The free-falling Michigan Wolverines welcome in the Penn State Nittany Lions in college football action Saturday night. The game is scheduled for a 7:00 p.m. start time and it will be televised nationally on ESPN2. Currently the odds for the game have the Wolverines favored by a point in this one.
The Michigan football program is still in shambles, but Brady Hoke still has a job in Ann Arbor. Hoke still believes his team can find a way to have a successful season, but it's clearly not going to happen. The Wolverines have opened the season with a 2-4 record and have dropped both matches in the Big Ten to Minnesota and Rutgers. Now they're going to take on a Penn State team looking to bounce back from their embarrassing loss a couple of weeks ago to Northwestern at home. The Nittany Lions could do nothing right offensively the entire game and the defense was worn down by the end of the game, which ended in a 29-6 defeat.
Both teams are obviously looking to get back in the win column, but Michigan will have to overcome not only their horrible 2014, but also losing the last four games to Penn State as well. Prior to that the Wolverines held an advantage of nine straight games over Penn State. Hoke is 2-0 against the number as an underdog at home.
Michigan's biggest problem has been themselves so far this year. They lead the country in turnovers and it doesn't matter who you play, when you're turning the football over as much as Michigan has, teams don't win.
Devin Gardner and Christian Hackenburg will both play a big part in this game. When Gardner plays well for Michigan, the Wolverines are winning football games. Hackenburg ranks third best in the Big Ten in passing this season and will look to pick apart a Wolverine secondary that has not played well.
Michigan ranks dead last in the Big Ten in total offense this season while their defense ranks 10th — that's not a good combination.
Penn State has struggled offensively as well, sitting just one spot ahead of the Wolverines. But the Nittany Lions are better offensively than Michigan.
That will be the difference in this one.
Free Pick: Penn State 31, Michigan 20
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