Know Your 2018 Penn State Football Enemy: Michigan Wolverines
By Corey Hunter
A game that could decide the Big Ten East Division, and possibly a spot in the College Football Playoff, Penn State will travel to Ann Arbor to take on Michigan.
Penn State heads to the Big House on Nov. 3, and the game may well be for the Big Ten East title. The team they face should once again pose a formidable defensive challenge while the offense should be much-improved over 2017.
The Wolverines faced a rebuilding year on offense in 2017. Question marks surrounded the quarterback position and the output was shaky at best, especially against the top teams of the Big Ten. Penn State broke open a one-score game late in the first half with a seven-play, 75 yard drive right before halftime and never looked back, winning comfortably 42-13.
After losing to Penn State and a rainy affair earlier in the year to Michigan State, the Wolverines reeled off three straight wins against Rutgers, Minnesota, and Maryland before closing out the season on a sour note. Three straight losses to end 2017 including a bowl game loss to South Carolina left a bitter taste in Michigan’s mouth.
As the 2018 campaign approaches, Michigan is once again looking to become one of the elite teams not only in the Big Ten, but also in the country. But, a new quarterback (Ole Miss transfer Shea Patterson) and a daunting schedule, including trips to Notre Dame, Michigan State, and Ohio State, as well as home dates with Nebraska, Wisconsin, and Penn State all make for potential pitfalls to the title game. Can they run the slate? If they can, they could be playing for a college football national titles come year’s end.
Michigan Wolverines At A Glance
| Head Coach | Jim Harbaugh (4th Season at Michigan; 28-11) |
| 2017 Record | 8-5; 5-4 (4th Big Ten East Division) |
| 2017 Postseason | 2017 Outback Bowl – Lost to South Carolina 26-19 |
| Biggest Losses | QB Wilton Speight, QB John O’Korn, LT Mason Cole, C Patrick Kugler, DT Maurice Hurst, LB Mike McCray |
| Biggest Returnees | QB Shea Patterson (transfer from Ole Miss), TB Karan Higdon, WR Donovan Peoples-Jones, DE Rashan Gary, DE Chase Winovich, LB Devin Bush, LB Khaleke Hudson, CB Lavert Hill, CB David Long |
| Summary | Michigan has a lot of returning starters on both sides of the ball. The questions of how incoming QB Shea Patterson handles the spotlight in Ann Arbor and how well Michigan can navigate a schedule littered with perennial power teams, including an opener at Notre Dame, may very well determine the path of 2018 Wolverines. |
| Matchup with PSU | Michigan looks to avenge last seasons 42-13 blowout in Happy Valley. It halted a three game winning streak for Michigan in the series. The 2018 contest will come in early November as Michigan is coming off a bye. Expect a late day/ night game with nearly 108,000 fans packed into the Big House. A lot could be riding on the outcome of this game |