Rivalry games really are not that fun. The downside of losing looms so much larger than the relief of winning, especially in games like this. The Michigan Wolverines have come up short too many times against Michigan State for anyone to be comfortable, and with the stakes so high for the series’ biggest matchup in years, no one is sleeping soundly this week.
And yet...on paper this seems one seems much more slanted than the narratives portray. The betting lines shade maize and blue, as does S&P+, which seems completely justified while looking objectively at both teams. While games are played on the field and anything can happen in a rivalry, the numbers point in favor of the visitors.