The second-ranked Michigan Wolverines look to cap off their perfect regular season with a conference title when they battle the West Division champion Purdue Boilermakers in the 2022 Big Ten Conference Championship Game in Indianapolis on Saturday night. The Wolverines (12-0, 9-0), who defeated Ohio State 45-23 last week to win the East Division, are looking to win their second consecutive league crown and 44th overall. Michigan defeated Iowa 42-3 in last year's title game. The Boilermakers (8-4, 6-3), who have not won a Big Ten championship since 2000, are looking to claim their ninth league crown.
The game from Lucas Oil Stadium kicks off at 8 p.m. ET. Michigan is averaging 244.5 rushing yards per game, tops in the conference, while Purdue averages 125.8, ninth-best. The Wolverines are favored by 15.5 points in the latest Purdue vs. Michigan odds from Caesars Sportsbook, while the over-under for total points scored is 53. Before making any Michigan vs. Purdue picks, be sure to check out the college football predictions and betting advice from the SportsLine Projection Model.
The SportsLine Projection Model simulates every FBS college football game 10,000 times. Over the past six-plus years, the proprietary computer model has generated a stunning profit of almost $2,500 for $100 players on its top-rated college football picks against the spread. Anyone who has followed it has seen huge returns.
Now, the model has set its sights on Purdue vs. Michigan and just locked in its picks and CFB predictions. You can visit SportsLine now to see the model's picks. Here are the college football odds and betting lines for Michigan vs. Purdue:
- Michigan vs. Purdue spread: Michigan -15.5
- Michigan vs. Purdue over/under: 53 points
- Michigan vs. Purdue money line: Purdue +550, Michigan -800
- PUR: The Boilermakers are 5-1 against the spread against a team with a winning record
- MICH: The Wolverines are 4-1-1 ATS in their last six conference games
- Michigan vs. Purdue picks: See picks here
Why Michigan can cover
Quarterback J.J. McCarthy is having a monster season for the Wolverines, and was a big reason for Michigan's second-half comeback at Ohio State last week. Against the then-No. 2 Buckeyes, McCarthy completed 12 of 24 attempts for 263 yards and three scores. He also rushed for a score on six attempts for 27 yards. For the year, McCarthy threw for 2,215 yards on 177 of 271 passing (65.3%) with 17 touchdowns and just two interceptions. He rushed for four touchdowns, carrying 55 times for 240 yards (4.4 average).
Defensively, senior linebacker Mike Morris has been a menace to opposing offenses. He leads the team with seven sacks for 47 yards, and has 21 tackles, including 14 solo, with one forced fumble and two pass breakups. He leads the team with 10.5 tackles for loss. Morris is a 2022 Bednarik Award semifinalist and was a 2022 All-Big Ten first team selection by the coaches and media.
Why Purdue can cover
Sixth-year senior Aidan O'Connell has been one of the top quarterbacks in the nation the past two years. Dating back to last season, he is one of just nine quarterbacks to throw for at least 6,500 yards and 50 touchdowns. O'Connell has five career games with 400 yards passing and three touchdowns, the most by a Big Ten quarterback since 2000. In 32 games at Purdue, including 26 starts, O'Connell has thrown for 8,853 yards and 65 touchdowns.
Freshman running back Devin Mockobee leads the ground attack. He has carried 165 times for 849 yards (5.1 average) and eight touchdowns. He has had four games where he has rushed for 100 yards or more, including 178 yards on 30 carries and one touchdown against Nebraska on Oct. 15. He also has 23 receptions for 217 yards (9.4 average). Mockobee has earned Big Ten Freshman of the Week accolades twice this season, most recently following last week's performance at Indiana.
How to make Purdue vs. Michigan picks
SportsLine's model is leaning Over on the total, projecting that the teams will combine for 61 points. It has also generated an against-the-spread pick that cashes in well over 60% of simulations. You can only get the model's pick at SportsLine.
So who wins Michigan vs. Purdue? And which side of the spread cashes in well over 60% of simulations? Visit SportsLine now to see which side of the Purdue vs. Michigan spread to jump on, all from the advanced model that finished the past six-plus years up nearly $2,500 on its FBS college football picks, and find out.
