Penn State Sports Magazine
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/729942
O T H E R M A T C H U P S THE LOWDOWNThe edge here has to go to Michigan because Peppers is possibly the best punt and kickoff returner in college football. He is averaging 21.6 yards per punt return, with a 54-yarder for a touchdown against Colorado, and 40.5 yards per kickoff return. Penn State kickoff specialist Joey Julius has 16 touchbacks on 21 attempts this sea- son, and he will have to keep that up in Ann Arbor. Both teams have excellent punters. Senior Kenny Allen averages 41.2 yards per punt for Michigan, while freshman Blake Gillikin averages 44.3 yards for Penn State. Allen doubles as Michigan's place-kicker and has hit 4 of 6 attempts, with his longest being 39 yards. Redshirt junior Tyler Davis has hit 5 of 5 attempts and remains perfect in his college career. // EDGEMichigan SPECIAL TEAMS THE LOWDOWN The Nittany Lions haven't beaten Michigan since the epic game in 2013 in which they rallied at the end of regulation and eventually prevailed in the fourth overtime, 43-40. With losses in 2014 and '15, Penn State now trails in the all-time series, 7-12. If the Lions are going to change their fortunes, they will have to take better care of the football on Saturday. Their eight turnovers are the most in the Big Ten. // EDGEMichigan THIS 'N' THAT THE LOWDOWN Harbaugh is one of the most celebrated head coaches in major-college football. He went 29-21 in four seasons at Stanford, and aAer spending four years in the NFL, he's off to a tremendous start at Michigan. The Wolverines went 10-3 last season and are 3-0 to open his second season. James Franklin and his staff have lost to Michigan the past two years, 18-13 and 28-16. // EDGEMichigan COACHING STAFF S E P T E M B E R 2 1 , 2 0 1 6 B L U E W H I T E O N L I N E . C O M 5 10 catches for 204 yards and a team-leading average of 20.4 yards per catch, with four TD catches. Chesson has seven catches for 129 yards, while senior TE Khalid Hill has five for 32 yards. All told, 16 players have caught passes for Michigan this season. Penn State has the second-best pass defense in the league. Sophomore CB John Reid, senior SS Malik Golden and redshirt sophomore CB Amani Oruwariye all have interceptions, and Oruwariye returned his for a 30-yard touchdown against Kent State. As a team, Penn State has four intercep- tions, although it could be shorthanded against Michigan, as the status of junior CB Grant Haley is unclear. Haley missed the Temple game with an unspecified injury. Through three games, the Nittany Lions have 10 sacks. // KEY MATCHUP Sickels will go up against sophomore LT Grant Newsome. In the secondary, Reid will face Darboh, while Golden will try to contain Butt. // EDGEMichigan