 28-18) and as a 6.5-point underdog vs. Texas (lost 31-12).

As for the Wolverines' opponent, Washington is 2-3 against the spread in 2024. The Huskies covered as a 29.5-point and 12-point favorite in wins over Weber State (won 35-3) and Northwestern (won 24-5), respectively, but failed to cover as a 24.5-point favorite over Eastern Michigan (won 30-9) and a one-point underdog to Rutgers (lost 21-18). Washington was also a six-point favorite against in-state rival Washington State in Week 3, but lost the game outright, 24-19, in the Apple Cup.

Michigan and Washington will kickoff at 7:30 p.m. ET on Saturday, Oct. 5 at Husky Stadium in Seattle. NBC will carry the televised broadcast.

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