Michigan football an early multi-TD betting favorite at Minnesota

After covering the point spread for the first time all season, Michigan football will have another large number to clear in its next game at Minnesota.

The Wolverines opened as 18-point betting favorites in their primetime matchup against the Golden Gophers next Saturday, Oct. 7, in Minneapolis (7:30 p.m., NBC), according to Circa Sports in Las Vegas.

Since that line opened, the number has only risen at domestic sports books available to Michigan customers, including 19.5 points at DraftKings and FanDuel. The Wolverines are 20-point favorites at Caesars and BetRivers.

The total is hovering around 47.5 and 48.5 points also.

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Michigan’s 45-7 win over Nebraska on Saturday marked the team’s first time covering the spread in five games, and was also the first time a game involving Jim Harbaugh’s team has gone over the total.

The Wolverines (5-0, 2-0 Big Ten) are 1-3-1 against the spread this season, while Minnesota (3-2, 1-1 Big Ten) is 1-4 ATS. P.J. Fleck’s team is 3-0 at Huntington Bank Stadium in Minneapolis but just 1-2 against the spread. They failed to cover in home victories over Nebraska and Eastern Michigan, but covered the closing number on Saturday against Louisiana.

Meanwhile, Michigan is 1-0 ATS on the road, covering the 18-point line easily in a 45-7 win at Nebraska on Saturday.

Michigan leads the all-time series with Minnesota, 76-25-3, claiming the Little Brown Jug in the last three meetings. The program has won the last 17 games in Minneapolis, a streak that dates all the way back to 1980.