Nick Saban closes College GameDay by predicting massive upset

While most analysts are taking Oklahoma to beat Michigan in college football's marquee Week 2 game, Nick Saban used his pulpit on College GameDay to predict the Wolverines will pull off the upset under the lights.

Nick Saban is taking Michigan to upset Oklahoma in this marquee SEC vs. Big Ten matchup on Saturday night. | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

College football isn’t expected to see a ton of upsets with big-time schools playing easier games in Week 2, but Nick Saban is forecasting a major upset in the one marquee Big Ten vs. SEC matchup slated for Saturday night.

While most analysts are going with Oklahoma to take down Michigan at home, Saban projects the Wolverines will come out of Norman with a signature victory.

“I’m telling you, Michigan didn’t have any offense last year and won, like, eight games. They have a quarterback this year, I know he’s a freshman, and they got a good defense. I’m taking Michigan,” Saban said on ESPN’s College GameDay.

More: College football Week 2 picks from ESPN’s College GameDay

Right on all three counts from Saban, as Michigan’s passing offense was one of college football’s six worst nationally, a problem it may have solved after securing the biggest move in recruiting this year, when it flipped Bryce Underwood from LSU.

Underwood, the No. 1 overall prospect in the country, had a successful debut last week against New Mexico, completing 68 percent of his throws for 251 yards with a touchdown in his first college football start.

But he faces one of the toughest tests of any quarterback in just his first road start, going up against an Oklahoma defensive front that looks like one of the best in the country, now under the direct leadership of head coach Brent Venables.

It’s not all on Underwood, however, as the Wolverines also bring on Justice Haynes, the running back transfer from Alabama who showed out in his Michigan debut, rushing 16 times for 159 yards with a 10 yard per touch average and 3 touchdowns on the day.

More: Michigan vs. Oklahoma prediction: Who wins, and why?

Saban also sang the praises of Michigan’s defense under coordinator Wink Martindale after the unit smothered New Mexico’s run game last weekend.

The Wolverines kept the Lobos to just 50 yards rushing on 28 attempts, good for a meager 1.8 yard per carry average, and kept the offense to 5 of 14 on third down.

A good first showing as Michigan lines up against an Oklahoma offense that has John Mateer under center after setting a school record in a quarterback’s debut with 392 passing yards, but the Sooners’ ground game was missing in action.

Oklahoma averaged just 3.2 yards per touch on the ground, a surprise given the program secured one of college football’s top transfer backs in Jaydn Ott.

The Sooners only used Ott for one play last weekend as he continues to heal from a lingering shoulder injury, but the tailback could be employed far more extensively on Saturday night against Michigan, according to ESPN.

That double-dose of Sooner playmakers should keep things close against their visitors from the Big Ten, but college football’s most accomplished coach is taking Michigan.

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