By the numbers: Key stats on J.J. McCarthy, Roman Wilson, Blake Corum, Michigan's 4-0 start and Nebraska

The Michigan football defense has been the story for the Wolverines through four weeks. The unit leads the nation with 5.8 points allowed per game, nearly 3 full points lower than the next best, Oklahoma and Ohio State at 8.5. It ranks third in total defense, seventh against the pass and 13th versus the run.

The primary rotation has only allowed 13 points — a pair of field goals to Bowling Green and an early touchdown on the third play from scrimmage against Rutgers. The other 10 points have been charged to the backups, with scout team players on the field in some cases.

Coordinator Jesse Minter‘s crew has been lights out. Only one team — East Carolina (103) — has rushed for more than 79 yards on Michigan. No opponent has passed for more than 180 yards. All three nonconference foes averaged 4.3 yards per play or less, while Rutgers put up 5.8 in a 31-7 loss to open the Big Ten season.

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The offense has also had some standouts that lead the nation in major statistical categories.

Junior quarterback J.J. McCarthy ranks 91st in the land with 89 pass attempts, but he leads the country with a 79.8 completion percentage, connecting on 71 throws. He has 8 touchdowns (tied 32nd) compared to just 18 incompletions, 3 of which have been intercepted. McCarthy slots 12th in the nation and first in the Big Ten with 10.3 yards per pass.

McCarthy has been especially efficient on play-action passes, completing his first 16 of the season. For the year, he has connected on 19 of his 23 play-action throws for 372 yards and 3 touchdowns with 1 interception. His 16.2 yards per attempt average leads the Power Five.

McCarthy’s favorite target so far has been senior wide receiver Roman Wilson, who had 8 career touchdowns entering the season and already has 6 through four games this year. His 6 receiving scores are the most in the sport, tied with Utah State’s Terrell Vaughn, Vanderbilt’s Will Sheppard, Florida State’s Keon Coleman and Toldeo’s Jerjuan Newton.

Senior running back Blake Corum is looking closer and closer to his 2022 form by the week, coming off a season-ending knee injury suffered last November. He has 23 first-down rushes, tied for the eighth-most in the country, but on at least 14 less carries (58) than any other running back ranked ahead of him. His 8 touchdowns, too, lead the Power Five and are tied for first in the FBS along with Georgia State’s Marcus Carroll.

Next up for Michigan is the team’s first road game, at Nebraska Saturday afternoon in 90-degree heat. The Wolverines are 8-1 on the road over the last two seasons, with the lone loss coming at Michigan State in 2021, 37-33. There were very limited fans in the stands the prior season in 2020. In head coach Jim Harbaugh‘s first five years at the helm (2015-19), Michigan had a 15-9 record on the road.

The Maize and Blue are 7-4-1 all time against the Cornhuskers, including a 4-2 mark since the latter joined the Big Ten in 2011. Michigan has won three straight in the series, including a 32-29 game in Lincoln in 2021, thanks to a late forced fumble and recovery by safety Brad Hawkins and a game-winning field goal by Jake Moody. U-M and Nebraska are dead even at 1-1-1 in Lincoln. The Cornhuskers won in 2012, 23-9, in a game in which quarterback Denard Robinson was injured, and the two teams played to a 6-6 tie in 1911.

By the numbers: Nebraska Cornhuskers statistical breakdown

No. 2 Is where Nebraska ranks in run defense, allowing only 46.3 yards per game. The Cornhuskers are giving up only 1.8 yards per carry. However, Nebraska has faced only 101 rushing attempts, tied for the fifth-fewest in the FBS. Nebraska ranks 103rd in passing defense (251.8 yards per game) but 26th in yards allowed per pass (6.1). Nebraska is tied for 33rd in scoring defense, yielding 18.5 points per contest.

3-6 Is the combined record of the two teams Michigan’s opponent has beaten this season — Northern Illinois (1-3) and Louisiana Tech (2-3). The Cornhuskers lost to Colorado, which is 3-1, and 2-2 Minnesota.

3.5 Sacks per game for the Nebraska defense, with that mark leading the Big Ten and checking in 11th in the country. Eight sacks came in the team’s 36-14 loss to Colorado.

33 Of Nebraska quarterback Heinrich Haarberg‘s 37 rushing attempts have been designed runs as opposed to scrambles, according to Pro Football Focus. He has 42 rushes (including sacks) for 272 yards and 2 touchdowns, averaging 6.5 yards per attempt. His passing numbers are less than impressive, though, 24-of-47 (51.1 completion percentage) for 278 yards and 4 interceptions. He started the last two games after Jeff Sims began the first two.

42.5 Rushes per game for the Nebraska offense, tied for the 17th-most in the country. The Cornhuskers averaged 5.5 yards per carry (also 17th) and 234.8 rushing yards per game (sixth).

914 All-time wins for Nebraska, which ranks eighth in college football history. Michigan leads the sport with 993 wins, just seven shy of becoming the first team to hit the 1,000-win mark. Together, Nebraska and Michigan have won 90 conference championships, including 46 by Nebraska and 44 by Michigan.