JJ McCarthy knows this Saturday is going to be a special Saturday for Michigan fans. Not only do the Wolverines face B1G rival Penn State, which is a huge contest for both, but it’s the Maize Out too.

McCarthy recently talked about how special the environment is going to be this weekend at the Big House:

“Being able to play them in the Big House is a blessing with the Maize Out and all the fans that are going to be showing up and bringing that energy, but it’s just a tremendous opportunity,” said McCarthy.

Both teams enter the game ranked in the top 10 (Penn State at No. 10 and Michigan at No. 5) looking to make a statement and to be serious front-runners for the B1G Championship Game. The winner will also take a huge leap toward making the College Football Playoff.

The defending B1G champs were expected to have another big year but surprisingly, the Nittany Lions are making noise this year too. A win Saturday against the Wolverines in a hostile environment in front of a national tv audience would make the whole country set up and take notice.

We’ll see how McCarthy performs on Saturday. After crossing off his first B1G start and first road start, this weekend will be his first career start against a ranked opponent.