If Michigan football doesn't beat Penn State on Saturday, well, that's not really something we want to think about.
The pitchforks will be out for Kyle Whittingham. He might really be on the hot seat, even if it is just year one with Michigan football if Matt Campbell's team wins in Ann Arbor on Saturday.
Whittingham dismissed the notion that Michigan needed a win to save the season. He called it dramatic.
Whittingham can feel that way about it. The fact is, though, whatever faint playoff hopes the Wolverines have will disappear with a loss on Saturday. That would be the final nail in the coffin.
Then things could really get ugly. That's one way things could go. Or, Michigan football could get back to basics, play a more simplified approach on offense, start running for 200 yards per game again, keep developing Bryce, and put together a solid season.
Even winning seven or eight games is no guarantee. Heck, if the Wolverines lose on Saturday, a bowl game isn't even guaranteed. So they need to right the ship. There is no margin for error.
Penn State is 3-3. The Nittany Lions are 0-3 in the Big Ten. They allowed Northwestern to rush for over 400 yards. Looking ahead to a matchup between two traditional powers, here are three bold predictions for Michigan football vs. Penn State.
Jordan Marshall runs for 100 yards
It feels like I have been predicting for weeks that the Michigan football running game will get going. There is just no reason why it shouldn't. Northwestern rushed for 411 yards and 7.3 yards per attempt against Penn State.
Jordan Marshall is a team captain. He averaged over six yards per attempt in Big Ten play last season. Blake Frazier and Kyle Whittingham talked about how the running game needs to get more downhill.
It still might not look like last season's run game, but Marshall will get over 100 yards, along with his first explosive run of the season.
Bryce Underwood plays all the meaningful snaps
You have to hope that Jason Beck figured some things out over the bye week. There was some debate about whether or not Underwood had missed some reads.
Beck and Whittingham both said he has. He needs to get that stuff cleaned up. As far as this game, the No. 1 task is taking care of the ball.
Underwood did that well against Oklahoma and Iowa, outside of the interception, which was not his fault. When Bryce has time and he's comfortable in the pocket, he throws the ball really well.
It feels like the coaching staff will try to use him more as a runner. Think of the Oklahoma game. Michigan might win with 100 yards passing. It would be nice to see the pasising game opened up. Use the aggressiveness teams are showing against the Rhino against them. Max protect and throw to JJ Bunchanan and Andrew Marsh.
At any rate, the one thing Underwood won't do is get pulled. Michigan will win the game, he will play well, around 200 total yards and 1-2 touchdowns, sort of like OU. Nothing earth shattering, but a clean game.
If Tommy Carr does play, the outcome will be decided already.
Michigan's defense will intercet Rocco Becht at least twice
The Iowa State transfer has had some rough games. He only threw for 114 yards on 29 attempts against Wisconsin. He has thrown three interceptions so far in Big Ten play.
Jay Hill and the Michigan football defense came up with two interceptions at Minnesota. Hill does a great job of confusing quarterbacks. Michigan's pass rush will make his day a long one and will lead to multiple interceptions.
Score Prediction: Michigan 27, Penn State 13
The score might not be as lopsided as the result. Michigan will run the ball better. Bryce will take of it better and the clock will run fairly quickly in this as Michigan gets back on track, sort of.
Add us as a preferred source on Google