UM faces unbeaten Maryland

AP picture

Michigan operating again Blake Corum (2) runs for an 11-yard landing towards Connecticut in Ann Arbor, Saturday.

ANN ARBOR, Mich. (AP) — After one of many best non-conference schedules in class historical past, No. 4 Michigan will begin the Huge Ten season towards unbeaten Maryland on Saturday in what figures to be a sterner check.

The Wolverines opened the yr by beating Colorado State, Hawaii and Connecticut by a mean of 49.7 factors.

“Our guys are able to assault the subsequent problem,” coach Jim Harbaugh stated. “They know it’s going to be a step up in competitors if you begin Huge Ten play, however our momentum is absolutely good proper now.”

Maryland did sufficient to beat Buffalo, Charlotte and SMU in non-conference play, however there are already some warning indicators for Mike Locksley’s staff. The Terrapins have allowed 661 passing yards and 6 touchdowns within the final two video games, they usually dedicated 15 penalties for 141 yards in final weekend’s 34-27 win over the Mustangs.

“I performed the video and allow them to see what folks considered our program,” Locksley stated. “As a father or mother, you ship your child to high school they usually have a basis of the way you raised them. Typically they don’t act in character.

“I feel those that have youngsters perceive what it’s wish to have them exit on the sector and possibly play exterior of what you’ve educated them to do,” he stated.

PASSING ATTACK?

J.J. McCarthy received Michigan’s beginning quarterback job from Cade McNamara, however he hasn’t had a lot to do. He’s solely thrown 34 passes in three video games – finishing 30 – as a result of Michigan’s dashing recreation has been so dominant.

Harbaugh has pulled his starters, his backups and his third-stringers within the blowout wins — 14 gamers have already carried the ball — however the Wolverines have rushed for 694 yards and 15 touchdowns in three video games. Blake Corum has scored seven occasions on 34 carries and is averaging 6.9 yards per rush.

BEEN A WHILE

Maryland hasn’t crushed Michigan because the Terps received on the Huge Home in 2014. The Wolverines had been in turmoil of their closing season underneath Brady Hoke earlier than Harbaugh was employed. Locksley was an assistant at Maryland then.

“I don’t keep in mind rather a lot about that recreation,” Locksley stated. “I do know that any time you’ll be able to go to a spot like Michigan and are available away with a win, it’s a must to give credit score to the staff that we had in 2014. However there’s no one on that staff left on this locker room.”

GOOD STARTS

Michigan is 50-4 in Huge Ten openers since 1968 and 6-1 underneath Harbaugh. Three of the 4 losses got here at Wisconsin, together with Harbaugh’s solely loss – a 35-14 defeat in 2019 – with the opposite coming at dwelling towards Minnesota in Hoke’s closing season in 2014.

The Wolverines solely have a shedding file towards one opponent in convention openers: Michigan State. The Spartans have a 9-4-2 edge of their 15 conferences, although Michigan has solely began convention play towards them as soon as since 1969, a 29-17 win in 1998.

LUCKY TO ESCAPE

Maryland allowed SMU to place up 520 yards of offense – plus the 141 yards in penalties – and had been solely inside 27-20 going into the fourth quarter as a result of Collin Rogers missed a 49-yard area purpose.

Nonetheless, the Terrapins scored a pair of touchdowns, intercepted a Tanner Mordecai go and received a late cease on fourth down at their 9 to clinch the victory.