Michigan rushing offense vs. Penn State rushing defense

The run attack will be the most important part of the Wolverines' offense this weekend, and Michigan's ground game will likely hinge on the health of one player: Brandon Minor.

The senior is by far the Wolverines' most physical back, and he adds another dimension to Michigan's offense. Minor has also been particularly good against Penn State, tallying 117 yards and two touchdowns last season in State College.

Minor's biggest nemesis has been his ankle. He barely practiced last week, sat out against Delaware State and since it's a high-ankle injury, any time he tweaks it, it could keep him off the field. Michigan coach Rich Rodriguez said Minor is probable for the game.

But all is not lost if Minor can't play. Michigan has the Big Ten's best ground attack, averaging 235 yards per game.

It will all come down to the Wolverines' ability to outmatch Penn State's 75-yards-a-game rush defense.

Edge: Even

Michigan passing offense vs. Penn State passing defense

Ever since he injured his shoulder against Indiana, freshman quarterback Tate Forcier hasn't been quite the same.

His completion percentage has fallen 11.2 points to 50.9 percent, and suffering a concussion against Iowa didn't help either.

But this week he did something he hasn't leading into the the past three games: practice all week. That should give Michigan its first chance in a while to significantly alter its playbook and give the Nittany Lions a look they haven't seen from Michigan on game film.

Will that be enough to overcome the Big Ten's best passing defense? Probably not. Iowa was the last great pass defense Forcier faced, and that was his worst game of the season.

Edge: Penn State

Penn State rushing offense vs. Michigan rushing defense

Penn State's run offense is second in the conference to Michigan, which could pose a problem for the Wolverine defense. Evan Royster, who is currently ranked third in the conference in rushing, will be the best running back the Wolverines have seen all year.

Another big issue for the Wolverines will be Penn State's ability to control time of possession — last week against Minnesota, the Nittany Lions had the ball for nearly 42 minutes. Michigan's defense has always struggled with limiting opposing offenses' time of possession, and it looks like Saturday will be no different.

After it took out two weeks worth of frustration on the puny Delaware State offense last Saturday, the defensive line will face a true test this week.

Edge: Penn State

Penn State passing offense vs. Michigan passing offense

We've heard it time and time again — Michigan's secondary is probably its biggest weakness — but it might look a little more stable this week, with veteran Troy Woolfolk in at cornerback for his third game this season opposite junior Donovan Warren.

Fifth-year senior quarterback Daryll Clark is averaging 253.3 yards per game, which can't be good for the Wolverines' struggling secondary. To have an edge in this game, the secondary must make immediate adjustments instead of waiting until halftime. With 13 passing touchdowns already this season, Clark will strike fast.

Edge: Penn State

Special Teams

Even though redshirt senior Zoltan Mesko didn't punt against Delaware State, he will definitely be put to the test against Penn State.

And while that may usually bode well for Michigan in the field-position battle, his counterpart is a great punter too, averaging 46.5 yards a kick — about a yard more than Mesko.

In order to improve their field position, the Wolverines are going to have to hope sophomore wide receiver Darryl Stonum starts clicking again on kick returns. After an outstanding opening four games, Stonum has struggled to pull off the great returns that have put him in good position to break Michigan's single-season record for kick-return yards.

Like it did for Penn State against Iowa, this one could come down to a big special-teams play.

Edge: Even

Intangibles

The Wolverines started talking this week about how Saturday's game is the start of their "second season." The last time they said this was before the Wisconsin game last year, and Michigan came back from a 19-0 halftime deficit to pull out the win.