Penn State and Michigan have played some close games over the last decade, but they haven't been the dominant, ranked affairs that the school's bloodlines would suggest. This year won't be either. Penn State, at least, is 4-1, while sorting out their various issues and roster handicaps. Michigan is not - the program seems stuck in a nightmare it cannot wake from.
Must Reads
How to witness
TV: 7:00 p.m. ET on ESPN2.
Radio: WWJ, AM Radio 950, Sirius Radio, Channel 84, and XM radio, Channel 84.
Online streaming: Available on MGoBlue.com.
The numbers
Still perfect in the redzone, Michigan's offense will try to get there more often against a Penn State squad that is top-ten nationally in redzone and total defense. Meanwhile, Penn State has had some struggles of their own, with a leaky offensive line and a quarterback position prone to the turnover. Penn State's quarterbacks haven't been great (-2 touchdown-to-turnover ratio, 7.45 yards per throw), but at least they surpass Michigan's: Gardner and Morris have thrown for 6.54 yards per throw, thrown for five touchdowns, rushed for three and 2.8 yards per carry, and committed 10 interceptions and 3 more lost fumbles.
On the flip side, Michigan's running game has been more prolific, with its running backs averaging a clean six yards a carry. Penn State's running backs, however, stand at 3.90 yards per carry. Factoring in non-running backs, it drops to 3.1.
Four links
First, read about how Anthony Zettel grew from UFC fan to early DPOY candidate in the Big Ten. Then, this gives you six of the bigger questions and keys for the Michigan game from the Lions' point of view, and PennLive also has some game predictions. Finally, here are the most interesting and relevant quotes from the past week.
Three names to know
The potential star, of course, is Christian Hackenberg. The 19-year old Pennsylvania product has thrown for 260 yards a game in his young college career, and almost a quarter of his games have resulted in 300-yard, 3-touchdown performances. Still, let's not anoint him king of the B1G just yet - he will have to improve his consistency if he wants to rewrite some of Penn State's record books.
On the defensive line, Anthony Zettel has been called the defense's early MVP. However, Nyeem Wartman is another player who deserves a highlight - a player who missed the Northwestern game and was "no doubt... missed," according to James Franklin. The outside linebacker will be charged with defending everyone from Jake Butt to De'Veon Smith to Devin Gardner.
Finally, while Adrian Amos has been the grizzled vet in Bob Shoop's secondary, Jordan Lucas has put up the best numbers. The junior has four passes defensed and a sack in five games.
A Recommendation
Go out and do something reminiscent of fall, while making sure to soak in some last vestiges of sun and warmth. Take your family out to a history museum, or throw a football around on the outskirts of town, or else go canoeing. Celebrate Prince Constantijn of the Netherlands' birthday, even. (Well, technically his name is His Royal Highness Prince Constantijn Christof Frederik Aschwin of the Netherlands, Prince of Orange-Nassau, Jonkheer van Amsberg.) Make it a pretty memorable day.
And if you do settle in to watch Michigan, do it with some pumpkin pie and ice cream, fergodsakes.
Thu, Oct 9, 2014 | Time (ET) | TV |
Brigham Young @ UCF | 7:30 PM | ESPN |
Fri, Oct 10, 2014 | Time (ET) | TV |
Washington State @ (25) Stanford | 9:00 PM | ESPN |
San Diego State @ New Mexico | 9:30 PM | ESPNU |
Fresno State @ UNLV | 10:00 PM | CBSS |
Sat, Oct 11, 2014 | Time (ET) | TV |
Rice @ Army | 12:00 PM | |
Louisiana-Monroe @ Kentucky | 12:00 PM | SECN |
Cincinnati @ Miami (FL) | 12:00 PM | ESPN3/ESPNGP |
(1) Florida State @ Syracuse | 12:00 PM | ESPN |
Indiana @ Iowa | 12:00 PM | ESPNU |
Northwestern @ Minnesota | 12:00 PM | BTN/BTN2 |
(13) Georgia @ (23) Missouri | 12:00 PM | CBS |
West Virginia @ Texas Tech | 12:00 PM | FS1 |
Illinois @ Wisconsin | 12:00 PM | ESPN2 |
Middle Tennessee @ Marshall | 12:00 PM | FSN |
Tulsa @ Temple | 12:00 PM | ESPNN |
Texas @ (11) Oklahoma | 12:00 PM | ABC/ESPN3 |
Duke @ (22) Georgia Tech | 12:30 PM | ESPN3/ESPNGP |
Buffalo @ Eastern Michigan | 1:00 PM | ESPN3 |
Miami (OH) @ Akron | 2:00 PM | ESPN3 |
Massachusetts @ Kent State | 2:00 PM | ESPN3 |
Bowling Green @ Ohio | 2:00 PM | ESPN3 |
Arkansas State @ Georgia State | 2:00 PM | ESPN3 |
Western Michigan @ Ball State | 3:00 PM | ESPN3 |
New Mexico State @ Troy | 3:00 PM | ESPN3 |
Louisville @ Clemson | 3:30 PM | ESPNU |
Virginia Military @ Navy | 3:30 PM | CBSS |
Boston College @ North Carolina State | 3:30 PM | ESPN3/ESPNGP |
North Carolina @ (6) Notre Dame | 3:30 PM | NBC |
(8) Michigan State @ Purdue | 3:30 PM | ABC/ESPN2 |
(9) TCU @ (5) Baylor | 3:30 PM | ABC/ESPN2 |
Toledo @ Iowa State | 3:30 PM | IAST |
(2) Auburn @ (3) Mississippi State | 3:30 PM | CBS |
(12) Oregon @ (18) UCLA | 3:30 PM | FOX |
North Texas @ UAB | 3:30 PM | AMSN |
Liberty @ Appalachian State | 3:30 PM | ESPN3 |
Chattanooga @ Tennessee | 4:00 PM | SECN |
(16) Oklahoma State @ Kansas | 4:00 PM | FS1 |
Central Michigan @ Northern Illinois | 5:00 PM | ESPN3 |
(7) Alabama @ Arkansas | 6:00 PM | ESPN |
Washington @ California | 6:00 PM | PAC12 |
Idaho @ Georgia Southern | 6:00 PM | ESPN3/ESPNGP |
Penn State @ Michigan | 7:00 PM | ESPN2 |
FIU @ Texas-San Antonio | 7:00 PM | FCS |
(19) East Carolina @ South Florida | 7:00 PM | ESPNU |
Houston @ Memphis | 7:00 PM | CBSS |
LSU @ Florida | 7:30 PM | SECN |
Charleston Southern @ Vanderbilt | 7:30 PM | ESPN3/ESPNGP |
Old Dominion @ UTEP | 8:00 PM | AMSN |
Connecticut @ Tulane | 8:00 PM | ESPNN |
(3) Mississippi @ (14) Texas A&M | 9:00 PM | ESPN |
Air Force @ Utah State | 10:15 PM | ESPNU |
USC @ (10) Arizona | 10:30 PM | ESPN2 |
Colorado State @ Nevada | 10:30 PM | CBSS |
Wyoming @ Hawaii | 11:59 PM |