Michigan Football will travel to Wrigley Field this weekend for a battle against Northwestern. A neutral site game for the Wolverines as they come off a much-needed by week. Kickoff is set for noon as the Wolverines look to end the season strong, as they are still playoff hopefuls.
Michigan faced off against Northwestern this time last year, and it was a big turning point in the season. The Wolverines won big last year in this game, 50 to 6, and turned their season around.
Northwestern is a scrappy team as they are 5-4 on the year and 3-3 in Big Ten play. They have pulled off upsets this year against Penn State and easily beat Purdue a team that Michigan let stick around the entire game.
Michigan is coming off a bye, and with their current depth on their roster, it was much needed. Michigan football should be seeing some starters back for this game, as they have had time to heal properly during the off week.
With that being said, this game can be a close one, considering how you can never count Northwestern out. What are some key factors for Michigan to come off a bye and avoid a trap game this week at Wrigley Field.
Passing Attack
When asked what was going to be focused on during the bye week, head coach Sherrone Moore stated that the passing game was going to be a major focus and helping quarterback Bryce Underwood get dialed in for the end of the season.
The pass game has been non-existent for the past two games as Underwood struggled to eclipse 100 yards and struggled with finding open receivers. The run game has been the main success story as of late, with Jordan Marshall picking up right where Justice Haynes left off.
Underwood struggled against Purdue, even with multiple opportunities with open wide receivers. There needs to be a more consistent flow to his passes, as it seems when it's not working, it feels like it never will throughout the game.
Underwood's composure for an 18-year-old is phenomenal, and I have no doubt he can figure this out, but will he be able to in these big moments that are coming down the stretch?
Hopefully, the installation of what they worked on during the bye week will be seen in this game, which would serve as a huge confidence boost for this team.
Neutral Site
This game is scheduled as an away game for Michigan but with this being held at Wrigley Field, there is no home-field advantage for either team. With this being said, it can likely turn into a home game because of our great fanbase and how well they travel for this team.
The conditions for the game can be tricky. Playing on a baseball field isn't always the best for these games but hopefully it doesn't become too much of an issue.
This game is very important for the Wolverines to come out and show dominance after a bye week, given how inconsistent they have been this season. They're can be all new looks for this team to come out firing, so look out for some new wrinkles in the play-calling or different styles of play on each side of the ball.
Winning the Turnover Battle
The Wolverines come into this game as -11.5 point favorites, but this game has the chance to be a trap game. Michigan football, coming off a bye week, should be rested and well-prepared, but there is no reason to overlook this Northwestern team.
They have been nothing to gloss over as they are 5-4 on the year and have had a better resume than critics thought they would have.
With that being said, if this is a close game, then Michigan must win the turnover battle if this ends up being close.
In the trenches, there's no reason Michigan football should lose this game, but if given the opportunity, it can lose it with turnovers as an issue. The Wolverines are great at winning the battle, but with a freshman quarterback, nothing is for sure.
Hopefully we see an energetic and well-rested Wolverines team coming out of the bye week, as this will be the most important stretch of the season for this young team. The playoffs are still achievable for this team, but winning out will be no easy task.