Three Bold Predictions for Michigan football Against Alabama

3. JJ McCarthy has 75+ Rush Yards (Not Including Sacks)

Michigan has been very hesitant to use the legs of JJ McCarthy, yet they've shown that they're willing to with the chips on the table. It makes sense - why would you risk a McCarthy injury against a Minnesota or Rutgers? You wouldn't. Against Penn State, however, we saw a different story.

Sherrone Moore dialed up a number of runs for JJ McCarthy against the Nittany Lions, and it sparked the offense. McCarthy was very successful as a runner. In that game, McCarthy got very banged up, which explains why he didn't run much against Ohio State. With a month of rest and a win or go home game, McCarthy's legs will be used.

Other teams, notably Auburn and LSU, found lots of success running the quarterback. While McCarthy isn't as mobile as Jayden Daniels of LSU, he is definitely more athletic than Auburn's Payton Thorne. The quarterback run allows for the entire rushing attack to open up and will be crucial for Michigan football.

I expect the Wolverines to run a handful of read options and designed runs for McCarthy. He'll also use his legs as a scrambler and likely hit some big runs. The legs of JJ McCarthy are a huge X-Factor, and they need to be utilized against the Tide.