Michigan Monday: Game 10 at Penn State
#2 Michigan (9-0) at #9 Penn State (8-1)
Beaver Stadium / State College, Pa.
Saturday, Nov. 11 | Noon
Television: Fox | Radio: Learfield Michigan Sports Network
What You Need to Know
• This will be the fourth time that U-M and PSU meet as top-10 ranked teams (U-M leads 2-1).
• Michigan and Penn State are both ranked in the top 10 in both scoring offense and scoring defense.
• U-M has scored 40+ in five straight Big Ten games.
• QB J.J. McCarthy is second in the NCAA in pass efficiency (188.7 rating).
• RB Blake Corum leads the nation in total TDs and rushing TDs (16).
• Michigan’s defense leads the NCAA in scoring defense, total defense, pass defense and first downs allowed.
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U-M Ranks Top 10 in Scoring Offense and Defense
• The Wolverines head into the Penn State game ranked among the top teams nationally in both scoring offense and scoring defense.
• U-M leads the NCAA in scoring defense, allowing just 6.7 points per game, while listing fifth scoring offense (40.7 avg.)
• Penn State ranks third nationally in scoring defense (11.9 avg.) and sixth in scoring offense (40.2 avg.).
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Wolverines and Nittany Lions
• This will be the 27th meeting between Michigan and Penn State.
• The Wolverines have a 16-10 advantage in the all-time series, with a 9-4 record at Michigan Stadium and a 7-6 mark at Beaver Stadium.
• Michigan has a 7-3 advantage in games decided by seven points or less and has a 2-1 mark in games decided by three or fewer points.
• Coach Jim Harbaugh has a 2-2 record at State College, defeating PSU in 2015 (28-16) and 2021 (21-17) while losing in 2017 (42-13) and 2019 (28-21).
Series vs. PSU: Michigan leads 16-10
Series Streak: Michigan won 2
Last Meeting: 2022 (#5 U-M 41, #10 PSU 17)
Last Michigan Win: 2022
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Another Top 10 Match-Up
• This will be the fourth time that both teams enter the game ranked in the top 10 of the polls.
• The previous two times, both programs were listed in the top 5 of the AP poll.
• Penn State won the first match-up, a 31-24 victory at Michigan Stadium in 1994.
• Michigan claimed victories in the previous two top-10 match-ups, a 34-8 victory at Beaver Stadium during the 1997 national championship season, and a 41-17 win at Michigan Stadium last year.
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Game Notes Nuggets
• The Wolverines have been victorious in 21 straight Big Ten games dating to 2021, the longest streak in program history.
• The Big Ten does not recognize the 2021 or 2022 Big Ten championship games as conference match-ups, so according to the league, U-M is at 19 straight Big Ten wins, tied with Gary Moeller's 1990-92 teams for the longest stretch in Michigan history.
• U-M has won 24 consecutive regular-season games dating to 2021, tied for the fifth-longest streak in Big Ten history.
• U-M has won 21 consecutive games at Michigan Stadium dating back to 2021, the program's longest streak since 1969-73 under Bo Schembechler (28) and tied for the third-longest in program history.
• U-M is one of seven undefeated teams at 9-0 in the FBS, but the only one to win each of its games by 20-plus points.
• Purdue was the first team to surpass the 10-point mark against the Wolverines, ending a streak of eight straight opponents held at or under 10 points to begin a season. Michigan was the first team in the A.P. era (since 1936) to hold that mark defensively while scoring at least 30 points in every contest.
• After scoring 45 points at Nebraska, 52 points at Minnesota and against Indiana, 49 at Michigan State, and 41 against Purdue, the Wolverines have extended their program record for 40-plus-point outings in Big Ten games to five.
• The streak of 40-plus points in five straight Big Ten contests is tied with streaks set by Ohio State's 2013 and 2022 teams for the longest streak by a conference team in the AP era (since 1936).
• U-M's streak of scoring 30-plus points has hit 12 straight games, the longest in program history. The 1976 squad (eight straight games) previously held the record.
• Michigan scored 20 or more points in the first half for the fifth consecutive game. The Wolverines have hit that mark in seven of nine games this season.
• The team's five-game scoring total (239 points) is the highest total over any single-season five-game stretch since the 1904 team scored 400 points in games three through seven.
• The Wolverines are averaging a scoring margin of +34.0 across their nine wins this season, the best figure in the country and the only rate above +27 points per game. Only five other teams have an average margin of +20 points per game.
• Michigan is one of four teams to rank in the top 10 in both scoring offense (fifth, 40.7 points per game) and scoring defense (first, 6.7 points per game allowed). Penn State (third, defense; sixth, offense), Georgia (sixth, defense; 10th, offense), and SMU (tied-ninth, defense; seventh, offense) are the other three.
• U-M has posted 400-plus yards of total offensive yards against every Big Ten opponent, and in eight of nine games overall this season. The Wolverines lead the league in total offense (424.2 yards per game).
• U-M's 0.639 points per play on offense is the best rate in the Big Ten (next: Penn State, 0.497) and third overall (USC, Washington). The Wolverine defense allows 0.117 points per play against, the lowest rate in the nation. U-M's rate of 0.4 punts per score is tied for the third-lowest rate nationally (Washington) and leads the Big Ten (LSU, Georgia, 0.3).
• Michigan dominates on third down, ranking second nationally in conversion rate on offense (55.6 percent) while holding opponents to the second-lowest conversion rate against (29.4 percent). Purdue was 1-of-14 on third down last weekend.
• Ten (10) players have made their first starts as Wolverines this season, including four on offense (AJ Barner, LaDarius Henderson, Myles Hinton, Drake Nugent) and six on defense (Rayshaun Benny, Kenneth Grant, Keshaun Harris, Quinten Johnson, Keon Sabb, Josh Wallace).
• Michigan holds top-10 PFF grades and ranks in 10 of 13 major team categories Full list: overall team, No. 1 (97.0), offense, No. 1 (93.4), passing, No. 5 (90.5), receiving, No. 1 (90.1), run-blocking, No. 5 (77.3), defense, No. 1 (95.1), run defense, No. 5 (92.2), tackling, No. 1 (92.0), pass rush, No. 3 (90.1), and pass coverage, No. 3 (92.6).
• In J.J. McCarthy's 22 career starts, U-M is 21-1. In that span, the offense has registered 208 drives in which the quarterback starts and finishes the possession (excludes kneel-downs). The Wolverines have points on 127 of those drives (61.0 percent) with 95 touchdowns (45.6 percent of all drives) and 32 field goals.
• Through nine games in 2023, McCarthy has completed 156-of-206 pass attempts for a completion percentage of 75.7, third-best in the country (Bo Nix, Oregon, 78.3). His completion rate is paired with an average depth of target (ADOT) of 10.6 yards downfield, whereas Nix's is 6.9.
• In the red zone, the Wolverines have 35 touchdowns in 40 scoring conversions (out of 45 opportunities). McCarthy has as many red-zone touchdowns as incompletions (nine) and all 16 of Corum's rushing scores have come from the 10-yard line or closer.
• McCarthy has been particularly effective on third down, completing 33-of-44 pass attempts (75 percent) for 545 yards with a 209.4 passer rating. In situations of 3rd-and-7-plus yards, McCarthy is 22-of-29 (75.9 percent) for 279 yards with 21 first downs or touchdowns (four).
• This season, his 13.2 yards per attempt on play-action is fifth in the nation (minimum 30 attempts). He is 41-of-49 (83.7 percent) on play-action concepts with five touchdowns.
• Among players with at least 20 career touchdown passes, McCarthy has the best touchdown-to-interception ratio in Michigan history (45:10 / 4.5:1), over Drew Henson (3.43:1), Cade McNamara, and Shea Patterson (3.0:1).
• McCarthy is the program's career leader in yards per play (8.25) and ranks fourth in touchdown percentage as a passer (7.6).
• McCarthy (5,369 career pass yards) passed Tom Brady (5,351) for ninth all-time at Michigan and is now positioned to pass his head coach (5,449 yards) for eighth on the list.
• He also sits tied for sixth in all-time touchdown passes (45) with Shea Patterson. Rick Leach (48) and Denard Robinson (49) are fifth and fourth on the list, respectively.
• With 18 passing scores this season, McCarthy ranks third in the Big Ten and lists 21st in the nation. He also ranks second in the nation in pass efficiency (188.7) and third in yards per attempt (10.36), in addition to completion percentage (75.7). He is ESPN's No. 2 quarterback in total QBR (92.8) and PFF's No. 2-graded quarterback (92.5).
• McCarthy is averaging 252.3 yards of total offense per game in 2023 despite only nine fourth-quarter pass attempts on the season. Running back Blake Corum is the national leader with 16 rushing touchdowns despite just six fourth-quarter rushes on the year.
• Corum ranks ninth all-time in rushing with 3,141 yards after passing Billy Taylor (3,072) against MSU. He is 176 yards shy of Rob Lytle (3,317 yards) for eighth place.
• Corum is tied for second on the career rushing touchdowns list with Tyrone Wheatley (47); only Anthony Thomas (55) has more.
• Donovan Edwards ranks eighth among running backs in all-time receptions (62), two shy of Gerald White for seventh. Edwards is fourth in receiving yards by a running back with 690, 120 shy of the career record held by Anthony Thomas (810).
• Corum is the national leader in rushing touchdowns (16) while wide receiver Roman Wilson is tied for fourth in receiving touchdowns (10). Corum also leads the nation in total points scored (96).
• Wilson set career highs with nine catches and 143 yards against Purdue last weekend. He leads the team with 12 plays of 20-plus yards.
• Wilson's 10 receiving touchdowns are the most by a Wolverine pass catcher in the Harbaugh era (previously, Jehu Chesson, nine, 2015). Wilson's 10 scores are the most by a Michigan wideout since Mario Manningham had 12 in 2007 and the most through eight games since Desmond Howard's Heisman Trophy-winning season in 1991 (17 through eight games).
• For his career, Wilson is up to 18 receiving touchdowns (plus two rushing), tied with Amani Toomer (18) for eighth-most all-time. Tai Streets (19) and Derrick Alexander (22) are next on the list.
• Twenty (20) of Cornelius Johnson's 26 offensive touches have been a touchdown or first down.
• Three Wolverine pass catchers are among the Big Ten's leaders in yards per route run (minimum 16 targets): Wilson (3.20) ranks 17th in the country and second in the conference, Colston Loveland (2.67) ranks 48th among all pass catchers and second among tight ends nationally, third in the league among all pass catchers. Johnson (2.08) and Edwards (2.03) give U-M three positions (receiver, tight end, running back) with at least one player at or above 2.00 yards per route run. Michigan and Bowling Green are the only such teams.
• Loveland has at least one catch in every game this year with 27 catches for 419 yards and four touchdowns, ranking second on the team in each category. He has built on his freshman season totals (16 for 235, two touchdowns) and is up to six touchdowns for his career. One more will tie him with Luke Schoonmaker (seven) for the 10th-most in a career by a U-M tight end and make him one of eight U-M tight ends with at least five in a season.
• Wilson (12 receiving), Loveland (nine receiving), Johnson (nine receiving, one rushing), and Semaj Morgan (three receiving, one rushing, four returns) have combined for 39 explosive plays (20-plus yards). Six Wolverines have five or more explosive plays overall.
• Michigan's offensive line has allowed only 11 sacks on the season (1.2 per game), the 18th-fewest nationally. With that unit as the engine, U-M permits the third-fewest negative plays per game (3.22) of any team in the country.
• The Wolverine defense ranks among the nation's best in rushing defense (90.1 yards per game, ninth), fourth down conversion rate against (26.3, seventh), passes intercepted (12, seventh), pass efficiency defense (95.56, second), and leads the nation in the following categories: total defense (231.4 yards per game), pass yards allowed (141.3 per game), first downs allowed (11.3 per game), defensive touchdowns (tied; four), red zone defense (45.5 percent), and scoring defense (6.7 points per game).
• U-M has allowed 60 points across nine games for an NCAA-leading 6.7 points allowed per game, the lowest average scoring against through nine weeks since 1985 (5.67). Opponents are averaging 0.117 points per play and 0.618 points per possession against U-M (12 scores, 60 points on 97 possessions).
• The defense has held opponents to one series (four plays) or fewer on 46.9 percent (46-of-98) possessions against with 36 three-and-outs/turnovers on downs, and 10 turnovers forced in the first three plays of drives. U-M has at least one three-and-out forced in each half this season.
• On the season, U-M has allowed 102 first downs, an average of 11.3 per game which is the lowest rate nationally and the only mark under 14.0. On average, teams reach a first down by passing 5.7 times per game, the lowest rate in the country and the only mark below 7.0.
• Opponents average 1.0 red zone trips per game against the Wolverines, the fewest in the country and one of three rates under 2.0 per game (Air Force, 1.8; Louisville, 1.9).
• No opponent has scored more than one touchdown against the U-M defense. All six touchdowns U-M has allowed this year have been on explosive plays: a 20-yard rush by UNLV, a 69-yard pass by Rutgers, a 74-yard rush by Nebraska, a 35-yard pass by Minnesota, a 44-yard pass by Indiana, and a 24-yard pass by Purdue. No team has run a play inside Michigan's 10-yard line this year.
• The Wolverines have four interceptions returned for touchdowns this season (Mike Sainristil, Will Johnson, Keon Sabb), tied for the program record set in 1998 and matched in 2018. On the season, U-M has allowed four passing touchdowns to 12 interceptions, and the Wolverines average 26.6 yards per interception return.
• Sainristil is tied for the all-time lead in career interceptions returned for a touchdown with his two this season, as well as the single-season mark. His 158 return yards are ninth. Reaching 175 return yards would take him to fifth.
• In total, Michigan has forced 15 turnovers (12 interceptions, three fumble recoveries) and lost six turnovers with at least one interception-for in seven straight games since W. Johnson returned to the starting lineup.
• U-M is dominant out of the locker room. Opponents have accumulated 15 total first downs in nine third quarters played. No team has reached 75 yards of offense in the quarter and four teams have been held under 15 yards of total offense.
• PFF gives Michigan front-seven defenders eight of the top 30 grades for run defense in the Big Ten: Mason Graham, fourth; Kris Jenkins, tied-sixth; Braiden McGregor, 11th; Josaiah Stewart, 15th; Can Goode, 17th; Derrick Moore, 18th; Michael Barrett, 26th; TJ Guy, 30th.
• The 13.1 completions per game U-M's pass defense is permitting are the fewest in the country.
• The FBS-leading 2.7 points per half that U-M is allowing across second halves so far this season are nearly 3.0 points less than the next-closest Big Ten team (Penn State, 5.6).
• Twenty-two (22) different players have at least a share of a tackle for loss on the season. Thirteen (13) different players have recorded at least a share of a sack so far this season, led by Stewart (4.5).
• Stewart rates third nationally in pass-rush win rate (24.7 percent) and leads the Big Ten. Jaylen Harrell (20.6) is 12th nationally and third in the league and Moore (28th, sixth, 18.2) and McGregor (45th, 11th, 16.8) give U-M nearly a quarter of the league's top pass-rushers.
• Punter Tommy Doman is averaging 4.36 seconds of hangtime per attempt, the second-best average of any punter in the country (minimum one punt per game), and the best in the Big Ten. U-M's net punting (42.87 yards per attempt) ranks ninth nationally.
• All four of Doman's punts against Purdue pinned the Boilermakers inside their own 20-yard line, landing at the 12-, 10-, 5-, and 3-yard lines. The last time a Michigan punter delivered four kicks inside the 20 was Brad Robbins in 2020 against Indiana. On the season, Doman has had 13 of his 23 punts fair caught and only four returned.
• The Wolverines are also among the best kickoff return defense units in the country, allowing 13.6 yards per return attempt (fourth, NCAA). Doman has delivered 45 touchbacks on 64 kickoffs this season (70.3 percent).
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