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Tale Of The Tape: Sizing Up Michigan And Michigan State

Michigan Wolverines football will take on the Michigan State Spartans Saturday afternoon in East Lansing.

Here, we've set the stage for each aspect of the matchup between the Wolverines and Spartans, with a statistical and analytical breakdown, and give our take on who has the advantage in each area.

RELATED: Staff Predictions: Michigan Wolverines Football At Michigan State

RELATED: Answering Nine Key Questions Before Michigan Plays Michigan State

Michigan Wolverines football Hassan Haskins, Michigan State Spartans Kenneth Walker III
Michigan Wolverines football running back Hassan Haskins has 10 touchdowns, while MSU ball-carrier Kenneth Walker III has nine. (USA TODAY Sports Images)
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MICHIGAN'S OFFENSE VS. MICHIGAN STATE'S DEFENSE

General Breakdown: Michigan Offense vs. Michigan State Defense
Category Michigan Michigan State

Points Per Game

37.7 (15th)

ich18.7 (19th)

Total Yards Per Game

442.9 (35th)

406.4 (89th)

FPI Offense / Defense Efficiency Rank

10th

13th

PFF Offense / Defense Rank

17th

10th

Pass Game

Here are some stats and analytics on Michigan's passing offense and Michigan State's pass defense, followed by our analysis.

Pass Game: Michigan Offense vs. Michigan State Defense
Category Michigan Offense Michigan State Defense

Completion Percentage

62.7 (59th)

62.3 (84th)

Yards Per Game

189.6 (104th)

285.4 (121st)

Yards Per Attempt

8.0 (48th)

6.1 (12th)

Touchdowns

7 (105th)

9 (35th)

Interceptions

2 (5th)

6 (58th)

Sacks Per Game

0.4 (2nd)

3.7 (5th)

PFF Ranks
PFF Category Rank

U-M Passers

36th

U-M Receivers

68th

U-M Pass Blocking

34th

MSU Pass Rush

11th

MSU Coverage

23rd

Analysis: Michigan has run to set up the pass all season long, but if the Spartans make redshirt freshman quarterback Cade McNamara throw, there may be opportunities down the field. The Spartans have been susceptible, allowing 285.4 yards per game through the air, but the numbers also say they've held opponents to only 6.1 yards per attempt, 12th in the country.

Michigan's offensive line has held up strong this season, yielding just two sacks when McNamara's been in the game, but this will be a test similar to Wisconsin in terms of pass rush. Michigan State fifth-year senior defensive end Jacub Panasiuk leads the country in pressures, per PFF, and the Spartans are averaging nearly four sacks per game.

Advantage: Slight edge to Michigan State

Run Game

Here are some stats and analytics on Michigan's potent rushing offense and Michigan State's strong run defense, followed by our analysis.

Run Game: Michigan Offense vs. Michigan State Defense
Category Michigan Offense Michigan State Defense

Yards Per Game

253.3 (5th)

119.3 (29th)

Yards Per Carry

5.5 (14th)

3.3 (22nd)

Touchdowns

25 (3rd)

5 (11th)

Tackles For Loss Per Game

2.0 (1st)

6.9 (37th)

PFF Ranks
PFF Category Ranks

U-M Runners

4th

U-M Run Blocking

61st

MSU Run Defense

15th

MSU Tackling

6th

Analysis: Michigan has been a ground-and-pound team this season, relying heavily on the duo of redshirt sophomore running back Hassan Haskins and second-year freshman Blake Corum, who each have 10 touchdowns and have combined for over 1,300 yards.

But again, this Michigan State front is strong, and Spartan head man Mel Tucker may stack the box — even though his unit primarily lines up in nickel personnel (five defensive backs) — in order to make Michigan throw.

The Wolverines have accumulated over 100 yards rushing in every game, and more than 290 yards in four of seven. It'll be paramount to keep that going in a rivalry that is predicated largely on who rushes better.

Advantage: Michigan

MICHIGAN STATE'S OFFENSE VS. MICHIGAN'S DEFENSE

General Breakdown
Category Michigan State Michigan

Points Per Game

34.3 (29th)

14.3 (2nd)

Total Yards Per Game

450.7 (26th)

299.0 (11th)

FPI Offensive / Defensive Efficiency Rank

15th

15th

PFF Rank

16th

3rd

Pass Game

Here are some stats and analytics on Michigan State's pass game and Michigan's pass defense, followed by our take.

Pass Game: Michigan State vs. Michigan Defense
Category Michigan State Offense Michigan Defense

Completion Percentage

61.5 (69th)

54.6 (12th)

Yards Per Game

250.3 (50th)

182.4 (19th)

Yards Per Attempt

9.1 (14th)

6.2 (13th)

Touchdowns

15 (33rd)

9 (35th)

Interceptions

4 (29th)

4 (87th)

Sacks Per Game

1.4 (28th)

2.1 (68th)

PFF Ranks
Category PFF Rank

MSU Passer

25th

MSU Receivers

14th

MSU Pass Blocking

32nd

U-M Pass Rush

6th

U-M Coverage

20th

Analysis: Michigan hasn't been tested yet by a team that has an above average quarterback who does most of his damage with his arm and a group of wide receivers that are known for making plays down field. That will change Saturday, and we'll see how the Wolverines handle it.

Michigan State redshirt sophomore signal-caller Payton Thorne is averaging 20.4 yards per attempt on throws that travel 20-plus yards beyond the line of scrimmage in the air, and junior wideouts Jayden Reed and Jalen Nailor have been on the receiving end much of the time, possessing more speed on the outside than the Maize and Blue have faced.

Michigan's secondary has been solid, ranking 19th nationally in yards allowed through the air per game and yielding just seven passing plays of 30-plus yards, but Michigan State is an explosive offense that has six passing plays that have gone for 50-plus-yard gains.

What will aid Michigan's secondary is a pass rush that has been stellar, going up against a Michigan State offensive line that rotates guys in and out and hasn't been great. While they don't have the sack numbers that Michigan State does, the Wolverines have been pressuring opposing quarterbacks and forcing them to throw it quicker than they'd like. Having that is a defensive backfield's best friend.

Advantage: Michigan State

Run Game

Here are some stats and analytics on Michigan State's rushing game and Michigan's run defense, followed by our analysis.

Run Game: Michigan State Offense vs. Michigan Defense
Category Michigan State Offense Michigan Defense

Yards Per Game

201.0 (32nd)

116.6 (25th)

Yards Per Carry

5.4 (21st)

3.6 (35th)

Touchdowns

12 (65th)

3 (5th)

Tackles For Loss Per Game

5.3 (52nd)

5.0 (99th)

PFF Ranks
Category PFF Rank

MSU Runners

32nd

MSU Run Blocking

18th

U-M Run Defense

1st

U-M Tackling

6th

Analysis: While Michigan State's offensive line has graded out fairly well, junior running back Kenneth Walker III has the country's most yards after contact and is tough to bring down. Michigan's defense has been strong against the run, but has also had some lapses as well, with the most recent and notable being allowing a 75-yard touchdown run last week against Northwestern. They''ll have to be in the right positions in this one, otherwise Walker will make them pay.

At the same time, Walker and the Michigan State run game has been much quieter against defenses ranked 56th or better. He was held to a combined 145 yards and zero touchdowns versus Nebraska and Indiana.

Advantage: Slight edge to Michigan

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