The No. 4 Michigan Wolverines (8-1, 6-0) have faced three ranked opponents in three consecutive games. The team outscored those opponents a combined 101-27 and have cemented themselves as the team to beat in the Big Ten as a result. This week, they'll hit the road to face the Rutgers Scarlet Knights.
Opponent Overview While the Wolverines have won eight straight games after losing their season opener at No. 3 Notre Dame, things have gone in the exact opposite direction for Rutgers. The Scarlet Knights (1-8, 0-6) won their first game of the year against Texas State 35-7. They've since lost eight straight games and are dead last in the Big Ten's East division. The team's offense is led by Artur Sikowski. The freshman quarterback has thrown for 1,100 yards, four touchdowns and 15 interceptions, the most in college football. Running back duties are split between three players. Sophomore Raheem Blackshear leads the team with 100 carries for 437 yards to go with two touchdowns. Senior Jonathan Hillman leads the team with six touchdowns to go with 72 carries for 299 yards. Freshman Isaih Pacheco has 68 carries for 318 yards and two touchdowns. The receiving core is also led by Blackshear whose 35 catches for 316 yards and two touchdowns are all the highest marks on the team. Other names to look out for include Bo Melton, Eddie Lewis, Shameen Jones, Travis Volkolek and Jonathan Hillman. Jerome Washington could also see time, but he's missed the last four games with an injury. Players to Watch Rashan Gary-Seeing the star defensive end back on the field was a welcome sight for Wolverine fans everywhere. In his first game back from a shoulder injury, Gary had two total tackles and a QB hurry. It'll be interesting to see how he progresses in a game to be played in his home state of New Jersey. Tarik Black-The redshirt freshman receiver was also playing in his first game back from an injury on Saturday. Black made what would have been a 45-yard touchdown catch had it not been called back by a holding penalty on Michigan. How the coaching staff utilizes him going forward should be worth watching, especially given his power as a deep threat. Chris Evans-The junior running back saw more action than he had in a while even before the maize and blue entered garbage time against Penn State. His 12 carries for 57 yards and a touchdown was his best stat line since Sep. 15 against SMU. Meanwhile, his three catches for 30 yards were his best receiving marks of the season. It was one of those games that reminded fans just how versatile he can be. Maybe the coaching staff starts to utilize him more as the season goes on. The Wolverines and Scarlet Knights kick off Saturday, Nov. 10 at 3:30 eastern on the Big Ten Network.
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The No. 6 Michigan Wolverines (6-1, 4-0) kicked it into high gear for a 38-13 win over No. 23 Wisconsin. They not only continued their dominance that they've had over the past six weeks, but they also showed that they can play with some of the better teams in the country. However, they'll need to do it again in a big rivalry game against the No. 24 Michigan State Spartans.
Opponent Overview The Spartans (4-2, 2-1) went into the year as a popular dark horse pick to win the Big Ten. However, their season has been a roller coaster so far. They've lost at Arizona State and at home to Northwestern. However, they went on to upset No. 18 Penn State last week in University Park, a very hard place to play. Their offense is headlined by Brian Lewerke, one of the better quarterbacks in the Big Ten. His 1,587 yards are fifth most in the conference. He's also had a team-high 55 carries for 85 yards and a touchdown. The rushing attack is led by sophomore Connor Heyward whose 50 carries for 191 yards and three touchdowns are the highest marks on the team for any running back. He also has 20 receptions for 125 yards. La'Darius Jefferson and LJ Scott should also get snaps as well. Felton Davis III leads a deep receiving core with 31 catches for 474 yards and four touchdowns. He joins Cody White and Darrell Stewart Jr. to make up the perimeter attack for the Spartans. Players to Watch The Front Seven-Last year, Brian Lewerke made things difficult for the Wolverines defense. He accounted for both touchdowns in the 14-10 MSU win and accumulated 155 total yards. However, he has been pretty susceptible this season. Lewerke has thrown seven interceptions, the second highest mark in the Big Ten. He's also been sacked 14 times, also second in the Big Ten. If the front seven can get to him early and often and force him to make mistakes, they'll make things a lot easier for the rest of the maize and blue. Shea Patterson-The junior starter for the Wolverines made the plays he needed to give his team a big win on Saturday. Most of those plays came on the ground as he took nine carries for 90 yards and a touchdown, a season high stat line for Patterson. However, Patterson threw for just 124 yards and no touchdowns in that same contest. Rushing games like the one against Wisconsin will help, but he needs to be better at putting the ball in the air if he wants to get out of this matchup with a win. Karan Higdon-To say Higdon has been great as of late might be an understatement. The senior bell-cow has run for at least 100 yards in his last six games. However, that streak will surely be tested against a Spartan defense that only allows 62.3 rushing yards per game, the best mark in college football. He and Chris Evans will need to keep doing their part for their offense to keep things going. The Spartans and Wolverines kickoff Saturday, Oct. 20 at Noon eastern on FOX. TThe No. 12 Michigan Wolverines (5-1, 3-0) have played well since a 24-17 loss at No. 5 Notre Dame to start their season. Their offense has improved, especially in the passing game, and their defense continues to be one of the best in the country. However, their improvement is about to be measured this week when the No. 16 Wisconsin Badgers come to visit.
Opponent Overview Last year, the Badgers went 12-0 before losing to Ohio State in the Big Ten Championship Game. They'd go on to finish the season 13-1, their best record in program history. This year has been good but the team hasn't quite met expectations. Their defense isn't nearly as dominant as it usually is, especially with a banged-up, inexperienced secondary that gave up 400 passing yards for the first time in 13 years in last week's game against Nebraska. However, there has been improvement on this team and no one player has improved more than quarterback Alex Hornibrook. The junior has completed 64 percent of his passes for 963 yards, seven touchdowns and just two interceptions. However, their offense runs through Jonathan Taylor (no pun intended). The sophomore running back and Heisman trophy candidate has 126 carries for 849 yards, third best in college football, and eight touchdowns. The receivers are led by A.J. Taylor. The junior from Kansas City leads the team with 18 catches for 354 yards and two touchdowns. Jake Ferguson follows him with 16 catches for 213 yards and two touchdowns. Expect Garrett Groshek, Kendrick Pryor and Danny Davis III to see time as well. Players to Watch The Front Seven-This will be an area to watch throughout the game, especially if Rashan Gary can't play. The Wolverines surrendered 182 yards on the ground to the Badgers. That's not something they'll be able to afford if they want to survive this game. With or without Gary, the front seven can't afford to get down early like they have the last two games. Karan Higdon-The senior running back has done well this season, running for 100 yards in each of his last four appearances. However, he'll be hard pressed to chip away at a Wisconsin defense known for its ability to stop the run game. This will be especially noteworthy if Chris Evans still can't play. Shea Patterson-The junior quarterback has been a stable force on offense over the past month. However, he'll need to be more of a playmaker against Wisconsin, that means more deep throws down field and more mobility in the pocket. This is the kind of game that Michigan got him for, now it's time for him to prove he can deliver. : The Wolverines and Badgers kick off Saturday, Oct. 13 at 7:30 eastern on ABC. The No. 14 Michigan Wolverines (3-1, 1-0) started conference play on the right foot with a 56-10 win over Nebraska last week. Up next is a road game against the Northwestern Wildcats.
Opponent Overview The Wildcats (1-2, 1-0) started their season with a win at Purdue. However, they've since dropped home games against Duke and Akron in their last two games. They even lost top running back Jeremy Larkin who, after leading the team in carries, rushing yards and rushing touchdowns to start the season, has been forced to retire from football due to cervical stenosis, a narrowing of the spinal chord. Even so, this isn't a team to snuff at. Last year they knocked off Michigan State, ranked No. 16, 39-31 in triple overtime. They also finished 10-3 and ranked No. 17 in the AP Poll. The Wildcats' offense is led by Clayton Thorson who's gone 71/116 for 753 yards and three touchdowns this season. With Jeremy Larkin gone, Northwestern has a lot to figure out when it comes to their running backs. John Moten IV leads active rushers with 12 carries for 21 yards and a touchdown. Kyric McGowan and TJ Green should also see more time. How time will be shared among the running backs remains to be seen. Flynn Nagel leads a deep wide receiver core with 20 catches for 226 yards. Cameron Green is second on the team in both categories and leads the Wildcats with two touchdowns. Bennett Skowronek should also get plenty of looks from Clayton Thorson. Players to Watch Josh Metellus- As a team the maize and blue have improved quite a bit none more so than Metellus. The junior safety from Pembroke Pines, Florida has two interceptions this season to go with 19 total tackles and two passes deflected. He'll need to keep the momentum going against a Northwestern offense that'll be more inclined to throw the ball after losing its top running back. Ben Mason-The sophomore fullback went off for three touchdowns against Nebraska and has four over his last two games. he hasn;t gotten nearly as many touches as Karan Higdon or Chris Evans, but it will be interesting to see how the Wolverines continue to utilize him against Northwestern. Donovan Peoples-Jones- Michigan's leading receiver had a more pedestrian day against Nebraska, making just one catch for 10 yards. He'll need to be utilized more often against a Wildcats team the maize and blue need to be ready for. The running backs alone won;t carry the offense in this contest. Michigan takes on Northwestern Saturday, Sep. 28 at 4:30 eastern on FOX. The No. 19 Michigan Wolverines (1-1) showed lots of improvement in a 49-3 blowout of Western Michigan on Saturday. The team looked a lot better offensively, especially Shea Patterson, who threw for three touchdowns and 121 yards. They'll conclude their non-conference slate with a home game against the SMU Mustangs.
Opponent Overview The Mustangs are still looking fir that elusive first win of the season after losing their first two games against North Texas and No. 16 TCU. Junior Ben Hicks leads the SMU offense. The third-year starter has completed 48.4 percent of his passes for 363 yards, two touchdowns and an interception to start his season. The running game is led by Braden West. The senior has carried the ball 19 times for 104 yard and two touchdowns. He also has five receptions for 100 yards and a touchdown, second best on the team. Xavier Jones and Ke'Mon Freeman have also taken some snaps and will probably continue to do so. They each had over 125 carries in 2017. Freeman led the team with 11 touchdowns while Jones led the team with 1,075 yards. James Proche leads SMU receivers with eight receptions for 127 yards and a touchdown. Reggie Roberson Jr. and Myron Gailliard will also be involved throughout the contest. Players to Watch Josh Metellus-After being kicked out of the season opener against Notre Dame, Metellus led all Wolverines defensemen with seven total tackles to go along with four solo tackles and 1.5 tackles for loss. It's a good sign for a guy who always seemed to be in the wrong place at the wrong time last season. His progress against SMU will be worth keeping an eye on. Donovan Peoples-Jones-The sophomore wide receiver posted one of the better stat lines of his Michigan career against Western Michigan catching four passes for 31 yards and a touchdown. Peoples-Jones currently leads receivers with 10 receptions and his 69 receiving yards are second best on the team behind Nico Collins' 100 yards. Hopefully this is a sign that he's finally reaching his potential. Chris Evans-The junior out of Indianapolis had just two carries for a yard against Notre Dame. However, he took a huge step forward against Western Michigan, taking 10 carries 86 yards for two touchdowns. The more productive he is, both as a running back and a pass catcher, will be huge for an offense still in need of playmakers. The maize and blue take on the Mustangs this Saturday, Sep. 15 at 3:30 eastern on the Big Ten Network. It's now or never in Ann Arbor, Michigan.
Three years ago, Jim Harbaugh promised Michigan fans that he would take them back to the glory days. That the Wolverines would once again reign among the blue blood programs in the nation. That they would be at the top of the Big Ten and even compete in the College Football Playoff. The program has improved quite a bit since then, but no championships have come. Michigan struggles just to place second in their own division. Harbaugh's persona is no longer enough to woo fans or the college football world and the team still struggles against their two biggest rivals; Michigan State and Ohio State. Those concerns came to a deafening crescendo in 2017. Despite a great defense, Michigan finished 8-5 with instability at quarterback and an offense that failed to score more than nine passing touchdowns. Air Force and Navy, whose offenses are largely dependent on the running game, each had 10. Now it's 2018 and many of the team's top performers are set to graduate after this year. A few of them are even projected first-round picks in the 2019 NFL Draft. So what cast of characters will have the role of bringing a championship to Ann Arbor? Let's take a look. The Wolverines saw three different quarterbacks start a game last year, neither of whom seemed to show any successful consistency. This year, they'll feature Shea Patterson a former five-star recruit who spent his first two years at Ole Miss. Following a scandal, he transferred to Michigan and was granted immediate eligibility by the NCAA. Patterson's only played 10 college games, but in those games he's thrown for 3,139 yards and 23 interception, a very impressive stat line for a Michigan team desperate for an offensive playmaker. He'll have some help from Karan Higdon and Chris Evans, the team's 1-2 running back punch. The perimeter players aren't very impressive and it looks like their best receiver, Tarik Black, will miss extended time with another foot injury. Outside of him, the team returns Donovan Peoples-Jones and Grant Perry as well as tight ends Sean McKeon and Zach Gentry. They also welcome four-star Mustapha Muhammad who could make an early impact this year. Wide receivers Nico Collins and Oliver Martin have also looked good in offseason practices. The defense has always been a forced to be reckoned with under Jim Harbaugh and this year is no different. Chase Winovich and Rashan Gary, perhaps the team's best player, lead a strong defensive line while Devin Bush, a preseason first-team all-american, leads the linebacker core. What's most impressive about the unit is its passing defense, which allowed just 142.2 passing yards per game, by far the best mark in college football. This year, it's led by the fearsome four of Khaleke Hudson, Tyree Kinnel, Lavert Hill and David Long, all of whom are returning starters. The maize and blue faces a tough schedule this season. They start off with a road game at No. 12 Notre Dame. On Oct. 13, they begin a string of three straight games against ranked Big Ten teams with a home game against No. 4 Wisconsin. The team then visits East Lansing to take on No. 11 Michigan State and heads home to host No. 10 Penn State the following week. The Wolverines wrap up the regular season with their annual showdown against No. 5 Ohio State in Columbus. Regardless of the circumstances, the Wolverines-especially Jim Harbaugh-will be hard pressed to prove that they can not just compete with but knock off some of the better teams in the Big Ten and in the country. They may never have as good a shot as they do now so the clock is ticking. James Murphy Sense Of Urgency Surrounds Michigan In 2018 8/24/18 |
AuthorBeat writer for Michigan Wolverines football and basketball, Ithaca College '20 Archives
November 2018
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