Michigan Monday: Game 8 at Michigan State

Game Note Nuggets

• Michigan is in search of its fourth straight win in its rivalry sequence towards Michigan State. The final time U-M gained 4 consecutive video games within the sequence was throughout a six-game win streak from 2002-07.

• The offensive line has paved the way in which for 18 touchdowns on the bottom to this point this 12 months whereas permitting solely 9 sacks towards within the cross recreation. The unit will begin its fifth totally different beginning lineup this weekend within the eighth recreation of the 12 months on account of accidents.

• The offense is allowing opposing defenses to create a mean 4 detrimental performs per recreation, rating U-M seventeenth nationally in tackles for loss allowed.

• The U-M offense has tallied 32 performs of 20-plus yards on offense (20 receiving, 12 dashing) via seven weeks (six in week one, 4, eight, three, seven, one, three). Justice Haynes and Andrew Marsh are tied for the workforce lead with seven such performs (all rushes for Haynes, six receiving for Marsh), adopted by Donaven McCulley (5; all receiving). Additionally, Marsh has three through kickoff return.

• Haynes fronts a two-punch dashing assault with Jordan Marshall, who has assumed the bell cow function during the last two contests. Whichever again begins for U-M has reached at the very least 100 yards dashing with at the very least one landing in six of seven contests this 12 months (159, 125, 104, 149, 117 yards for Haynes; 133 yards for Marshall), with the lone exception being at USC when Haynes left with an damage.

• Marshall is a plus-yardage rusher and pile-dragger. He has only one yard misplaced on 84 carries this 12 months, averaging 5.2 yards per carry.

• The Michigan run recreation is twenty second within the FBS, averaging 212.1 yards per contest. Six totally different gamers have scored on the bottom this 12 months, led by Haynes, who ranks fifteenth within the nation with eight dashing touchdowns regardless of lacking almost two full video games. Jordan Marshall has 4 scores on the bottom.

• Haynes’ 705 whole dashing yards are the second most within the Big Ten, regardless of him rating seventh in carries throughout the league. Even although he missed a lot of the contest at USC and the entire recreation towards Washington, Haynes is fourth nationally in dashing yards per recreation (117.5), averaging 7.42 yards per carry (fifth, FBS). Both figures lead the Big Ten.

• Despite time missed, Haynes is one in all solely 4 backs with 5 or extra runs of 40-plus yards and one in all solely three backs with 4 or extra runs of 50-plus yards.

• As an offense, U-M is one in all 9 groups within the nation with six or extra dashing performs of 40-plus yards (UCF, BYU, Georgia Tech, Texas State, UTSA, Vanderbilt, Arkansas, Boise State).

• Quarterback Bryce Underwood is averaging 5.2 yards per carry with three touchdowns of his personal. Adjusted for sacks, he averages 6.9 yards per carry (31 rushes for 215 yards).

• Underwood’s 62.4 % completion score (113-of-181 passing) comes with a mean of seven.95 yards per try and a cross effectivity score of 139.8. He ranks thirty third within the nation with 12.74 yards per completion.

• Michigan’s passing recreation continues to develop via Underwood. Twelve gamers have caught passes to this point this 12 months, together with 5 with 10 or extra receptions. Freshman Marsh has 17 catches, 267 yards and a pair of touchdowns throughout the final three weeks.

• Underwood matched his profession excessive in completions (21) final weekend. He has solely tried 30-plus passes as soon as, but has three video games with 19 or extra completions this 12 months and 5 video games with 15-plus completions. Underwood has eclipsed 200 passing yards in 5 contests and 230-plus yards in 4 video games.

• Tight ends have mixed to catch 27 passes for 328 yards this season. Five totally different gamers within the room have caught a cross, and 4 of 5 are averaging 12.6 yards or higher per catch.

• U-M is profitable the turnover battle with a 14:4 ratio (two fumbles misplaced, two interceptions), ranked third-best within the nation. U-M’s 14 turnovers gained rank eighth throughout the FBS.

• On the defensive facet of the turnover battle, Cole Sullivan leads the workforce with 4 turnovers pressured (three interceptions, one fumble restoration). He is one in all 9 U-M linebackers to document three or extra interceptions in a season and the primary since Steve Morrison in 1991. Morrison’s 5 picks that season are a single-season document for linebackers at U-M.

• The Wolverines rank fourth nationally in interceptions (11) and have a number of turnovers in 5 of seven video games, with at the very least one in every contest. Nine gamers have U-M’s 11 picks: Zeke Berry, Elijah Dotson, T.J. Guy, Brandyn Hillman, TJ Metcalf, Jacob Oden, Rod Moore, Jimmy Rolder and Sullivan (three).

• Michigan’s protection has registered at the very least one interception in 11 straight video games courting again to 2024.

• Through seven video games, 18 totally different gamers have an interception or cross breakup: 4 linebackers, three defensive linemen, and 10 defensive backs. Berry leads the protection with 5 passes defended (4 breakups, one interception). The Wolverines are second within the Big Ten in whole cross breakups (passes defended plus interceptions) with 33 (Oregon, 43).

• The cross rush has averaged 2.43 quarterback takedowns per recreation (thirty third, FBS). U-M’s 17 sacks generated are sixth within the Big Ten and Central Michigan is the one workforce to flee with out a sack taken towards the Wolverines.

• That has helped pad a TFL rank of twenty sixth nationally, with the protection averaging 6.7 detrimental performs per contest. Derrick Moore leads the workforce with 4.5 sacks, and Jaishawn Barham leads the workforce with 7.0 TFL.

• The dashing protection is ranked fifteenth, permitting 92.7 yards per contest and three.0 yards per carry. Oklahoma and USC are the one groups to interrupt 100 yards on the bottom towards the Wolverines. Washington was held to its lowest dashing whole of the 12 months (40 yards on 23 carries, 1.7 yards per rush).

• U-M is ranked twenty fourth in whole protection; solely Oklahoma and USC have eclipsed 300 yards of whole offense towards the Maize and Blue.

• Linebacker Ernest Hausmann is pacing the protection with 47 tackles via six video games, adopted intently by Rolder (42). Each of the workforce’s prime three tacklers (Sullivan, 27) are within the linebacker room; Metcalf additionally has 27 tackles.

• Opponents should not discovering a lot success within the purple zone towards the Wolverines. U-M permits factors in 76.2 % of purple zone drives, the Twentieth-stingiest mark within the nation.

• Opponents have mixed to attain solely 4 subject objectives and two touchdowns in fourth quarters this 12 months. U-M has permitted solely 5 touchdowns and 4 subject objectives throughout seven second halves. That common of 6.7 factors allowed per recreation in second halves ranks tied-Twelfth throughout the FBS.