Scouting report:
Gophers at Michigan
6:30 p.m. Saturday, Michigan Stadium (Ch. 9, 100.3-FM)
A look at the Wolverines
Though the Wolverines (6-2, 3-2 Big Ten) have lost to No. 24 Michigan State and No. 7 Penn State, they're still formidable, especially on defense. Led by defensive tackle Maurice Hurst (10 tackles for loss), defensive end Chase Winovich (10.5 tackles for loss, seven sacks) and linebacker Devin Bush (67 tackles, five sacks), the Wolverines rank fourth nationally on total defense (255.5 yards allowed per game) and second against the pass (151.4). Michigan has allowed 16 touchdowns this season, but six came against Penn State in a 42-13 loss.
Who to watch: Brandon Peters, QB
Though coach Jim Harbaugh termed Peters' chances of starting at "51 percent,'' expect the redshirt freshman to be under center Saturday based on his performance against Rutgers. Peters, replacing John O'Korn in the second quarter, completed 10 of 14 passes for 124 yards and led three touchdown drives in the Wolverines' 35-14 win. "It's a meritocracy,'' Harbaugh said of his decision. Peters, a 6-5, 220-pounder, passed for 3,103 yards and 37 TDs with five interceptions as a high school senior in Avon, Ind. He was a finalist for the Maxwell Football Club's national player of the year in 2015.
From the coach: Jim Harbaugh
Harbaugh had great success at Stanford (12-1 and Orange Bowl berth in 2010) and with the San Francisco 49ers (Super Bowl XLVII berth in 2012), but he hasn't yet had the big breakthrough in Michigan. After back-to-back 10-3 seasons, the Wolverines are 6-2 with games against No. 4 Wisconsin and No. 3 Ohio State remaining, presenting Harbaugh a chance to have a say in the Big Ten division races. First up, though, is the Gophers, who'll try to wrest the Little Brown Jug from Michigan in Ann Arbor for the second time since 2014.
Randy Johnson