What They're Saying Leading Up To Michigan's Matchup With Northern Illinois
Coming off a big 31-10 win over Washington, Michigan Wolverines football (2-0) is set to host Northern Illinois (1-1) Saturday afternoon at the Big House (noon ET), looking to sweep the non-conference season for the fourth time in its last six tries.
Here is a look around the country at what they're saying in the lead up to the contest.
RELATED: INSIDE THE FORT: Football Intel, And A Juwan Howard Anecdote
RELATED: Previewing Michigan vs. Northern Illinois With A Huskie Insider
• John Borton, The Wolverine: Wolverine Watch: A Rocky Afternoon Stands Dead Ahead
U-M’s cornerbacks aren’t the same players they were a year ago, having taken additional classes at SOHK (School Of Hard Knocks). They’re getting put in position to succeed differently this year, under new defensive coordinator Mike Macdonald. And obviously, Northern Illinois University doesn’t possess the resources of a Michigan State.
Not that the Huskies are predestined as the next set of dead dogs inside The Big House. They pulled a stunner of an opening-week win, wrecking Georgia Tech in a 22-21 eye-opener in Atlanta.
They lost last week at home against Wyoming, but still put 43 points on the board. So it’s not like Lombardi lost his lob.
He threw for 323 yards and three touchdowns on only 17 completions against Michigan a year ago. He’s racked up 369 yards passing in two games this year, with three TDs and three picks.
Can he find another pot of gold at the end of a few more rainbows? Not likely, in the judgment of a witness to last season’s carnage.
Michigan radio sideline reporter Doug Karsch saw it all. Not surprisingly, he sees this one differently.
“I can’t imagine that would be the case, given what Macdonald has said about the way he wants to play defense, which is adapting to the opponent,” Karsch said, when asked if Lombardi could bomb his way by Michigan again.
Along came Mike “No Capital D” Macdonald, who was 17 when Michigan won its last Big Ten title and I’m not making that up. Macdonald’s first major test was supposed to be last week, but Washington inexplicably ordered its running backs to charge directly into Michigan’s defensive line while yelling “here I come!”
A much bigger test comes Saturday against Northern Illinois quarterback Rocky Lombardi, who heaved random jump balls over Michigan’s gasping defensive backs in Michigan State’s 27-24 shocker last year. It was savvy over stubborn, Rocky over Bullwinkle, and it led to Don Brown’s banishment to Arizona.
In Spartan lore, once you beat Michigan, there’s nothing left to accomplish. So Lombardi headed to Northern Illinois, and there’s a decent chance these Huskies will be better prepared than the other Huskies. I assume they have game tape in DeKalb, Ill., and they had to notice Harbaugh is enamored with his ground game. No problem there, as the Wolverines rush for 300 yards and break tackles without breaking a sweat. The problem is, how will they adjust when Northern Illinois tries to get away with 13 defenders in the box and no defensive backs?
Harbaugh rightly noted there are many ways to travel, such as General George Patton’s ground game, or astronaut Neil Armstrong’s aerial attack, or as some Michigan observers recall, by stagecoach. At the moment, the Wolverines are happy to travel in a 1974 Winnebago and will do so until they find a damn rest stop.
• Pat Forde, Sports Illustrated: Forde-Yard Dash: Gauging Michigan and 10 Other Intriguing 2–0 Teams
Who the Wolverines have beaten: Western Michigan, Washington. Average margin of victory: 27 points. America absolutely cannot wait to get excited about blueblood programs whenever they show the slightest hint of promise, and Michigan is one of them. But with the Wolverines, talk is cheaper than Jim Harbaugh’s Walmart khakis. Take it from running back Blake Corum, who said this after beating the Huskies: “We're going to remain humble because we really haven't done anything yet.”
Washington is winless and lost to FCS Montana. Western Michigan defeated FCS Illinois State. We go down this road annually with the Wolverines, and there is annual disappointment lurking out there, waiting for them.
That said: This is the first time since 2017 that Michigan didn’t appear obviously flawed two games into the season. (There was the upset loss to Michigan State last year, the narrow escape over Army in 2019, the opening loss to Notre Dame in 2018.) So the Wolverines have made it at least one week farther than that. The coaching staff changes seem to be working well. Corum gives the offense some juice. Defensive end Aidan Hutchinson is a beast. We’ll see about the long-term viability of the passing game, especially after the season-ending injury to Ronnie Bell.
When we will know more: Rutgers (also on this list) visits Sept. 25, and then Michigan goes to Wisconsin. The Badgers have embarrassed the Wolverines two years in a row and won three of the last four.
Bill Connelly: Time to put faith in ... Michigan? What could possibly go wrong? The Wolverines have looked legitimately strong in their first two games, and while those games were against WMU and Washington, they overachieved against the closing line by a combined 31 points. SP+ has had a stronger read on UM than the books so far and thinks this is more like a five-touchdown game, not four.
NIU has done better than expected thanks to bursts -- two quick touchdowns in the first half against Georgia Tech in a one-point win and an out-of-nowhere four-touchdown binge to turn a 26-point deficit against Wyoming into a brief one-point lead -- but while that shows plenty of heart and opportunism, it probably isn't sustainable. UM should be able to avoid a binge and win comfortably.
Pick: Michigan -27
• Pat Forde, Sports Illustrated: Forde-Yard Dash: 10 Breakout Players Already Standing Out
Blake Corum, Michigan running back: There are more carries available in the Michigan backfield after the transfer of Zach Charbonnet and the conversion to fewer quarterback runs, and Corum has become the big-play guy while sharing the position with Hassan Haskins. He broke a 67-yard touchdown run against Washington and had a 30-yarder against Western Michigan. He’s also the Wolverines’ leading receiver with five catches, one for a touchdown. Corum was an important recruiting win for Jim Harbaugh after also visiting Ohio State and having an offer from Penn State.
• Pete Fiutak, College Football News: Michigan vs. Northern Illinois Prediction, Game Preview
Why Michigan Will Win
Rocky Lombardi throws picks.
He was terrific against the Wolverines last season, but he threw nine picks in six games. He kept everything in check against the Yellow Jackets and kept things moving, and …
He threw three interceptions against Wyoming.
Michigan has been fantastic in the first two games. The rushing attack is rolling, the defensive front is solid, and the O has a quarterback in Cade McNamara to build around.
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