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Two of the Big Ten’s most prominent names battle in an East Division showdown on Saturday in Ann Arbor as the Michigan Wolverines take on the Penn State Nittany Lions.
That statement usually creates goosebumps — makes your heart beat a little faster even. In 2020 though, it’s far from what it used to be.
Coming back after being down by 17 against Rutgers last week, Michigan football has to move its attention away from the Scarlet Knights. Now, the Wolverines take on the worst team in the conference, 0-5 Penn State. At the start of the Big Ten season, Penn State was the 10th-ranked team in the country while Michigan was No. 18. Both teams have crumbled since then, turning into what nobody was expecting.
Penn State has had its woes against every opponent, from injuries to quarterback controversy, it’s similar to Michigan football. But the Wolverines have come out on top in some of their games. This week, both programs need a victory. For Penn State, its fall from the heavens could be somewhat softer with a win. As for Michigan, a win puts it back at .500 with a 3-3 record and a chance to end the season with a positive record.
As these two teams prepare to play, what are the three biggest things to keep an eye on in this game?
1. Does the hot hand from Cade McNamara turn into something?
When Michigan backup quarterback Cade McNamara came in against Wisconsin two weeks ago, he lit a fire in the offense. The group had issues moving the ball and finding the end zone all game long with Joe Milton under center. Four plays in, McNamara scored for the Wolverines. Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh didn’t ignore McNamara’s performance, though he didn’t do much afterward.
Against Rutgers, Milton struggled early and wasn’t scoring touchdowns. Despite Milton not turning the football over, Harbaugh switched quarterbacks, giving McNamara a shot while trailing by 17 in the second quarter. He only needed three plays to find pay dirt, and the comeback was on. McNamara finished 27-for-36 for 260 yards and four touchdowns, along with four carries for four yards and another touchdown on the ground.
With McNamara in, Michigan’s offense played harder, faster, stronger. It wanted to win more. The defense stepped its game up and started making more stops to give the offense chances to close the gap. Against Penn State, the hot-handed McNamara needs to be the starting quarterback. A quarterback change in the middle of a season can do wonders for a team, and it’s better late than never to see what this team can become with him.