ALTOONA, Pa. -- Just as everyone predicted before the season, Penn State and Michigan are a combined 2-8 entering Saturday's contest in Ann Arbor.
Okay, so maybe that's not quite how everybody predicted this game would be set up, but alas, it's 2020 and the crazy has happened. The Wolverines of head coach Jim Harbaugh are 2-3 heading into the game, with victories over Minnesota and Rutgers, while Penn State has lost to everybody, including themselves.
Like the 2020 football season, Michigan Stadium has been a house of horrors for James Franklin; he's 0-3 at the Big House, with the last two visits there ending in losses by 30 or more points. The Nittany Lions have fared better at home against the Wolverines, going 2-1 under Franklin, but this game won't be played at Beaver Stadium.
It's been quite a year for the two coaches, as Franklin received a five-year contract extension heading into 2020 and Harbaugh was in talks with Michigan about an extension before COVID-19 hit. Now, both teams come into the game desperate for a win; Penn State looks to stop the bleeding and get its first victory and Michigan is looking to take some heat off Harbaugh.
Neither program has a clear-cut starter at quarterback. The Nittany Lions rolled out Will Levis and Sean Clifford last week, with mixed results, while the Wolverines benched starter Joe Milton last week against Rutgers in favor of Cade McNamara, who looks to get the nod against the Nittany Lions.
Much like Levis against Nebraska, McNamara didn't do anything to lose the opportunity to start, throwing four touchdown passes and running for another against the Scarlet Knights. Penn State will need to neutralize him if there's any hope at earning the first victory of the season. Considering the trouble the Nittany Lions have had with dual-threat quarterbacks this season, this game could get one-sided rather quickly.
One of the few things Penn State has done consistently well this season is turning the ball over, especially at quarterback. Clifford's woes are due, in large part, to his inability to keep the ball away from the other team, but as was evident last weekend, Levis also has issues with decision-making and putting the ball on the ground.
Limiting turnovers will be imperative for the Nittany Lions, who have shown of late that the offense can move the ball even on the ground. Most drives, though, end up in a turnover or a bad call from Franklin and the coaching staff.
Penn State might be without running back Devyn Ford again Saturday, meaning it's up to Keyvone Lee and Caziah Holmes to shoulder the load against Michigan. The rushing attack has fared well on the road, picking up 245 yards or more in the two games away from Beaver Stadium.
Along with the rushing game coming along, the Nittany Lions desperately need some sort of red-zone efficiency, as they are last in the Big Ten, with a 65 percent conversion rate. That can be chalked up to poor decision-making from Franklin as well as a severe inability to execute from the offense.
The Penn State defense will have to limit receiver Ronnie Bell, who is averaging at least four receptions per game. Another receiver the Nittany Lions will be compelled to limit is Cornelius Johnson, who hauled in passes for 87 yards and two touchdowns against Rutgers.
Hassan Haskins leads the way for the Wolverines on the ground, who is averaging 5.9 yards per carry and is coming off a 109-yard performance last week. With the way the Penn State defense has tackled -- or, better yet, not tackled -- it would be no surprise to see Haskins get a lot of touches.
The Nittany Lions' tackling has been nonexistent at times, and that must change if Penn State is to have any hope at a victory against Michigan. The play of the secondary, whose members have looked lost and out of place in coverage at times, will be equally critical.
Up front, Shaka Toney led the way against Iowa with two sacks, while Adisa Isaac added another. Toney has played well at end for Penn State, and that doesn't figure to change anytime soon. The Nittany Lions will need more of the same as they look to contain McNamara or Milton.
At linebacker, Penn State needs much better play, and against a running attack like that of the Wolverines, it's going to need to happen fast. Brandon Smith has been a bright spot in open-field tackling, but much like the secondary, the linebackers have been terrible in pass coverage, often leaving the middle of the field wide-open.
It's going to take a team effort and it's got to start on offense; the turnovers must cease if Penn State hopes to victory its first victory in the Big House since 2009. If the offense is able to keep Penn State in the game until halftime, it could bode well, as the Nittany Lions made a habit of starting off terribly slow defensively before dialing it up in the second half.
When these two teams take the field, the records will be put aside and it will be Penn State vs. Michigan. While there's not much to play for in the standings, both teams have pride on the line, as the Nittany Lions try not to get embarrassed again in Ann Arbor.