Though it wasn't the prettiest of performances, the No. 4 Michigan Wolverines (9-1, 7-0) kept on rolling last Saturday with a 42-7 win over Rutgers. Now they'll return to Ann Arbor for their final home game of the season, a Senior Day matchup against the Indiana Hoosiers.
Opponent Overview The Hoosiers (5-5, 2-5) have had a roller coaster season so far. They started off 4-1 before losing four straight games. The team was able to snap that streak in their most recent game, a 34-32 win over Maryland. Indiana's offense is led by Peyton Ramsey. The sophomore quarterback has completed 67.3 percent of his passes for 2,335 yards and 17 touchdowns. He's also second on the team with 97 carries for 266 yards and four touchdowns. Freshman Stevie Scott leads the team with 178 carries for 894 yards and eight touchdowns. Ronnie Walker should also see time in the backfield. The receiving core features ten players with at least 14 receptions this season. Leading the pack is Donavan Hale, who leads the team with 425 yards and six touchdowns. Luke Timian has a team-high 35 receptions to go with 323 receiving yards. Other names to watch on the perimeter include Nick Westbrook, Ty Fryfogle, J-Shun Harris II, Whop Philyor and Resse Taylor. Players to Watch The Front Seven-On the surface, these guys did what they had to do against Rutgers, but when you realize they allowed a season-high 193 rushing yards, including an 80-yard touchdown run, you'll realize that there's work to be done. Whether it was unpreparedness or simply coming in flat, the front seven can't afford to play like that against an Indiana offense that will be a lot less forgiving. They'll also need to put the pressure on Peyton Ramsey whose been sacked 23 times this season, the second highest mark in the Big Ten. Lavert Hill-The secondary has been arguably the strongest part of Michigan's defense this season and that's in large part thanks to Lavert Hill. However, the junior defensive back was placed in concussion protocol after taking a hit against Rutgers. His presence will be vital against an Indiana offense that ranks fourth nationally in completed passes. If he's unable to play, it'll be up to guys like Ambry Thomas to make things harder through the air. Karan Higdon-The good news is the senior from Sarasota, Florida became the first running back since 2012 to rush for 1,000 yards in a season. The bad news is he ran for just 42 yards and two touchdowns on 15 carries. It's good that he was able to score twice, but he needs to get a lot more yardage in order to keep Indiana's offense off the field. The Wolverines rank fourth nationally in time of possession and that'll be important to maintain on Saturday. The Wolverines and Hoosiers kick off Saturday, Nov. 17 at 4 p.m. eastern on Fox Sports 1.
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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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