Penn State has the upper hand this weekend
Courtney Ratkowiak
Daily Sports EditorOctober 15th, 2008
Michigan rushing offense versus Penn State rushing defense
Penn State leads the Big Ten in rushing defense, allowing less than 90 yards per game. Defensive end Aaron Maybin is a force to be reckoned with for the Wolverines’ front line with a conference-high 12 tackles for loss this season.
Other than freshman running back Sam McGuffie, Michigan’s running backs have been nonexistent this year. The Wolverine's second leading rusher, redshirt freshman quarterback Steven Threet, has just 19 yards. And with running back Carlos Brown still out and running back Brandon Minor coming off a rib injury from last week, don’t expect either team’s statistics to drastically change.
Edge: Penn State
Michigan passing offense versus Penn State passing defense
Threet is still recovering from a bruised right elbow, which limited him in practice this week. If redshirt sophomore Nick Sheridan starts in place of Threet, the Michigan offense will probably rely even more on its running game. Even if Threet starts, he will likely be rusty without a full week of practice.
The Penn State secondary has grabbed a Big Ten leading 11 interceptions this year, and Sheridan has thrown two interceptions in each of his last two games. The opportunistic Nittany Lion defense will be able to take advantage of a few small Michigan mistakes.
Edge: Penn State
Penn State passing offense vs. Michigan passing defense
It’s hard to tell that Daryll Clark is a first-year starting quarterback. The Clark-led “Spread HD” offense scored 48 points against Wisconsin last week and 38 against Illinois three weeks ago, and both teams have stronger defenses than Michigan’s.
The Wolverines have been burned on deep passes all season. Although defensive coordinator Scott Shafer likely emphasized improved coverage and tackling on wide receiver screens this week in practice, the turnaround may not be that quick.
Edge: Penn State
Penn State rushing offense vs. Michigan rushing defense
Penn State running back Evan Royster is averaging 102.7 rushing yards per game. And on average, the Nittany Lions tally 235 rushing yards to their opponents’ 90 this season. They have over twice as many rushing touchdowns (25) as passing, and the ground attack is likely to be just as lethal against the Wolverines.
Michigan is ranked last in the Big Ten in rushing defense, mostly because it couldn't stop Juice Williams when Illinois came to town two weeks ago. Though Penn State quarterback Daryll Clark is more effective in the air, the Nittany Lions will still be able to run over the Wolverines.
Edge: Penn State
Special Teams
Against Toledo — for the first time in weeks, the Wolverines didn’t fumble on a kick return. Even though it looks as if the Wolverines may have found go-to kick returners in redshirt freshman Avery Horn and freshman Martavious Odoms, they haven't been consistent enough to be relied upon yet.
Wide receiver Derrick Williams is the Nittany Lions’ top kick returner, helping his team to a Big Ten-high 29.2 yards per return. Penn State’s opponents have averaged just 4.5 yards per punt return.
Michigan punter Zoltan Mesko had a 63-yard punt against Toledo and has consistently been one of the best players on the team. He’s the strongest punter in the Big Ten right now, but this special teams battle will be determined by the stronger kick return team.
Edge: Penn State
Intangibles
Penn State has lost nine straight against the Wolverines, dating back to 1996. But Michigan has watched its opponents snap stadium records all year, as the Wolverines' win streak against Mid-American Conference teams was snapped last week. Michigan is down, Penn State is rolling and it's safe to say Happy Valley will be a very hostile place tomorrow.
Edge: Penn State
Prediction: Penn State wins 41-14
Printed from www.michigandaily.com on Fri, 10 Feb 2012 14:31:25 -0500