Michigan Favored Over Underdog TCU in Fiesta Bowl

What: Fiesta Bowl, Michigan vs TCU
When: Saturday, December 31st 2022
Where: State Farm Stadium, Glendale, AZ

Online college football betting is at a premium right now with bowl season. But, there is no question the CFP Playoff will take center stage on Saturday, December 31st. While Georgia and Ohio State meet in the Peach Bowl, we have Michigan taking on TCU in the Vrbo Fiesta Bowl in Phoenix at State Farm Stadium, which should be a fantastic matchup. The Wolverines were just one of the few perfect teams in 2022, going 13-0. They won the Big Ten, beating Purdue 43-22 in the Conference Championship. The Horned Frogs meanwhile was one of the biggest surprises in the nation, posting a 12-1 record. Sonny Dykes' team suffered their only loss in the Big 12 title game against Kansas State, falling 31-28 in overtime. Keep reading for the Michigan vs TCU prediction.

Before we get into the betting preview, lines, and prediction for the 2022 Fiesta Bowl, make sure to check out our reviews of the top online sportsbooks.

Michigan vs TCU Odds

	Spread	Moneyline	Total
Michigan	-7.5 (-110)	-285	Ov 58 (-110)
TCU	+7.5 (-110)	+240	Un 58 (-110)

Michigan is a 7.5-point favorite here, with moneyline odds of -285. TCU comes back at +240. The total sits at 58. The Wolverines were 8-5 ATS this season. This is the first-ever meeting between the two programs.

Phenomenal Year For The Wolverines

For the first time ever, Michigan won 13 games, completing nearly every goal in the process: Beating Michigan State, Ohio State, and winning the Big Ten. The last one is winning a national championship and that means grabbing two more victories. Like most teams in the Playoff, the Wolverines are fundamentally sound on both sides of the ball. They rank seventh in points with 40.1, 12th in rushing yards, and 38th in total yards. Quarterback J.J. McCarthy took most of the snaps this year, posting a completion percentage of 65.3, throwing for 2,376 yards, 20 touchdowns, and just three picks. McCarthy also showed some potential on the ground, rushing for 254 yards and four scores.

Ronnie Bell led the WR room with 56 receptions, while Luke Schoonmaker and Cornelius Johnson also reeled in a minimum of 30 catches. The running back group took a brutal hit when Blake Corum went down with a torn ACL, but Donovan Edwards stepped up in a big way and lit up Purdue. He's rushing for an average of 7.4 yards per carry. Lethal. Defensively, the Wolverines are top-1o in the fewest total yards and rushing yards allowed. TCU has its work cut out for them.

Can TCU's Cinderella Story Continue?

It's hard to imagine a small school like TCU is even at this point. The Horned Frogs have never appeared in the CFP Playoff and after falling to Kansas State, there was a chance they'd miss out altogether. But, the committee ultimately picked TCU. Their Cinderella story continues for at least one more game. The heartbeat of this team is quarterback Max Duggan, who was a Heisman finalist last weekend. The dual-threat signal-caller turned a lot of eyes in 22', throwing for a mind-boggling 3,321 years, 30 touchdowns, and just four interceptions. Duggan also rushed for 404 yards and six scores.

The reason the Horned Frogs are even here is because of their offense, which scored 40.3 PPG and ranked 21st in total yards. NFL prospect Quentin Johnson led the charge with 53 catches for 903 yards. After him, four different wideouts had at least 20 catches. Running back Kendre Miller is also a serious threat on the ground. He rushed for over 1,300 yards and 17 scores. The Michigan run defense is elite though, so it'll be a tough task ahead for him.

Michigan vs TCU Prediction

Personally, I think TCU will be overmatched here. Michigan is the best team they will face all season long and the Horned Frogs won't be able to come out on top. Their defense is also not the best and may struggle to stop the Wolverines. I'm liking the Big Ten champs to cover.

Michigan Wolverines To cover vs TCU Horned Frogs

-7.5 (-110)

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