Jim Harbaugh addresses Nebraska's success stopping the run

Jim Harbaugh is ready to push an immovable object. On Tuesday, the Michigan head coach discussed how Nebraska’s impressive rush defense affects the Wolverines’ game plan.

“It’s just the planning of it and recognizing how they’re doing that because they’re good,” Harbaugh said. “They’re really good at playing multiple fronts, multiple schemes. [It’s] gonna be an important week of planning and preparation, and then then we’ll go compete and try to execute to the best of our ability.”

Really good is an understatement. Nebraska boasts the best run defense in the country, giving up just 46.2 rushing yards per game. Even in defeat, the Cornhuskers are impenetrable to the ground game.

In Nebraska’s losses to Minnesota and Colorado, the Cornhuskers gave up a combined 113 rushing yards. For reference, No. 2 Michigan allows 80 rushing yards per outing. Harbaugh knows Nebraska’s stout defense can cause issues for the Wolverines if they’re not careful.

“Stopping the run and being able to run the ball is a is a winning winning formula in football,” Harbaugh said. “We’re just gonna have to play good. It’ll be a game of blocking, tackling, focusing on fundamentals, reads, getting off blocks, defeating blocks, playing the assignment, the right alignment, being in the right technique — A lot of focus on real football fundamentals and technique.”

Michigan is not your normal backfield

Of course, technique only becomes more deadly when it’s carried out by great talent. Michigan has that talent. In just four games, All-American running back Blake Corum has amassed 351 rushing yards and eight rushing touchdowns, averaging 6.1 yards per carry.

If Corum can’t get the job done, Donovan Edwards won’t trail far behind. The junior RB is dynamite in the backfield. Edwards took a significant step forward last season after Corum suffered a season-ending injury in November.

Matt Rhule ready for the challenge

Nebraska head coach Matt Rhule isn’t oblivious to Michigan’s talented backfield.

“This is a team that’s going to come in that’s trying to prove a point on the ground against you and run the ball at you, so guys have to be up for the challenge,” Rhule explained.

“Corum’s an excellent player. He’s got elite burst, vision, lateral quickness. He’s tough to tackle. I think a lot of people make the mistake, you try to tackle him low, you bounce off his legs. He possesses a lot of traits that make him hard to tackle and hard to defend.”

The two teams will face off on Saturday at 3:30 p.m. ET. The game will be broadcast on FOX.