Much has been made about Michigan's 17-game losing streak to ranked opponents on the road, a stretch that dates all the way back to 2006 (a victory at No. 2 Notre Dame that year was the last triumph).
However, U-M has fared incredibly well against unranked foes on the road during the Jim Harbaugh era, going 9-2. He is 9-6 in all his road games at U-M.
Northwestern comes into Saturday's contest with a 1-2 record and is nowhere near the AP top 25, and the Wolverines will look to continue their success over inferior opponents in their home stadium.
It should be noted that the two losses (at Utah in 2015 and at Iowa in 2016) came by a total of eight points, with the former coming at the hands of a Utes team that wound up going 10-3.
Four of those nine victories occurred against bowl opponents — Minnesota, Indiana and Penn State in 2015, and Purdue in 2017. In addition, two of those four came by double digits — a 28-16 victory at Penn State in 2015 and a 28-10 triumph at Purdue last year.
Five of the nine wins on the table above have been by 10 or more points — 28-0 at Maryland in 2015, 28-16 at Penn State in 2015, 78-0 at Rutgers in 2016, 28-10 at Purdue in 2017 and 35-10 at Maryland in 2-17.
Here is a quick look at what Michigan did on the road against unranked teams in the two years prior to Harbaugh's arrival in Ann Arbor:
The Wolverines went just 3-3 from 2013-14 against unranked opponents on the road.
Although all three setbacks were narrow defeats, the victories, on the other hand, did not come in convincing fashion.
Michigan won the three affairs by a total of 12 points, or an average of four points per contest.
At 1-2, the Wildcats fill the bill perfectly as a club that Harbaugh's crew should handle (if the last three years are any indication) this weekend, something that couldn't be said during the Brady Hoke era.
By The Numbers: Michigan at Northwestern
3rd Is where Michigan ranks nationally in total defense, yielding just 240.3 yards per game. The Wolverines finished third last season as well, surrendering 271 per contest.
4 Runs of 40 yards or more this season for senior running back Karan Higdon, which is the second most in all of college football (behind Memphis running back Darrell Henderson's six). Higdon had four such runs all of last year. As a team, U-M is tied for sixth nationally with four such ground gains.
7.9 Yards per carry for Higdon in 2018, which is second best in the Big Ten (behind Maryland redshirt freshman running back Anthony McFarland's 10.7). His 121.3 yards per game, meanwhile, stands as the third-highest mark in the league.
9 Touchdown passes U-M has tossed this season — seven by junior quarterback Shea Patterson and two by redshirt freshman Dylan McCaffrey. U-M threw nine in 13 games last year.
10-9 Was the final score of Michigan's last trip to Evanston on Nov. 8, 2014. The score was 0-0 at halftime, and the Wildcats went for a potential game-winning two-point conversion with just three seconds left that failed.
32 Of the last 36 matchups between the two schools have been won by the Wolverines. Against Northwestern, U-M boasts a 57-15-2 all-time advantage and a 22-7 mark in Evanston.
38-0 Was the final score the last time the two programs met, on Oct. 10, 2015, inside The Big House. Northwestern was ranked No. 13 nationally at the time, and the shutout was the third of three consecutive for the Maize and Blue (a 31-0 domination of BYU and a 28-0 shellacking of Maryland preceded it).
60 Degrees for a projected high on Saturday in Evanston, with nothing but sunshine. The late September weather is finally starting to bring in autumn temperatures.
66.3 Completion percentage Northwestern's defense is allowing to opposing passers, which ranks 121st nationally. On the flip side, U-M signal-callers are completing 67 percent of their throws this year, which is the 26th-best mark in college football.
346 Rushing yards this year for Northwestern redshirt sophomore running back Jeremy Larkin, who retired from football on Monday due to a medical condition. The Wildcats' next-leading rusher is redshirt junior running back John Moten, with 21 yards.
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