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Michigan football hosts the Northwestern Wildcats on Saturday at noon EDT after coming off of a bye week. This week, we’re combining the ‘by the numbers’ article with the staff predictions. You can find most of how each team ranks from a statistical standpoint, and then the players to watch and the WolverinesWire staff predictions on the next page.
Offense
| Rank (metric) | Rank (metric) | ||
| Michigan scoring offense | 14th (38.5 ppg) | 61st (23.8 ppg) | Northwestern scoring defense |
| Michigan rushing offense | 6th (246.5 ypg) | 118th (206.17 ypga) | Northwestern rushing defense |
| Michigan passing offense | 103rd (194 ypg) | 42nd (205.2 ypga) | Northwestern passing defense |
| Michigan total offense | 39th (440.5 ypg) | 94th (411.13 ypga) | Northwestern total defense |
| Michigan yards per play | 26th (6.53 ypp) | 95th (5.86 ypga) | Northwestern yards per play allowed |
| Michigan first downs | 68th (21 pg) | 66th (19.8 apg) | Northwestern opp. first downs |
| Michigan third down conv. | 45th (43.04%) | 55th (37.21%) | Northwestern opp. third down conv. |
| Michigan fourth down conv. | 29th (66.67%) | 45th (44.44%) | Northwestern opp. fourth down conv. |
| Michigan red zone conv. | 6th (97.56%) | 53rd (80%) | Northwestern opp. red zone conv. |
| Michigan sacks allowed | 1st (0.33 sapg) | 64th (2.33 spg) | Northwestern sacks |
| Michigan TFL allowed | 1st (2.17 tfla/gm) | 98th (5.33 tfl/gm) | Northwestern TFL |
| Michigan long scrimmage plays | 111th (72 10+ yd plays) | 34th (76 10+ yd plays) | Northwestern long plays allowed |
| Michigan penalties | 35th (46.2 yds/gm) | 48th (57.7 yds/gm) | Northwestern opp. penalties |
| Michigan TOP | 25th (31:38.00) | 57th (29:57.67) | Northwestern TOP |
[listicle id=49565]
Defense
| Rank (metric) | Rank (metric) | ||
| Michigan scoring defense | 8th (15.5 ppg) | 110th (21.8 ppg) | Northwestern scoring offense |
| Michigan rushing defense | 33rd (119.33 ypga) | 54th (171.33 ypg) | Northwestern rushing offense |
| Michigan passing defense | 22nd (190.7 ypga) | 95th (203.3 ypg) | Northwestern passing offense |
| Michigan total defense | 20th (310 ypga) | 84th (374.7 ypg) | Northwestern total offense |
| Michigan yards per play allowed | 26th (4.91 yppa) | 96th (5.2 ypp) | Northwestern yards per play |
| Michigan opp. first downs | 19th (16.5 apg) | 89th (20 pg) | Northwestern first downs |
| Michigan opp. third down conv. | 31st (34.09%) | 74th (39.13%) | Northwestern third down conv. |
| Michigan opp. fourth down conv. | 34th (38.46%) | 68h (50%) | Northwestern fourth down conv. |
| Michigan opp. red zone conv. | 68th (83.33%) | 122nd (69.18%) | Northwestern red zone conv. |
| Michigan sacks | 64th (2.33 s/gm) | 58th (2.17 sa/gm) | Northwestern sacks allowed |
| Michigan TFL | 102nd (5.17 tfl/gm) | 75th (6.5 tfla/gm) | Northwestern TFL allowed |
| Michigan long scrimmage plays allowed | 7th (61 10+ yd plays) | 111h (72 10+ yd plays) | Northwestern long plays |
| Michigan opp. penalties | 116th (40 yd/gm) | 26th (44.2 yd/gm) | Northwestern penalties |
| Michigan turnover margin | 9th (+1/gm) | 63rd (0/gm) | Northwestern turnover margin |
[listicle id=45919]
Special teams
| Rank (metric) | Rank (metric) | ||
| Michigan kickoff | 47th (63.29 yds) | 35th (60.64 yds) | Northwestern opp. kickoff |
| Michigan kickoff return | 59th (20.93 yds/ret) | 41st (19.06 yds/ret) | Northwestern kickoff return allowed |
| Michigan punting | 39th (45.11 yds/p) | 99th (44.35 yds/p) | Northwestern opp. punting |
| Michigan punt return | 22nd (13.07 yds/ret) | 70th (7.5 yds/ret) | Northwestern punt return allowed |
| Michigan field goals | 18th (92.3%) | 6th (50%) | Northwestern opp. field goals |
| Michigan PAT | 1st (100%) | 64th (100%) | Northwestern opp. PAT |
| Michigan opp. kickoff | 5th (57.77 yds) | 77th (62 yds) | Northwestern kickoff |
| Michigan kickoff return allowed | 1st (8.75 yds/ret) | 127th (12.86 yds/ret) | Northwestern kickoff return |
| Michigan opp. punting | 112th (45.24 yds/p) | 75th (42.68 yds/p) | Northwestern punting |
| Michigan punt return allowed | 28th (4 yds/ret) | 3rd (19.18 yds/ret) | Northwestern punt return |
| Michigan opp. field goals | 50h (71.4%) | 125th (50%) | Northwestern field goals |
| Michigan opp. PAT | 64th (100%) | 1st (100%) | Northwestern PAT |