Keys to the Game: Michigan football at Penn State
The real season begins Saturday for Michigan with a game at Penn State, the first true test of the year for the Wolverines. The Nittany Lions have lost only one game — at Ohio State — and boast a good defense and an offense that’s improving, having put 51 points on Maryland last week.
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“How we’re approaching this one is really the same as we approach all the games leading up to it,” head coach Jim Harbaugh said. “It would be a disservice, a discredit, for any game you didn’t approach with everything that you had. Our guys, there’s a bounce in their step. You don’t have to talk about it much. Everybody is aware. They just can’t wait to play. They’re looking for a time to play, a place to play, and a team to play against.”
That’s Penn State Saturday. Three keys to a win:
Michigan Key No. 1: Don’t let the noise detract from the focus
The Michigan players admitted they were hearing it from the Purdue players during the game — “cheaters!” etc. — but they were able to blow it off. They most certainly did at Michigan State, too. But now it’s reached fever pitch, and the Penn State environment is going to make it tough. We’ve heard they’re taking an “us against the world” stance — “Michigan vs. Everybody” — but they’ve got to stay poised and execute.
So far, it hasn’t been an issue. But there’s definitely a different feeling of uncertainty in the building, some have said — at least when they’re not on the field. We’ll see if they can put it on the backburner Saturday.
Key No. 2: Give J.J. McCarthy some help with a running game
And if that means running the junior quarterback some more to get it going, so be it. Penn State is No. 2 nationally in run defense, allowing 60.3 yards per game. Michigan rushed for only 120 yards at Michigan State and couldn’t move it on the ground, and for only 110 against Purdue. That’s not good enough.
Whatever wrinkles they have need to come out this week, and we imagine they will — whether it’s running different plays out of sets the PSU might recognize, letting McCarthy carry more on read options or draws … let loose. These are the games that matter, and it’s time to get the run game going.
Michigan Key No. 3: Eliminate the Penn State running game
Penn State running backs Kaytron Allen and Nicholas Singleton are both talented, but they’re only as good as their offensive line. The majority of their yardage this year has come after contact, and Michigan, obviously, is a good tackling team.
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The PSU rushing attack is 43rd in rushing yards per game and 78th in yards per carry. We don’t expect any numbers to improve against the Wolverines. Eliminate the run game and make Allar beat them, and they’ll likely shut own the Nittany Lions’ offense.
The breakdown: Michigan football at Penn State
Penn State is a solid football team, but they aren’t in Michigan or Ohio State’s class. They have weaknesses, and the Wolverines are better at most positions.
The biggest question we have — how are the Nittany Lions going to move the ball on this defense? Dink and dunk offenses have not fared well against this Michigan defense, and that’s really what PSU has been doing much of the year. The offense looked terrible at Ohio State, and this Michigan defense appears to be better.
If the Wolverines take care of the ball and play a solid game, they should emerge with a huge road win … another step toward a third straight Big Ten title.
