In short, what was once a rollover game is now a legitimate contest. Here’s what to watch for when Michigan opens its conference season Saturday:
Football
While No. 8 Michigan’s recent offensive struggles may have boosted Purdue’s chances at an upset, the Boilermakers may also be a far more worthy opponent than people originally thought.
There is no question that Peoples-Jones has had his spotlight in the punt return game. Now, that spotlight is only getting brighter.
The now-sophomore played in just four games last year, and in just three games this season, McKeon has already eclipsed his production from 2016.
David Long said he still talks to Jourdan Lewis every day of the week — or at least three if he’s busy. And Long could arguably thank Lewis — who he dubbed as a role model — for his current starting role with the Wolverines.
While their mentality has always been that the most important game is the next one, the pressure is cranked up a notch now that the Big Ten season is set to begin.
Freshman wide receiver Tarik Black suffered a foot injury against Air Force and will need surgery, said Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh on Monday. That same evening, Black posted a photo on Instagram with a caption that suggested he would be out for the remainder of the year.
The defense carried the load while the offense struggled to find a groove, but the Wolverines managed to capture yet another victory.
It’s not the discrepancies in production between Michigan’s offensive and defensive units that are the problem. More so, it’s that the defense knows what it is, while the offense is in search of an identity with less than a week until the Wolverines’ Big Ten opener.
Though Peoples-Jones — the No. 1 receiver in the 2017 class — has taken a backseat to fellow freshman Tarik Black so far, he took center stage on Saturday. And there could be much more of him in store.