Sportsbooks Post Surprising Odds for Michigan Football Teams Headed to 2021-22 Bowl Games

All five Michigan schools in NCAA Division I Football — Michigan, Michigan State, Western Michigan, Central Michigan and Eastern Michigan — will be playing in a bowl game this year.

But despite every team’s winning record — and, in Michigan’s case, a Big Ten title — all five schools from the Great Lakes State are the underdog in their respective bowl games, according to oddsmakers.

In Big Ten action, Michigan sportsbooks have the eleventh-ranked Michigan State Spartans (10-2) as the underdog to the No. 13 Pittsburgh Panthers (11-2) in the Peach Bowl on December 30, while the third-ranked Georgia Bulldogs (12-1) are favored over the No. 2 Michigan Wolverines (12-1) in the Orange Bowl on December 31.

Oddsmakers similarly have a dim view of the playoff projections for Michigan’s three teams from the Mid-American Conference (MAC).

The Liberty Flames (7-5) are favored over the Eastern Michigan Eagles (7-5) in the LendingTree Bowl on December 18. Meanwhile, the Nevada Wolf Pack (8-4) is the favorite in the matchup against the Western Michigan Broncos (7-5) in the Quick Lane Bowl on December 27, and the Central Michigan Chippewas (8-4) are the underdog to the Boise State Broncos (7-5) in the Arizona Bowl on December 31.

The Orange Bowl winner will play the winner of the Cotton Bowl for the national title. The Alabama Crimson Tide (12-1) — a perennial national champion, as well as this year’s Southeastern Conference (SEC) champion — takes on the undefeated Cincinnati Bearcats (13-0), champions of the American Athletic Conference (AAC).

Pittsburgh won the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) championship on December 4, the same day that Georgia lost to Alabama in the SEC title game. Nevada and Boise State both compete in the Mountain West Conference (MWC), but neither team played in the conference’s championship game. Liberty competes in NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) as an independent.

In a twist, Pittsburgh beat Eastern Michigan in the Quick Lane Bowl in 2019, 34-30.

The Big Ten: Peach Bowl and Orange Bowl

For the upcoming Peach Bowl, the Panthers are 2.5-point favorites over the Spartans on BetRivers Sportsbook MI and TwinSpires Sportsbook MI, and 3-point favorites on BetMGM Sportsbook MI. The over/under is the same at all three books: 63.5 points.

A win by Michigan State will pay out +142 on BetRivers and TwinSpires. The same wager on BetMGM will pay +135.

Meanwhile, the Bulldogs are 7.5-point favorites over the Wolverines in the Orange Bowl, according to BetMGM. Georgia is also an 8-point favorite on BetRivers and FOX Bet MI. BetRivers set the over/under at 43.5 points, but it’s 44.5 points on BetMGM and FOX Bet.

If Michigan wins the game, the upset will pay more on FOX Bet. The sportsbook will pay +280 for a win by the Wolverines, compared to +230 on BetRivers and BetMGM.

Sportsbooks also snub MAC teams in their 2021 Bowl projections

The books were similarly skeptical of the three Michigan MAC teams’ chances in their bowls.

Oddsmakers at BetRivers and FOX Bet have the Flames as 8.5-point favorites over the Eagles in the LendingTree Bowl, with an over/under of 58.5 points. BetMGM favors the Flames by 8 and has the over/under set at 57.5 points.

But if the Eagles prevail, a placed wager in their favor at BetMGM would pay +260, compared to +250 at FOX Bet and +235 at BetRivers.

In the Quick Lane Bowl, the Wolf Pack are 1.5-point favorites over the Western Michigan Broncos at BetMGM and 2.5-point favorites at BetRivers and at TwinSpires Sportsbook MI. The over/under is 61 points at BetMGM and 61.5 points on BetRivers and TwinSpires.

A bet for Western Michigan to pull off the upset would pay -105 at BetMGM and +106 at BetRivers and TwinSpires.

Barstool Sportsbook is the official sponsor of the Arizona Bowl, so it should be worth noting that it has the Boise State Broncos favored over the Chippewas. The books at BetRivers, BetMGM and FOX Bet all agree.

Boise State is an 8-point favorite at FOX Bet, an 8.5-point favorite at Barstool and BetRivers, and has a 9.5-point advantage on BetMGM. The over/under is 53 points on BetMGM, but it’s 54.5 points at the other three sportsbooks.

If the Chips win, a wager on them pays +280 at BetMGM and +260 at Barstool and BetRivers. A Central Michigan win will also pay +250 at FOX Bet.

LendingTree Bowl
Odds — Flames vs. Eagles, 5:45 pm ET, Saturday, Dec. 18

Quick Lane Bowl
Odds — Wolf Pack vs. Broncos, 11:00 am ET, Monday, Dec. 27

Peach Bowl
Odds — Panthers vs. Spartans, 7:00 pm ET, Thursday, Dec. 30

Arizona Bowl
Odds — Broncos vs. Chippewas, 4:30 pm ET, Friday, Dec. 31

Orange Bowl
Odds — Bulldogs vs. Wolverines, 7:30 pm ET, Friday, Dec. 31