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Despite losing three games in a row, Michigan football finally got a victory last week as it defeated Rutgers in triple-overtime 48-42. With a 2-3 record, the Wolverines still have a chance to end its season with a record above .500 with four games left in the season. Michigan’s next opponent is its easiest one so far, against a winless Penn State Nittany Lions team.
Penn State is struggling like the Wolverines are, but it’s more extreme as the Nittany Lions haven’t been able to win a game this season, and they haven’t been playing the top teams all season long — save for Big Ten Week 2. Penn State started with a heartbreaking loss in overtime to Indiana and then took on Ohio State on the road. Its next three losses came to unexpected teams, Maryland, Nebraska, and Iowa. Penn State now will look to capture its first win of the year against a Michigan team that is not up to its standards.
Both teams look at this week’s game as a big moment for programs. For Penn State, can it finally capture its first win of the year? Is it able to take down Michigan in back-to-back seasons? For Michigan, can it obliterate a team it has no excuse to lose against? Could this win spark a late-season push?
Those questions and more will be answered on Saturday, but some players might need an extra set of eyes to watch out for when it comes to the action on the field. From two quarterbacks in the middle of controversy to an NFL ready player looking to build his resume for the draft, check out which five players you should pay attention to below.