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Ohio State football: Getting to know the Wolverines

By Joe Russo

ANN ARBOR, MI - NOVEMBER 04: Head coach Jim Harbaugh of the Michigan Wolverines looks up at the score board during a college football game against the Minnesota Golden Gophers at Michigan Stadium on November 4, 2017 in Ann Arbor, Michigan. The Wolverines defeated the Golden Gophers 33-10. (Photo by Dave Reginek/Getty Images)
ANN ARBOR, MI - NOVEMBER 04: Head coach Jim Harbaugh of the Michigan Wolverines looks up at the score board during a college football game against the Minnesota Golden Gophers at Michigan Stadium on November 4, 2017 in Ann Arbor, Michigan. The Wolverines defeated the Golden Gophers 33-10. (Photo by Dave Reginek/Getty Images) /
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The biggest game of the season is upcoming. What should Ohio State fans know about this year’s Michigan team?

The week of “The Game” has arrived and even without the fate of the Big Ten hanging in the balance, the rivalry is never short of fireworks. The Ohio State-Michigan game is one of the marquee rivalries in all of college football.

After last season’s overtime thriller, Michigan would love nothing more than to exact some revenge and close the door completely on Ohio State’s playoff chances. But before Saturday’s kickoff, Buckeye Nation needs to understand who they’ll be dealing with up in Ann Arbor.

Any conversation about Michigan starts with Jim Harbaugh, the well hyped head coach. Brady Hoke and Rich Rodriguez weren’t really much of a foil for either Jim Tressel or Urban Meyer. Their teams were flat out bad and their personalities just didn’t add any juice to to rivalry.

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Harbaugh, though, makes up for that and then some. He’s brought Michigan back to respectability. For all of the hype, Harbaugh continues to struggle when it matters most.

As one of the highest paid head coaches in the country, one that makes more than Meyer, Harbaugh still does not have a conference title to his credit and hasn’t even played in the Big Ten title game.

Worse for Michigan fans, he hasn’t been able to beat Meyer.

On the field, Michigan’s offense has been a sputtering mess of inconsistency. The Wolverine offense is scoring 26.3 points per game, boosted by big games against Rutgers (36 points), Maryland (33 points), and Cincinnati (36 points).

In the biggest games of the season, though, the Michigan offense disappears. Last weeks saw Michigan score only 10 points against Wisconsin and be limited to 59 total rushing yards. They also were held to 10 points against “little brother” Michigan State and 13 points against Penn State.

What has held the Wolverine offense back has been the total lack of a passing game. While Michigan is third in the Big Ten with 194.2 yards rushing per game, they are 11th in the Big Ten with only 166.2 yards passing per game.

It’s difficult to win games and put points on the board with such a one dimensional offense; Especially one that is tilted run heavy because of ineffectiveness, not because of the game plan.

It doesn’t help that the 29 sacks allowed at tied for the second most in the conference. This translates to a dreadful 32.7 percent third down conversion rate.

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It’s not all bad on offense for Michigan. Running back Karan Higdon is sixth in the Big Ten in rushing with 874 yards on the ground and has recorded 10 touchdowns on the season.

He’s a big reason why Michigan’s run game is third in the Big Ten behind Wisconsin and Ohio State. Those 10 touchdowns for Higdon are tied for third in the Big Ten as well.

Behind Higdon are a pair of running backs that are more than capable of making plays on their own. Ty Isaac is averaging 60.9 yards rushing per game and Chris Evans is second on the team in rushing (594 yards) and touchdowns (six).

Higdon will receive the bulk of the carries against Ohio State. However, the depth at running back for Michigan is something the Wolverine attack will rely on all afternoon. Where Michigan stands out is on defense, where they appear all over the top of the Big Ten in most categories.

The Wolverine defense is third in points allowed at only 17.1 points per game. They’re giving up 246.4 yards per game and is first in passing defense with 144.4 yards passing allowed per game.

The Wolverines also have 36 sacks on the year — a big reason why they’ve allowed so few yards in the air and a measly 13.5 first downs per game, the best in the conference.

Wolverin linebacker Devin Bush is one of the stand out players on defense, leading the team in tackles with 86, good enough for eighth in the Big Ten. Khaleke Hudson leads the Big Ten in sacks from what is considered the “Viper” in the Wolverine defense, the same hybrid OLB/SS role Jabril Peppers played in Ann Arbor.

Defensive end Chase Winovich trails only Hudson in the Big Ten in tackles for loss with 15.

There’s big time players all over the field for Michigan, with Mike McCray, Maurice Hurst, Rashan Gary, and Tyree Kinnel emerging this year as names to remember. With an offense that has struggled the way the Wolverine’s has, these names will need to be called frequently for Michigan to stay in it.

Next: What help is needed to make the playoffs?

“The Game” always has a way of making household names of players who step up in the big moments of this rivalry and the 2017 Michigan Wolverines are most likely to have one emerge from their fierce defense.

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