Michigan football: Back to work on chasing down Big Ten title for Wolverines

The bye week is over and was uneventful, which is all good for the Michigan Wolverines. They’re still unbeaten in the Big Ten, have a top-5 ranking in the polls and their chances of winning the Big Ten and earning a spot in the College Football Playoff are all right there for the taking.

There are four games remaining, two with the usual epic storyline and two that should be no-brainer easy wins. Here’s what’s left on the bone:

• Saturday vs. Penn State (3:45 p.m. ET): It’s entirely possible that the most embarrassing moment of the Jim Harbaugh era came last year at Penn State, when all of their flaws were exposed in a 42-13 blowout.
• Nov. 10 at Rutgers (time TBA): Rutgers is 0-5 in the league and 1-7 overall, with its only win coming against Texas State in the season opener. This will be a pick-your-score game.
• Nov. 17 vs. Indiana (time TBA): Indiana has been more competitive this year, but it hasn’t amounted to wins. The Hoosiers are just 1-5 in the Big Ten. That said, they’ve often given much-better Michigan teams fit through the years, so looking past them at Ohio State isn’t a good thing.
• Nov. 24 at Ohio State: (Noon ET): Once again, it’s for all the marbles. Just the way it ought to be. This time, Michigan just might be entering this game as the better team, which we haven’t been able to say in a while.

There’s help on the way for the home stretch, too, with wide receiver Tarik Black set to return after a foot injury suffered in preseason camp. Nico Collins and Donovan Peoples-Jones have been good on the outside, but more depth is always welcome, especially in their three-receiver sets. Michigan’s offense keeps getting better every week as everyone continues to get more and more comfortable with quarterback Shea Patterson.

The Wolverines have stayed relatively healthy so far this season, and there’s also a watch on for defensive lineman Rashan Gary, who’s been out with a shoulder injury. Hopefully we’ll know more later on Monday when the Wolverines get back together to see if there’s an update on his status. His mother made a bold statement a week ago, saying that Gary wouldn’t return until he was 100 percent healthy.

Michigan’s defense hasn’t missed him, to be honest. The group is No. 1 in the nation in total defense, allowing only 220 yards per game, a whopping 41.5 yards more than No. 2 Miami. They have completely dismantled Wisconsin and Michigan State the past two games, holding Wisconsin quarterback Alex Hornibrook to 7-of-20 passing and keeping the Spartans under 100 yards while hounding MSU quarterback Brian Lewerke to a 5-for-25 day.

That’s 12-of-45 passing by two veteran quarterbacks, a measly 26.7 completion percentage. The Wolverines have been great on all three levels, and that’s not going to change any time soon. They seem well prepared for the two remaining challenges ahead.

Tom Brew

Tom Brew has been a recognized reporter in Big Ten sports for decades. Among other projects, he writes about Big Ten football for Saturday Tradition.