Free NCAA Football Prediction: Cowboys vs. Spartans Odds
Looking for Western Michigan Cowboys vs. Michigan State Spartans free picks? College football betting sees the Cowboys taking on the Spartans on Friday, September 1st, 2022 at Spartan Stadium in East Lansing, MI. Cappers Picks provides complimentary handicapping picks all NCAA football season long so stay tuned for more FREE college football games Week 1 predictions like this Western Michigan – Michigan State free pick.
College Football Handicapping Analysis: Week 1
Western Michigan Cowboys (0-0) vs. Michigan State Spartans (0-0)
Date: Friday, September 1st, 2022
Time: 7:00 PM EST
Venue: Spartan Stadium, East Lansing, MI
NCAA Football ATS Spread Odds: Western Michigan +22.5 / Michigan State -22.5 (Bet Now!)
NCAA Football Moneyline Odds: Cowboys +1150 / Spartans -1400
NCAA Betting Total Odds: O/U 54
The Michigan State Spartans play host to the Western Michigan Broncos on Friday night in the season opener for both teams, from Spartan Stadium.
It doesn’t come as a surprise that Michigan State has dominated the series between the two teams, including winning each meeting over the last decade, most recently a 51-17 win in 2019.
Western Michigan Cowboys
The Broncos still remain only a handful of years from a New Year’s Day bowl and are coming off of an 8-5 season, where they also went .500 in MAC play.
This team has the ability to get things done on both sides of the ball, as shown by their success last season, while adding in a win against the same Pitt team that Michigan State took down in their bowl game, should give some confidence in this one.
One concern is having to go on the road while adding in their lack of success against Michigan State over the years. With another matchup against Pitt looming in only two weeks, the Broncos would love nothing more than to split their two games against Power 5 opponents.
On the offensive side of the ball, the Broncos are coming off of a season that saw them finish 12th nationally in total offense. Unfortunately, Western Michigan lost a pair of talents in Kaleb Eleby (quarterback) and Skyy Moore (wide receiver), the latter of whom was drafted by Kansas City. Replacing them won’t be easy, especially considering the questions of who will get the bulk of the snaps at quarterback.
Michigan State Spartans
Michigan State continued to turn heads for much of the 2021 season and after beating Michigan, found themselves right near the top of not only the Big Ten but the national landscape.
Hopes are high for the team to pick up where they left off last season and the Spartans should be able to ease into things on Friday and next week against Akron before they take to the West Coast in a crucial game against Washington.
It should help matters that the Spartans have a relatively clean bill of health themselves heading into this one. To already have a leg up from a talent perspective, also having the advantage when it comes to depth, could be too much for Western Michigan to overcome.
NCAA Football Handicapping Trends
- Western Michigan has gone 0-4 ATS in their last four Friday games
- Western Michigan has gone 0-4 ATS in their last four games against Big Ten opponents
- For the Spartans, they are also 4-0-1 ATS in their last five non-conference games
4* Free Week 1 NCAA Betting Prediction:
The opener on Friday is a great opportunity for Michigan State to prove that last year wasn’t an anomaly and given the strength of what they have coming back, combined with an influx of talent from the transfer portal, they won’t have any issues.
Last year showed their ability to control the game in the trenches and despite losing Walker, will have the ability to control possession again in this one. Adding in the talent between their quarterback room and wide receiver core, moving the ball won’t be an issue for this group.
Give me the Spartans to cover this big number at home in the season opener.
4* Free Week 1 NCAA Betting Pick: Michigan State -22.5
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