The Michigan Wolverines (4-1) will take the field Saturday night in Seattle against the Washington Huskies (3-2) in a rematch of last season’s national championship game. While these two teams played a mere nine months ago, won by Michigan, 34-13 in Houston, Texas, this matchup will be far from familiar.
Each team enters this game looking completely different than last season – both have new head coaches, very different rosters, and regular-season troubles. On top of this, these two teams will meet as Big Ten opponents for the first time ever. After having to watch Michigan bask in the glory of a perfect season, the Huskies are sure to be out for revenge. On top of that, they will be looking for a statement conference win after a surprising loss to Rutgers last weekend. Michigan, on the other hand, will be looking to silence the doubters after near disasters in the second half against USC and Minnesota. Despite last season’s success, both teams are entering this game with a lot to prove.
This will be the first regular-season rematch of a national title game since 2012, and the first one ever to feature new head coaches for both teams.
Washington began retooling its offense by landing QB Will Rogers, who transferred from Mississippi State, where he played four years. He currently leads all active players in career passing yards and has had good numbers thus far. His 1,354 passing yards this season put him in the top 15 in the country, and he has yet to throw an interception in the first five games.
It should be noted, however, that Washington’s three wins this season have come against Weber State, Eastern Michigan and Northwestern, while they have lost to Rutgers and Washington State.
Still, wins are wins and they been led to a trio of them in part to wide receiver Denzel Boston. Rogers has found Boston in the endzone seven times this season, placing him second in the country in receiving touchdowns. Boston is also second in the Big Ten in receiving yards this season, placing him right above teammate Giles Jackson.
Jackson is currently third in the conference for receiving yards but will be looking to make a big impact against his former team this weekend. Jackson served as a wide receiver and kick returner for the Wolverines in the 2019 and 2020 seasons before transferring to Washington. His second game with the Huskies brought him back to the Big House, where he went viral for yelling expletives at Michigan fans following a 31-10 loss. After last season, he now has two losses against his former team. This weekend, he will have a chance to prevent a third.
Washington’s best weapon, however, might be in its run game with junior Jonah Coleman. Coleman transferred from Arizona this past offseason, following head coach Jedd Fisch to Seattle. Coleman is an explosive runner who is lethal in space, averaging 7.2 yards per carry. He is also an asset in the passing game, particularly on checkdown throws. Coleman averages 2.5 catches per game and has over 100 receiving yards on the year.
The weak link in a generally strong Washington offense is the offensive line. This is a far cry from last year, when the Huskies won the Joe Moore Award for the most outstanding offensive line unit. Of the six players who started at least three games for last year’s line, two of them were drafted into the NFL while the other four transferred to other programs. This year’s unit is largely comprised of transfers, and still seems to be struggling to find its footing. Rogers’ ability to throw under pressure, along with Coleman’s fantastic vision and explosive burst, have helped mask some of the line’s issues, but its relative weakness is still evident.
As for Washington’s defense, linebacker Carson Bruener is one of the best players. He has one of the Huskies’ three interceptions on the season and leads the team in tackles. Another one of those interceptions went to cornerback Thaddeus Dixon, who plays opposite Ephesians Prysock. Prysock followed Jedd Fisch from Arizona and is viewed by experts as a potential top-100 NFL draft prospect. On the defensive line, edge rusher Zach Durfee is tied for the team lead with 2.5 sacks on the year. He’s been sidelined at times with a toe injury but Coach Fisch says he is optimistic Durfee will be able to play this weekend.
Moving on to this weekend’s road underdogs, Michigan’s offense features many new faces this year. After the departure of top-10 draft pick JJ McCarthy, Michigan has been left with a void at QB. Instead of seeking an upgrade in the transfer portal, Michigan chose to bank on the development of the players they already had. Unfortunately for the Wolverines, this decision seems to have proven costly.
After throwing six interceptions (and only two touchdowns) in his three games as the starter, former walk-on Davis Warren was benched in favor of the incredibly athletic Alex Orji. Last year, Orji played on rare occasions as a gadget player, running the ball 15 times without throwing a pass. In Orji’s first start against USC this year, last year’s trend continued as he ran the ball more times (and for more yards) than he passed it. Michigan’s struggles in the pass game this year have been incredibly evident as they rank outside the top 120 nationally in several statistical categories, including passing yards per game and interceptions thrown.
If there is one positive through the air, it’s tight end Colston Loveland. The All-American leads the team in both receptions and receiving yards on the season, despite missing a game.
Michigan has always been a run-centric team, but this year that concept has been taken to new heights. The breakout star of the Wolverine’s season has been linebacker turned running back Kalel Mullings. Mullings has been named Michigan’s top RB after a disappointing start to the season from team captain Donovan Edwards, and Mullings has not let the team down. When games have gotten close, Michigan’s strategy has been almost exclusively using Mullings to control the clock and protect the ball. Mullings delivered the game-winning touchdown two weeks ago against ranked Big Ten foe USC in a nailbiter, 24-21, and was given the ball eight times on the drive that resulted in the game-clinching field goal against Minnesota, a 27-24 win. He averages over 100 yards and a touchdown per game, and if Michigan wants to beat Washington, Mullings will need to have a similar output.
Similar to Washington, Michigan’s offensive line is completely different from last year. All six of last year’s starters graduated or went pro, leaving a very new and relatively inexperienced line. Transfer Josh Priebe received All-Big Ten honors at Northwestern last year and serves as the anchor of this year’s O-line. Even with that addition, the unit has still gone through some growing pains as they have adjusted to the new-look Wolverine offense.
The defensive side of the ball is where the Wolverines truly shine. Michigan returned many key pieces of the championship team, mainly cornerback Will Johnson and defensive tackle Mason Graham. Both of these players are projected top picks in next year’s NFL draft and have shown it this year. Johnson set the Michigan career record for pick-6s when he housed his second of the season against USC and is known for delivering the biggest plays in the biggest moments. Graham has also proven to be disruptive, tallying three sacks and 19 tackles on the year. Michigan’s breakout star on the defensive line this year has been defensive end Josiah Stewart. In his second year at Michigan, he leads the team with four sacks, only 1.5 shy of his season total a year ago.
Michigan Wolverines vs. Washington Huskies Game Preview
Here are a few things both sides need to do if they want to win Saturday night.
Washington’s Keys to the Game
1. The offensive line needs to step up. Michigan’s defensive features Graham and Kenneth Walker, two of the strongest defensive tackles in the country. Graham, in particular, is viewed as a potential top pick in next year’s NFL draft. While it may be nearly impossible for Washington’s struggling offensive line to completely stop the two, they need to contain them enough to give Rogers time to throw and get Coleman into space.
2. Slow down Michigan’s rushing attack. Against a team like Michigan, nearly every down can be a running down. With hard hitting linebackers such as Bruener, Washington will benefit greatly from stacking the box on defense, and trusting their corners to cover one-on-one.
3. Limit self-inflicted wounds. Washington’s discipline has shown to be an issue, with the team averaging over eight penalties a game. Penalties – and missed field goals – ended up being a major factor in the loss to Rutgers. Washington’s ability to clean up its game will be crucial in getting the defense off the field, especially against a Michigan team that loves to control the clock and run again and again.
Michigan’s Keys to the Game
1. Get pressure without blitzing. This season, Michigan has blitzed on a high percentage of defensive plays. Going up against a weak Washington line, Michigan should be able to get pressure without rushing more than four players. While the blitz will, of course, need to be a part of the playbook, Michigan getting consistent pressure on four-man rushes would give their defense a game-changing advantage.
2. Have a strong second half. In each of Michigan’s last two games, they entered halftime with a lead only to see their opponent make a strong attempt at a comeback. In last year’s perfect season, Michigan was known for their second-half defense, holding their first 10 opponents to 30 total second-half points. In the second half of their last two games, Michigan was outscored, 42-19. Against a team with explosive potential like Washington, the Michigan defense cannot let up after halftime.
3. Kalel Mullings. It’s hard to argue any one player can make or break a team, but Mullings has been that important. Against USC, he ran for 84 yards and a touchdown on the game-winning final drive. Against Minnesota, he was the one given the ball again and again to run out the clock. At this point, every opponent knows Michigan can only run the ball. No matter what they know, when Mullings is on fire, he cannot be stopped.
How to watch Michigan Wolverines vs. Fresno State Bulldogs
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When: Saturday, Oct. 5
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Where: Alaska Airlines Field at Husky Stadium in Seattle, Washington
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Time: 7:30 p.m. ET (Pregame coverage begins at 7 p.m. ET)
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Watch: Peacock and NBC
About the Author:
Ryan Thomas is a senior at the University of Michigan currently studying Film and Psychology. He writes and works on Wolv Sports Center, a series covering a variety of Michigan sports.
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