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>> 2020 RECORD 2-4, 2-4 Big Ten COACH Jim Harbaugh (49-22 in six seasons at Michigan; career collegiate record: 107-49) SERIES HISTORY The Wolverines lead the series, 14-10, but Penn State has won three of the past four. MOST RECENT MEETING Keyvone Lee rushed for 134 yards and a touchdown, and Penn State's defense held Michigan to 286 total yards, defeating the host Wolverines, 27-17, on Nov. 28, 2020. It was the Nittany Lions' ,rst victory in Ann Arbor since 2009. OFFENSE Michigan lost quarterback Joe Milton and receiver Giles Jackson to the transfer portal. Jackson will be missed, especially since he has resur- faced with one of the Wolverines' up- coming opponents, Washington. But Milton would very likely have had diffi- culty holding off Cade McNamara for the starting job. McNamara, who made his starting debut against Penn State last year, came out of spring practice as the apparent leader for the top spot. He's got a four-star freshman from IMG Academy chasing him in J.J. McCarthy, and he'll have even more competition in preseason camp in the form of Texas Tech transfer Alan Bowman. In three seasons with the Red Raiders, Bowman threw for 5,260 yards and 33 touch- downs, so he can't be discounted. But for now, at least, McNamara looks like the choice. Elsewhere, Hassan Haskins returns to the backfield after rushing for 375 yards and six touchdowns last season, while the receiver corps will be looking to build around Ronnie Bell and Cornelius Johnson, last year's top two pass catchers. Bell had 26 receptions for 401 yards and a touchdown, while Johnson had 16 for 254 yards and three TDs. DEFENSE There have been huge changes on this side of the ball, starting with the unit's leadership. AFer ,nish- ing 89th in the Football Bowl Subdivi- sion in total defense (434.3 yards per game), Michigan dismissed veteran co- ordinator Don Brown. Brown's high- risk/high-reward scheme had given ,ts to a lot of opponents over the years, but not to Ohio State or to the Southeastern Conference teams the Wolverines tended to see in bowl games. In its past four games vs. Ohio State, Michigan has given up 179 points. In its past four bowl games (against Florida State, South Car- olina, Florida and Alabama), it has given up 135 points. It has lost all eight of those games. Brown's successor, Mike Macdonald, was brought in from the Baltimore Ravens, where he coached linebackers and defensive backs under Harbaugh's brother John. The 33-year- old Macdonald has inherited some ,ve- star talent in free safety Daxton Hill and defensive tackle Christopher Hinton, and those players will be asked to spear- head a defensive resurgence. The Wolverines allowed nearly 35 points per game last fall, and that was without Ohio State driving their average up. SPECIAL TEAMS Jake Moody and Quinn Nordin both struggled last year, com- bining to hit 3 of 9 ,eld goal attempts. Nordin has since graduated, while Moody will look to improve aFer going 1 for 4 in 2020. Punter Brad Robbins aver- aged 45.3 yards last season. SCHEDULE Michigan plays its ,rst four games at home, including a week two clash with Washington. But that means ,ve of its ,nal eight are on the road, in- cluding trips to Wisconsin (Oct. 2), WEEK 10 MICHIGAN T I M E T B A | N O V . 1 3 | B E A V E R S T A D I U M | U N I V E R S I T Y P A R K , P A . beaten Penn State three times in its his- tory and never in back-to-back years. If the Terps want to show recruits in the talent-rich Baltimore-Washington, D.C., area that last year's win wasn't a Juke, that they've truly begun to level the playing ,eld vs. PSU, their chance will arrive on Nov. 6. OUTLOOK AFer a lengthy run of bad luck at quarterback, Maryland might have ,nally hit the jackpot. Tagovailoa had an up-and-down debut season aFer transferring from Alabama, but when he was locked in, as he was in the Terps' ,rst-half outburst against Penn State, he looked like the quarterback they've been waiting for since… Boomer Esia- son? Frank Reich? Neil O'Donnell? A long, long time, let's just leave it at that. Better yet, his arrival has coincided with the emergence of an outstanding group of receivers, with Demus, Jarrett, Cobbs and Jones all averaging more than 14 yards per catch. The Terps have been a hard team to ,gure out in recent years. In 2019, they started strong and col- lapsed as soon as the Big Ten season began. Last year, they opened with a 43- 3 loss at Northwestern but were com- petitive the rest of the way. This year? With four of their ,rst ,ve games at home, they look to be capable of build- ing up a head of steam. Beyond that, their fortunes will likely depend on just how good that passing game turns out to be. –M.H. TOP RETURNEES PASSING Cade McNamara 43 of 71 | 425 yds. | 5 TD | 0 int. RUSHING Hassan Haskins 61 att. | 375 yds. | 6 TD RECEIVING Ronnie Bell 26 rec. | 401 yds. | 1 TD TACKLING Josh Ross 27 solo | 26 asst. | 53 total SACKS Josh Ross 1 sack | 11 yds. Michael Barrett 1 sack | 5 yds. Taylor Upshaw 1 sack | 6 yds. Christopher Hinton 1 sack | 7 yds.

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