Opponent Preview: What can Penn State fans expect from Michigan in 2023?

Penn State is just one week out from the start of the 2023 season. Expectations are as high as they’ve ever been under head coach James Franklin, as the Nittany Lions will start the year at No. 7 overall in both major polls. Between the excitement surrounding Drew Allar and a host of future NFL players, there’s no shortage of storylines to follow.

But their schedule also features marquee games throughout the 2023 season. Before shifting our focus to Michigan, Penn State fans can recap our previous opponent previews below.

West Virginia
Illinois
Iowa
Northwestern
Ohio State
Indiana
Maryland
Rutgers

Quick Facts

All-Time Series: Michigan leads 16-10
Last Meeting: Michigan rushed for 418 yards and routed visiting Penn State 41-17 on Oct. 15, 2022
Head Coach: Jim Harbaugh (74-25 in eight seasons at Michigan; career collegiate coaching record: 132-52)
2022 Record: 13-1, 9-0 Big Ten
Returning Starters: 13 (6 offense, 7 defense, 0 specialists)

Returning Leaders

Rushing: RB Blake Corum (1,463 yards, 18 TD)
Passing: QB J.J. McCarthy (2,719 yards, 22 TD)
Receiving: WR Cornelius Johnson (499 yards, 6 TD)
Tackles: MLB Junior Colson (101)
Sacks: OLB Michael Barrett, DE Jaylen Harrell (3.5)
Interceptions: S Rod Moore (4)

What Could Go Right

You name it. Michigan is strong enough both in the trenches and at the skill positions to replicate, if not improve upon, its results of the past two seasons.

What Could Go Wrong

A back-loaded Big Ten schedule that features visits to Penn State and Maryland ahead of the traditional season-capper against Ohio State could trip up the Wolverines in November.

Summary

Michigan picked an unfortunate time to play its worst game in a couple of years, but aside from that uncharacteristically sloppy loss to TCU in the College Football Playoff semifinals last December, everything has been coming up roses for Jim Harbaugh and company lately.

The Wolverines have won back-to-back Big Ten championships for the first time since 2003-04 and look to be well-positioned to claim another crown. They’ve got two legitimate Heisman Trophy contenders returning to the offense, and the lines on both sides of the ball appear to be as formidable as ever.

As a result, they’ve turned up in the top five of just about every preseason poll, and they’ve got a schedule that should ensure they stay there until at least November.

There have been a few problems, of course, but they’ve mostly been of the off-the-field variety: Harbaugh’s repeated flirtations with the NFL, some alleged recruiting violations that will force the veteran head coach to miss three games Michigan should win handily anyway, the dismissal in January of co-offensive coordinator Matt Weiss over alleged computer crimes, and some grumbling among the program’s supporters that it hasn’t been sufficiently aggressive in the name, image and likeness arena.

None of that has done anything to damage Michigan’s claim as the preeminent team in the Big Ten heading into the 2023 season.

“Compare us to perfect, and we’re going to come up short in major areas,” Harbaugh said recently. “Compare us to any other program, and I think you’re going to see that it doesn’t get any better.”

It does get slightly better; the Wolverines, after all, have yet to win a playoff game after making the four-team field the past two seasons. But they’ve beaten archrival Ohio State decisively twice in a row, and they’ve got the manpower to do so again.

It begins with the ground game. Running backs Blake Corum and Donovan Edwards combined for 2,454 yards last season, running behind an offensive line that won the Joe Moore Award for the second year in a row.

In addition, quarterback J.J. McCarthy gives the Wolverines a downfield passing threat that they lacked earlier in Harbaugh’s tenure. McCarthy threw for 2,719 yards last year with 22 touchdowns and five interceptions.

The defense returns seven starters and should be fierce at all three levels. Linebacker Junior Colson leads the way after making 101 tackles a year ago.

The Wolverines must replace a couple of reliable specialists, but they appear to have everything they need in all three phases of the game for another playoff run. With one of this year’s semifinals set for Pasadena, everything could still be coming up roses for Harbaugh and company come Jan. 1.