The best game of the week will be played in Ann Arbor as the #18 Michigan Wolverines host the #13 Northwestern Wildcats. Both teams are coming in boasting nationally ranked defenses after winning their first conference games. UM is looking to be relevant again in the national picture during the first season under new head coach Jim Harbaugh. Northwestern is out to be world beaters at head coach Pat Fitzgerald has his alma mater playing better than ever.
Fitz is Doing it Again
Don’t look now but the Northwestern Wildcats are 5-0. While you are probably not be paying attention to these brainy ballers from Evanston, Illinois; now might be the time to jump on the bandwagon.
For head coach Pat Fitzgerald, this is not the first time his teams have surprised folks.
Fitzgerald was a mere 31 years of age when he took over as head coach for Northwestern football. Just like during his playing career, Fitzgerald (better known at “Fitz” during those days) never backs down from a challenge. He was a hard hitting linebacker for the same Wildcats during the mid-90s where he won the Big 10 Defensive Player of the year twice. It’s not easy to win at a D-I school where academic standards are as high as they are at Northwestern. Not too mention the suburban campus and small football stadium. Plenty of top recruits pass over the school just north of Chicago for easier admissions and bigger stadiums.
But Fitzgerald has found some success on the field. His 2008 squad was 9-4 and earned a trip to the Alamo Bowl. While his best season thus far was in 2012, when the Wildcats finished 10-3 and won the Gator Bowl. In between, Fitzgerald has managed some crafty wins when least expected against bigger and ranked opponents. Once again, his team is turning heads and they’re doing it by playing like the coach — defensively.
The Wildcats opened their season by shocking the visiting Stanford Cardinals 16-6. Then Eastern Illinois travelled up the interstate for a 41-0 beating. Next up, Northwestern went to Duke and came out with a 19-10 victory. Ball State was the next on the victim list falling 24-19 at Evanston. Then they opened Big 10 conference play making a statement against Minnesota by blanking them 27-0.
Even to the casual observer there is a clear pattern; Northwestern wins with tough defense. Against Minnesota last week, the Wildcats defense yielded only 173 yards of total offense. They forced the Golden Gophers into two turnovers and seven punts. Even when Minnesota was desperate, going for it on fourth down four times, the Wildcats defense was stout not allowing a fourth down conversion.
The defensive showing against Minnesota was just the latest in a series of dominant performances. It started in the first week when Fitzgerald’s guys confused and frustrated Stanford’s senior quarterback. Kevin Hogan was only able to muster 155 yards passing with an interception. As an example of Hogan’s talent, he threw for over 350 yards and 3 touchdowns the following week against UCF.
Against Eastern Illinois in week two, the Northwestern defense stood their ground again holding their opponent to 138 yards of total offense while forcing an 0-11 result on third down conversion. While EIU isn’t competing for a national title this year, they are an FCS opponent and not just some cupcake to beat up on.
Some are even calling it the “best defense in the nation.”
Before you roll your eyes, know this … the numbers back it up. Northwestern has the #1 scoring defense in the nation. They have the 7th best passing defense and the 5th best overall.
Interesting Tidbit: Northwestern’s running attack is overlooked by many observers. But the Wildcats rank 14th in the nation averaging 248.8 rushing yards per game.
Many coaches will tell you the best way to beat a big opponent on the road is with a stout defense. Northwestern will need 11 guys on defense to stand tall if they’re going to upset the Wolverines.
Michigan Got Their Man
It was an offseason to remember for the folks in Ann Arbor. After suffering through nearly a decade of disappointment during the Rich Rodriguez and Brady Hoke years, Michigan finally got their man. In a what amounted to a perfect recipe of opportunity, hard lobbying, and even harder cash, the Wolverines brought home their favorite son — Jim Harbaugh.
Coming back to the place he grew up in (literally, his dad was an assistant coach at UM), Harbaugh inherited a program that lacked identity. Worse yet, the Blue faithful were starved for winning. With all due respect to Gary Moeller and Lloyd Carr, there hasn’t been a man on the sidelines to get the faithful this excited since Bo Schembechler. The Big House casts a big shadow but it’s one Harbaugh likely to relish.
His inaugural season didn’t start too well as the Wolverines dropped their first contest against Utah. It was a close game, 24-17, and Utah has gone on to become a potential contender (currently ranked #5). But that’s not what’s quieted the early critics and second guessers. Since losing at Salt Lake City, the Wolverines have won their last four games by a combined score of 122 to 14.
Yeah … that’s Michigan football.
Much like he did with the NFL’s San Francisco 49ers, Harbaugh’s team is winning with a tough, physical defense. They currently rank as the #2 scoring defense in the nation (behind Northwestern) and have pitched back to back shutouts. Michigan is historically known for producing talented defensive players. The only defensive player to win the Heisman was Wolverine defensive back Charles Woodson in 1997. So watching the gold and blue dominate on that side of the football has to be taking a lot of the faithful down memory lane to a time when UM was the top of the class of the Big 10. And as the song says, it just might be that the good old days are back again.
Here’s an interesting tidbit: The last time Michigan had a four game stretch of allowing 7 points of fewer was 1985. Their starting quarterback? Jim Harbaugh.
One of the leaders of the current Wolverines defense is senior linebacker Desmond Morgan. He recently spoke with Go Blue to share some thoughts on his new head coach.
“I’m a big fan of the speech he gives to us on the night before each game. It’s before we watch the movie, and it’s something philosophical in nature or something that’s on his mind. I always get a kick out of them. The way he explains it or it comes out is always pretty comical. Sometimes it’s hard to read where his head’s at or where he’s going with things. But the next morning, I always say, ‘There’s a pretty good message in there.'”
Whatever Harbaugh is saying before, during, and after games is working so far. No doubt he’ll have some more big words for his boys before Saturday’s game with Northwestern.
Why Northwestern Will Win
If neither team reaches 20 points, I like Northwestern. If Fitzgerald’s team can really make this one an old fashioned, ugly slugfest, they’ve got a real chance. I don’t like Michigan’s chances if they are tied or trailing in a low scoring game late. There’s a point where 100,000 people cheering for you becomes more pressure than encouragement. Forget that Northwestern is undefeated, the Blue faithful are not going to expect this to be close. So the Wildcats hang in there going into the fourth, this one will be theirs for the taking.
Why Michigan Will Win
Before the season started, I don’t suspect Coach Harbaugh and his staff circled this one and said, “yeah, that’s a big game for us.” And yet, here we are. This IS a big game for Michigan. And for Harbaugh. You can’t let a conference opponent, who is trying to play the same game you are, come in and beat you. You have to defend your turf. You have to protect your house.
Michigan has more talent on the offensive side of the ball, especially at the skill positions. I know, Jake Rudock doesn’t exactly bring back memories of Tom Brady or Brian Griese, but he’s good enough to get the Wolverines through a weak conference. If he can manage the game without committing turnovers (he has 6 INTs on the year) then Michigan should be in good shape. If Rudock starts giving the ball to the Wildcats, well … see above.
Conclusion
There may not be another game this season with harder hits and tougher trench fights than this one. I wouldn’t trade places with a member of either team’s O-Line for anything. Ultimately, the defenses may play to a draw with the game coming down to which offense doesn’t make mistakes. For the Big 10, this might be the signature game of the year.
The BOLD Prediction
In the end, the Big House is too much for the Wildcats — Michigan 21, Northwestern 10