Texas Dominates Michigan, Easily Covers Spread in Rout

Texas made a huge early-season statement on Saturday. The No. 3 Longhorns went into Ann Arbor and dominated defending champion No. 10 Michigan, 31-12, in a surprising blowout.

The meeting marked perhaps the most-anticipated game of the Week 2 schedule as the only matchup between two top-10 teams. But Texas had its way with the Wolverines, dominating with 389 total yards, including 143 yards on the ground. Michigan entered Saturday as 7.5-point underdogs — the Maize & Blue’s biggest home underdog since Ohio State was favored by 9 points while visiting The Big House in 2019. Texas was the most-bet team on the spread by tickets and handle this weekend at both BetMGM and DraftKings Sportsbook. As Evan Abrams noted on Thursday, prior to Saturday’s loss, Michigan had closed as 7-point home underdogs just five times since 2005 and had lost each of those SU. The Wolverines haven’t overcome a 7-point home dog spread since 1995. Heisman favorite Quinn Ewers (+750, tied with Georgia’s Carson Beck for best odds) tore the Wolverines defense apart, completing 24-of-36 passes for 246 yards and three touchdowns. Ewers, who currently has the third-best odds of being the No. 1 pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, carved up a Michigan defense that was expected to boast one of the nation’s stoutest units. It looked as though the Longhorns might cover the game's over/under spread of 42 points on their own. Texas held a 31-6 lead late in the third quarter after running back Jaydon Blue scored on a 7-yard pass from Ewers. But it took Michigan scoring on a 31-yard Semaj Morgan touchdown reception with under two minutes left to clinch the over. The Longhorns lost to Washington in the College Football Playoff semifinal last season but have asserted themselves as title contenders at the outset of the new campaign. Texas entered the weekend with the fourth-best odds (+850) to win the national championship, trailing Georgia (+280), Ohio State (+375) and Oregon (+750).