Game To Watch: Washington vs Michigan: September 11, 2021
Washington will make the trip to Ann Arbor for their game against Michigan this Saturday at 8:00 EST. The Huskies suffered a humiliating loss against Montana at home last week and will need to rebound in week two. The Wolverines beat down Western Michigan and will try to carry over that positive momentum. This will be a big stage for both historic programs to showcase themselves in prime time.
Recent History
Michigan is 7 – 5 against Washington all time, but the two teams have not played one another since 2002. The Wolverines and Huskies played a home and home in 2001 and 2002 with the home team winning each of those games, giving Michigan a one game winning streak in the series.
Top 25 Players
Washington
| Player | Rank |
|---|---|
| Cade Otton | #11 TE |
| Jaxson Kirkland | #12 OT |
| Victor Curne | #13 OT |
| Henry Bainivalu | #12 G/C |
| Zion Tupuola-Fetui | #9 DE |
| Edefuan Ulofoshio | #6 LB |
| Trent McDuffie | #10 CB |
Washington Huskies
What To Watch For…
Will Michigan’s Offense be as Impressive Against a Better Opponent?
Michigan’s offense scored 47 points against Western Michigan. The Wolverines averaged 9.2 yards per play with a balanced attack. They averaged 7.8 yards per carry on the ground and 12.7 yards per pass attempt. This was a big leap from 2020 when Michigan averaged just 4.6 yards per carry and 7.1 yards per pass attempt. Raising the question – how much of this jump is improvement and how much is the inability of the opposing defense to match-up? The answer will be much clearer on Saturday after Michigan faces Washington. The Huskies may have lost to Montana week one, but their defense allowed just 13 points and 4.1 yards per play. Washington’s defense has impact players at the linebacker position and in the secondary, they will not be at an athletic disadvantage against Michigan. With Trent McDuffie and Kyler Gordon manning the cornerback spots, the Huskies can limit big plays in the passing game and allow the rest of the defense to key on the running attack. Washington will be a tougher test for Michigan’s offense and this game will provide more clarity on how good Michigan’s offense is.
How will the Huskies Offense get on Track?
Washington’s offense was a complete failure against Montana. The Huskies mustered just seven points and four yards per play. Dylan Morris struggled at quarterback, he averaged 4.9 yards per attempt and threw three interceptions for the game. He was sacked three times and pressured on numerous other plays. The running attack did not fair any better, gaining just 65 yards on 2.4 yards per attempt. The entire offense needs to play better and with top quarterback recruit Sam Huard waiting on the bench there will be pressure to make the switch and see if Huard can spark the offense. The problem is the offensive line did not play well against Montana and putting a true freshman behind center against a Michigan pass rush that features Aidan Hutchinson and totaled six hurries in week one may not be a good idea. The Huskies need to find stability on the offensive line before they can truly assess the quarterback position and decide if a switch needs to be made. The offensive line will have to make an improvement in week two because the offense will struggle without it.
Which Defense Will Force the Key Turnovers?
Big games are decided by turnovers. The ability to steal a possession and flip the momentum of the game can create a wave of momentum that is difficult for the opponent to overcome. Neither defense forced a turnover in week one, though Michigan opened up a big lead and didn’t need to be aggressive defensively in the second half. Washington on the other hand, was victimized by their own three turnovers and failed to create momentum of their own. In a closer game this weekend it will be crucial for both teams to force negative plays and flip the field. Both defenses have the ability to be stingy, with points hard to come by the winner of the turnover battle will likely win the game.
Prediction
Week one games can be tricky, and are easy to read too much into. Washington will be locked in for this game and will play with a sense of purpose early. Michigan’s offense has some big play ability, but will miss the injured Ronnie Bell at receiver, especially in obvious passing situations against a good defense. The Huskies need a bounce back win and will force a key turnover to steal a win on the road. Washington 27 Michigan 23.
DSC_9244 Image taken by Maize & Blue Nation is licensed under CC BY 2.0.
For more content like this don’t forget to subscribe to our website.
For the latest content follow us on twitter @saturdayscfb & @cfbsaturdaysC or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/CFBSaturday
