Michigan did what it needed to last week against SMU — get out with a win.
Now Big Ten play begins with what should be a slightly tougher task, hosting Nebraska at 12 p.m. Saturday. However, based upon how the Huskers have started the Scott Frost era 0-2 — Nebraska’s first 0-2 start in more than six decades — who knows how much more of a test it will be than what the Mustangs put up.
WOLVERINES REWIND: Michigan-SMU highlights | 3 observations from Michigan's win over SMU
The Wolverines actually start Big Ten play with three completely winnable games, home dates against Nebraska and Maryland sandwiched around a trip to face Northwestern. Now, it’s simply up to Michigan to win those ‘easy’ games before the meat of the schedule comes around.
EVEN STEVEN: Michigan has faced Nebraska a total of nine times in history, and the series record is a nearly even 4-4-1. Since Nebraska came into the Big Ten in 2011, the Huskers are 2-1 against Michigan, including two straight wins, even though the schools haven’t faced off since 2013.
Two of the games in the series were bowl games — a Michigan win in the 1986 Fiesta Bowl, and a Nebraska win in the 2005 Alamo Bowl.
Opening conference play in The Big House.
— ❄️ Nebraska Football ❄️ (@HuskerFBNation) September 17, 2018
🌽✊️ #GBR pic.twitter.com/EdyTZVwLlp
GETTING OFF ON THE RIGHT FOOT: Michigan has won three straight Big Ten openers, beating Maryland (2015), Penn State (2016), and Purdue (2017) by an average of four touchdowns.
Nebraska has won two straight Big Ten openers over Rutgers (27-17) and Northwestern (24-13).
PRESSURE ON THE RUN GAME: While Michigan got the win it needed against SMU, it didn’t necessarily get out of the week unscathed — the top two running backs on the roster are both nursing injuries and questionable for the Nebraska game.
Leading rusher Karan Higdon dressed for the SMU game but didn’t play after suffering an undisclosed injury earlier in the week. And Chris Evans, the team’s second-leading rusher, exited the SMU game with an apparent leg injury; his status is also unclear for Nebraska.
Tru Wilson, the third running back on the depth chart, rushed 11 times for 53 yards and his first career touchdown against SMU.
Contact Jeremy Schneider at jschneider@theblade.com, 419-724-6082, or on Twitter @j1schneider.
First Published September 20, 2018, 5:45 p.m.
