The tuneup is out of the way. It"s now time for the main event.

Michigan fans have been pointing to this Saturday"s heavyweight tilt at No. 15 Washington since the end of last season. All of the personnel losses on offense, coupled with the fearsome crowd in Seattle have combined to make this game a watershed moment in Michigan"s season.

Win, and the Wolverines could be on their way to something special. Lose, and, well perhaps the Alamo Bowl wouldn"t be so bad. San Antonio does have Riverwalk, after all.

Michigan rush offense vs. Washington rush defense: After earning the starting tailback spot in fall practices, B.J. Askew did a decent job against Miami (Ohio), rushing for 94 yards on 20 carries. Chris Perry, Walter Cross and David Underwood all made contributions as the Wolverines rolled for nearly 200 yards.

The Pac-10 has a reputation as a league without much defense. But Washington bucks that trend, largely thanks to senior defensive tackle Larry Tripplett an All-America candidate. Tripplett will get constant double- and triple-teams, but this year he gets help from Kai Ellis, a highly-touted defensive end who transferred from San Francisco City College. Ellis and Tripplett have added pressure on them thanks to the departure of linebacker Jeremiah Pharms.

Even though Michigan"s running game might not be as dominant as it was last year, the Wolverines should be able to run on Washington. Oregon gained over 230 yards rushing against the Huskies last year, which will have Michigan"s offensive line salivating.

Edge: Michigan

Michigan pass offense vs. Washington pass defense: Last year, Michigan might have had a clear advantage in this category, thanks to a couple of guys named Henson and Terrell. But this year, the Wolverines are trying to rebuild their passing game with a new starting quarterback (John Navarre), a new go-to receiver (Marquise Walker), and four new starting linemen.

Against Miami (Ohio), Michigan"s passing game showed flashes of brilliance, but it also showed flashes of ineptitude. Navarre connected with Walker on one deep ball, but most of his passes were short or mid-range throws. Navarre"s stats looked decent 19-for-32, 205 yards, one TD but the passing game is clearly not the juggernaut it was last year, at least not yet.

Washington returns seven starters on defense, and the Huskies could have a brutal pass rush, thanks to Tripplett and Ellis. The Huskies lost safety Hakim Akbar to the NFL Draft, but they have a potential rising star in cornerback Sam Cunningham.

This is where the Husky Stadium crowd will have its biggest effect. Unless Michigan shows marked improvement from last weekend, the Huskies" pass rush aided by the crowd noise will throttle the Wolverines" passing attack.

Edge: Washington

Washington rush offense vs. Michigan rush defense: Michigan"s run defense was porous at times against Miami (Ohio). RedHawks tailback Luke Clemens ran right through the front seven on multiple occasions, gaining 33 yards on one play. To make matters worse, starting outside linebackers Eric Brackins and Larry Foote both left the game with injuries. Even if they both play against Washington, they probably won"t be 100 percent.

Michigan will need Brackins, Foote and anyone else they can find to shut down Washington"s superb tailback tandem of senior Willie Hurst and sophomore Rich Alexis, who are as good as any pair of running backs in the country. Alexis, who ran for over 700 yards and nine touchdowns last year as a freshman, has the look of a superstar. Both running backs have power and speed to burn.

If Michigan had trouble containing Clemens, wait until the Wolverines get a load of Washington"s tailbacks. Even if Brackins and Foote are at full speed, it could be a long day for the Wolverines.

Edge: Washington

Washington pass offense vs. Michigan pass defense: Washington is never known for a prolific pass offense, and without Marques Tuiasosopo, it could be a real struggle this year. Sophomore Cody Pickett assumes the reins, and though he is talented, Saturday"s game will be his first career start. As a result, there is a good chance the he will have some early jitters. Not helping his cause is the fact that Washington, like Michigan, is breaking in four new offensive linemen.

But, there are a few things working in Pickett"s favor. For starters, Washington has a lot of talent amongst its receiving corps. Todd Elstrom is the leading returning receiver, and he is joined by converted tailback Paul Arnold and heralded freshman Reggie Williams, who should see some playing time on Saturday.

The Huskies also have perhaps the best tight end in the nation, 6-7 junior Jerramy Stevens. Michigan"s tallest linebacker is 6-3 Larry Stevens (no relation), and its tallest defensive back is true freshman Ernest Shazor, who stands 6-4 but didn"t play against Miami (Ohio).