Winning cures all and Michigan football really needs a win over Penn State.
After entering the bye week at 3-2, the Wolverines need to find the win column. They are one of six winless teams in the Big Ten.
Without a couple of special teams gaffes, as well as a terrible game by the offense against Minnesota, one of the worst offensive performances I can remember, the Wolverines would be 5-0.
Michigan football is good enough to be 5-0. None of that matters, though. As Bill Parcells said a long time ago, you are what you're record is. The Wolverines are a 3-2 team. Penn State is 3-3 after a third consecutive loss. USC handed the Nittany Lions a 31-24 loss on Saturday.
Kyle Whittingham has come under fire after a slow start. The odds favor a Michigan football victory and here's a look at the early line for Michigan vs. Penn State.
The Wolverines are a 5.5-point favorite for the Week 7 matchup. The over/under is 43.5 points, while the moneyline is +184 for Penn State and -225 for Michigan.
Kyle Whittingham needs to earn some goodwill
The first-year Michigan football head coach has been struggling to do more with more. Matt Campbell is having the same problem at Penn State, although, he took a huge chunk of the Iowa State roster, which now feels like a mistake. Iowa State isn't Penn State. The Big 12 isn't the Big Ten.
That's something both head coaches need to learn. Michigan football fans have to hope that Whittingham learns that lesson quicker. Hopefully, his offensive coordinator, Jason Beck, learned that his Rhino package is a disaster during the bye, or at least that the way he is using it is a disaster.
The Rhino is small doses is fine. It shouldn't be the base formation.
Bryce Underwood will be the big storyline. He can quiet the critics with a solid game against Penn State. If Underwood plays like he did against Iowa, Michigan should win.
It's hard to see Penn State moving the ball. Michigan will have had two weeks to sort out the running game, get the offensive line healthy, and build a game plan that can work with Bryce Underwood.
Underwood isn't perfect. He struggles under pressure. But there is enough there that Michigan shouldn't be ranked outside the top 100 in any offensive category, particuarly rushing.
Penn State should be the start of the turnaround. At the very least, 4-2 sounds much better than 3-3.
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