Michigan Football: 3 things to watch against Michigan State

Which team can get the ground game going?

Running the football is always important, but in this series, it seems to be paramount. And looking at the numbers, you would think Michigan football would have a big edge when it comes to the ground game.

The Wolverines boast the fifth-best rushing attack in the Big Ten, with an average of 217 yards per game. Starting running back Karan Higdon also has five-straight 100-yard games and has rushed for 100 yards or more in all four Big Ten games.

On the other side of things, the Spartans are great at stopping the run, leading the Big Ten and allowing just 62.3 rushing yards per game. On the same note though, the Spartans are 13th in the conference in rush yards, with just 123 per game and they will face a Michigan defense that’s third in the league in stopping the run, giving up just 105.

Making matters worse for the Spartans is that running back L.J. Scott is questionable for Saturday, but even if he plays, he will be among three Michigan State backs with at least 30 carries that are averaging less than four yards per attempt. Michigan has three, Higdon, Chris Evans and Tru Wilson, who average at least 5.4 per touch. So on paper at least, the advantage goes to Michigan.