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Vegas loves itself a good sin.
The line for No. 18 Michigan’s date with No. 14 Texas in the Citrus Bowl on New Year’s Eve has moved 2.5 points toward the Longhorns since Wolverines head coach Sherrone Moore was fired on Wednesday for an “inappropriate relationship with a staff member.”
Moore’s sudden dismissal came before getting arrested for alleged assault. Authorities have not released further details as the investigation remains ongoing.
The Wolverines, who opened as 4.5-point underdogs, are now catching seven points in a market overcorrection.
The scandal causes a perception shift, the public assumes “where there’s smoke, there’s fire” and bowl motivation gets questioned.
More savvily, sharp bettors, who are all over Texas according to betting reports, steer clear of instability.
With former assistant Biff Poggi stepping in as the interim head coach, there’s no time for transition.
The fallout also adds internal uncertainty around the availability of key Michigan players, namely, feature running back Bryce Underwood. Moore’s dismissal comes several weeks before the transfer portal opens on Jan. 2, where teams can poach players from other teams through Jan. 16.
Underwood would be viewed as a highly coveted asset and could now consider his future options with the change of regime.
Here’s the latest on former Michigan coach Sherrone Moore
Texas was the preseason No. 1, but along with Michigan, missed the College Football Playoff. The Longhorns were slow out of the gate as Arch Manning endured a learning curve taking over under center. But despite a damaging loss to No. 2 Ohio State in their season opener, they rallied late in the season with wins over No. 8 Oklahoma, No. 14 Texas, and No. 7 Texas A&M.
Arch Manning #16 of the Texas Longhorns looks on during the third quarter against the Texas A&M Aggies at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium on November 28, 2025 in Austin, Texas. Getty Images
Michigan, 9-3, failed to achieve a marquee win at all, losing to all three ranked teams it faced: No. 8 Oklahoma, No. 16 USC, and its final dagger, Ohio State in “The Game.”
Betting on College Football?
With details on the scandal still developing, the market also braces itself for more turbulence in Ann Arbor ahead of facing the undervalued Longhorns.
Why Trust New York Post Betting
Sean Treppedi handicaps the NFL, NHL, MLB and college football for the New York Post. He primarily focuses on picks that reflect market value while tracking trends to mitigate risk.