Opponent: No. 21 Michigan Wolverines (7-2, 4-2 Big Ten)
Location: Maryland Stadium, College Park, Maryland
Kickoff: 3:30 p.m. EST, Saturday, Nov. 11
Last week: Maryland lost to Rutgers 31-24, Michigan beat Minnesota 33-10
Odds: -16.5 in favor of Michigan, according to ESPN
Last time these teams met: Michigan won 59-3 in Ann Arbor
TV: Big Ten Network, Brandon Gaudin, Glen Mason and Elise Menaker
Streaming: BTN2Go (Free on campus)
Radio: Johnny Holliday and Tim Strachan, 980 AM (DC) and 105.7 FM (Baltimore)
Student Radio: WMUC Sports, Liam Beatus and Connor Newcomb
Weather Forecast: Sunny, 42 degrees
Three things to watch for Maryland:
DJ Durkin and the coaching staff: After an unexpected loss to Rutgers, Maryland will not be favored for another game as it faces three ranked opponents (Michigan, at Michigan State and Penn State) to finish its season. Maryland fans have seen what this team can do with discipline and the right mentality (wins at Texas and Minnesota), but last week’s loss could shatter the team’s confidence. It’s up to the coaching staff to right the ship.
The offensive line: Rutgers’ pass rush seemed to dominate Maryland’s front five throughout the entire ballgame. With Michigan’s perennial top defense under head coach Jim Harbaugh, the Terps have their work cut out for them on Saturday.
Wide receiver Taivon Jacobs: While teams have caught on that D.J. Moore is really freakin’ good, Jacobs has had plenty of opportunities the last few games. Jacobs has a receiving touchdown in three out of the last four contests, and has 14 receptions in the last three games. He set a season high last week with 97 yards, so keep your eyes on number 12 this week.
Three things to watch from Michigan:
Running back Karan Higdon: Higdon ran all over the Minnesota defense last week, logging 200 yards for the second time this season on 12.5 yards per carry. The back is averaging 150.8 yards per game since Michigan’s first loss of the season against the Spartans, and he won Co-Big Ten offensive player of the week for his rushing efforts. With injuries and question marks regarding who will be under center, Higdon’s role is crucial to the Wolverines offense.
Running back Chris Evans: Evans, not the actor who plays Captain America, had a superhuman performance alongside Higdon last week. He ran for 191 yards on 13 carries, including two 60-plus yard touchdowns. Evans shared the Co-Big Ten offensive player of the week with Higdon for their combined 391 rushing yards. Basically, Maryland needs to account for the run at all times.
Safety Khaleke Hudson: Hudson earned Co-Big Ten defensive player of the week (see a trend?) after recording 15 tackles and three sacks in the Wolverines win over Minnesota. As mentioned earlier, Maryland’s offensive line struggled last week. Hudson had eight tackles for a loss last week. Do you see where I’m going with this?
Here are some scary clips of Hudson from last week:
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— Ty Rogers (@_TyRogers_) November 6, 2017
One of the season’s most ????-popping stat lines deserves recognition.@umichfootball‘s @KhalekeHudson earned it, as Week 10 #B1G co-DPOW. pic.twitter.com/APc3TJwjou
— Michigan On BTN (@MichiganOnBTN) November 6, 2017