Bell, Collins Can Become Best Statistical Receiving Duo Of The Harbaugh Era

Heading into 2019, juniors Nico Collins and Donovan Peoples-Jones, and redshirt sophomore Tarik Black were expected to make most of the headlines in the passing game for the Michigan Wolverines' football team.

Sophomore wideout Ronnie Bell was certainly thought to be a factor as well, but wasn't expected to (yet) be on the same level as the aforementioned trio.

Bell has instead flipped that script on its head, with his 705 receiving yards leading the team at regular-season's end.

Collins has been incredibly productive as well this year, with his seven touchdown grabs leading the club and his 681 yards checking in second to Bell.

Peoples-Jones and Black, meanwhile, haven't had the seasons that were expected of them, hauling in just 404 and 323 yards, respectively.

The group of Wolverine pass catchers will all have one more game to help U-M grab a bowl win, and to continue the torrid pace Michigan's passing attack has been on since the Nov. 16 win over Michigan State.

U-M's offense has averaged 351.6 passing yards per game over its last three affairs, and big showings from Bell and/or Collins in the bowl game could easily make them the best statistical receiving tandem head coach Jim Harbaugh has had during his time in Ann Arbor (since 2015).

The duo currently has 1,386 yards in 2019, and needs just 105 in the bowl game to surpass the 1,491 that receivers Jehu Chesson and Amara Darboh compiled in 2015.

Michigan's top Statistical Receiving Tandems Since 2009

* — Still in progress

Year	Leading Receivers — Yards	Combined Yards

2019*	Ronnie Bell — 705 Nico Collins — 681	1,386
2018	Nico Collins — 632 Donovan Peoples-Jones — 612	1,244
2017	Grant Perry — 307 Zach Gentry — 303	610
2016	Amara Darboh — 862 Jake Butt — 546	1,408
2015	Jehu Chesson — 764 Amara Darboh — 727	1,491
2014	Devin Funchess — 733 Amara Darboh — 473	1,206
2013	Jeremy Gallon — 1,373 Devin Funchess — 748	2,121
2012	Jeremy Gallon — 829 Roy Roundtree — 580	1,409
2011	Junior Hemingway — 699 Roy Roundtree — 453	1,152
2010	Roy Roundtree — 935 Darryl Stonum — 633	1,568
2009	Roy Roundtree — 434 Greg Mathews — 352	786

Bell and Collins only need a combined 22 yards in the bowl game to surpass the 1,408 that Darboh and tight end Jake Butt combined for in 2016.

Though a bit more daunting, this year's tandem will also have a chance to move into third place on U-M's best statistical receiving duos of the last decade if they're able to haul in 182 yards in the postseason showdown, which would overtake the 1,568 combined yards that Roy Roundtree and Darryl Stonum racked up in 2010.

Topping the 2,121 yards that Jeremy Gallon and Devin Funchess combined for in 2013 is likely out of reach, however (Collins and Bell would need 735 yards in the bowl game).

The '13 tandem was able to post such lofty numbers thanks in large part to Gallon breaking two school records that year — most receiving yards in a game (369 against Indiana) and most receiving yards in a season (1,373).

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