B1G 5: How good is Michigan? Nobody knows now, but we'll find out soon enough

Each week, college football insider Matt Hayes tackles the hottest topics in the Big Ten.

1. The B1G Story

We’re 5 weeks into the season and have absolutely no idea what Michigan is. Not because of performance, but because of competition. And because we’ve gone through this before.

“You can see it in their eyes, they’re having fun playing football,” Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh said. “It’s just in the eyes. They’re cheerful and undefeated.”

It’s the undefeated part I’m still grappling with.

In the first 5 weeks of the season, Michigan has beaten 2 Group of 5 teams it should (Western Michigan, Northern Illinois), and the following:

— The worst Washington team in more than a decade.

— A Wisconsin team off to its worst starter since 1990.

— A Rutgers team in rebuild mode after years of dysfunction and disarray.

Before we jump in the deep end with Harbaugh and seeing it in the eyes of Michigan players, let me be clear that we won’t know what Michigan is until the end of October and a critical game at rival Michigan State.

The next 2 games for Michigan include a program on the verge of finding another coach (Nebraska), and a team (Northwestern) that has been outscored 94-28 in its 2 Big Ten games.

So how do we judge Michigan? On its personality.

For the first time since he returned to Ann Arbor in 2015, Harbaugh has a team that mirrors his personality. When he turned around the program at Stanford, when he beat USC as a 40-point underdog, he did so with players who were completely invested – and players who were physically dominant.

Harbaugh called it winning with character and cruelty. The 4 seasons in Palo Alto were a study in imposing your will on an opponent.

Now here we are at Michigan, which has changed identities under Harbaugh as often as it has changed quarterbacks. This time, this season, is different from all the others.

Harbaugh tried to impose his will on other teams in his first 2 seasons, but didn’t necessarily have the personnel or the buy-in from players. Now he has both.

Michigan’s offensive line has been nearly flawless, clearing the way for three games of at least 330 yards rushing. In 327 snaps, the Wolverines have given up 1 sack.

Michigan has 3 legitimate hammers at tailback, guys – Blake Corum, Hassan Haskins, Donovan Edwards — who can push the pile and grind on a defense. In 5 games, they have rushed for 1,008 yards and 15 TDs.

More than anything, they are the backbone of winning with “character and cruelty.” They dictate tempo on offense, and protect QB Cade McNamara, who has played within the philosophy of running the ball and playing defense – and imposing your will on others.

He’s only averaging 16 passes a game, but he’s completing 61% of his throws and hasn’t thrown an interception. He’s protecting the ball and avoiding bad decisions because of the running game behind him and a defense that’s giving up 12.8 points a game.

Again, Michigan hasn’t exactly been stressed by any of the 5 offenses it has faced. And before last week’s 56-point breakout against Northwestern, Nebraska fell right along the lines of the rest of the early season schedule for Michigan.

Prior to last week, the Huskers had scored 58 points in 3 games against Power 5 opponents. The offense is one-dimensional (it’s all QB Adrian Martinez, all the time), and the defense will eventually break.

Maybe this week is a test, or maybe it’s more of the same and we won’t really know about Michigan until a Halloween weekend game against Michigan State.

Late last Saturday, after Michigan returned from a trip to Madison, Wisc., and after polishing off the Badgers, Harbaugh was unpacking in his office and looked on the practice field to find backup QB JJ McCarthy, Edwards and WR Andrel Anthony getting more work in.

“I even took a picture of it, it meant that much to me,” Harbaugh said. “It’s that kind of group.”

2. The big red wall

When QB Graham Mertz was knocked out of last week’s loss to Michigan, it could no longer be denied: The offensive line at Wisconsin is struggling. Badly.

Mertz has had problems all season moving the offense, and the easy excuse was a natural regression from Mertz. Nothing could be further from reality.

The Badgers’ offensive line, a staple of the program for more than two decades, is in as bad a shape as it has been in years. The pass blocking is ugly, the run blocking worse.

Now imagine you’re Mertz, trying to throw off play-action when the offense can’t run the ball and the line can consistently pass protect.

The Badgers are 65th — that’s right, 65th at 163.3 ypg. — in the nation in rush offense, and they’ve allowed 10 sacks.

“The guys who are playing, they’re playing because you think they give you the best chance,” Wisconsin coach Paul Chryst said. “It’s in them. We have to bring it out.”

As is the case just about every season, Wisconsin’s linemen are cross-trained. The object over the remainder of the season is to get the best 5 on the field, regardless of position.

Mertz can’t take more shots like he did early in the third quarter last week – after it looked as though he had found a successful rhythm and was making accurate throws and moving the offense – when he was knocked out of the game from a big hit by Michigan CB Daxton Hall.

That specific play, as much as anything, is what Chryst means by a lack of consistency. That corner blitz had to be recognized by the line, the quarterback and the hot receiver. If all 3 don’t recognize it, problems arise – or in this case, Mertz being knocked out of the game with an upper-body injury.

3. The defenses rest

It was 18 years ago when Penn State and Iowa played the epic – OK, epic for some – 6-4 game in Happy Valley.

Penn State got 2 safeties. Iowa got 2 27-yard field goals.

This week’s game in Iowa City could get just as defensive. Though maybe not as defensive as 10 total points.

A look at the bruising truth:

— Iowa is No. 2 in the nation in scoring defense (11.6 ppg.); Penn State is No. 3 (12 ppg.)

— Iowa is No. 8 in the nation in total defense (271.6 ypg.); Penn State is No. 33 (314.2 ypg.)

— Iowa is No. 1 in the nation in turnover margin (+12); Penn State is No. 10 (+6).

— Penn State is No. 38 in 3rd-down defense efficiency (34.2% converted); Iowa is No. 45 (34.7)

— Penn State is No. 2 in the nation in opponent red zone conversions (TD and FG) at 53.3% of trips converted; Iowa is 103rd  (90%).

4. Powered Up

This week’s Power Poll and one big thing: the October goal.

1. Iowa: QB Spencer Petras must be a significant factor in the offense – not just a complementary piece – if Iowa truly is a CFP team.

2. Penn State: What in the world has happened to the Penn State run game (93rd in the nation; 132.6 ypg.)?

3. Ohio State: Let’s start with better tackling. Then we’ll talk about better tackling.

4. Michigan State: Improve the turnover ratio (+3). Spartans have only lost 3; the goal is forcing more.

5. Michigan: Find a way to make McNamara more comfortable/efficient with second-level throws. Michigan will need them soon enough.

6. Maryland: Keep QB Taulia Tagovailoa mentally sharp. One bad game (vs. Iowa) can’t ruin a season.

7. Minnesota: Another tailback down leaves Gophers relying on QB Tanner Morgan.

8. Rutgers: Trust QB Noah Vedral to throw the ball downfield.

9. Purdue: Pick a quarterback – Jack Plummer or Aidan O’Connell – and run with him the remainder of the season.

10. Wisconsin: Find the aggressive, nasty attitude on the offensive line that has been missing the first month of the season.

11. Nebraska: A home upset of Michigan (not out of the question) could lead to a 4-0 month (Minnesota and Purdue) and a season turnaround.

12. Indiana: Stop giving away the ball. Hoosiers had 12 turnovers last year and already have 9 this season.

13. Illinois: Wisconsin is reeling; protect the ball, get a couple of turnovers and get what could be your only conference win of the month.

14. Northwestern: The defense is slow, and the quarterback position is a mess. Other than that, play hard (which has been a question of late).

5. The Weekly Five

Five picks against the spread.

• Michigan State at Rutgers (+5)
• Maryland at Ohio State (-20.5)
• Wisconsin at Illinois (+10)
• Michigan (-3.5) at Nebraska
• Penn State at Iowa (-2.5)

Last week: 4-1.

Season: 17-8.