In the midst of all the sign-stealing allegations, I believe Michigan will play with some fire.

Understand Your Enemy – Michigan Wolverines

Say what you want about Michigan; everyone else is, but you have to admit they have a great color scheme, great uniforms (including helmets), a great fight song, and one of the best football teams in the country right now. Fortunately, we have Nick Durand from Maize ‘N Brew to provide us with more information on tomorrow’s opponent.

What are your thoughts on the current sign-stealing saga? It has no bearing on this game, but everyone is talking about it.

For the time being, I think I’d take a wait-and-see approach to the sign-stealing scandal and see what information comes out. Obviously, there has been a lot of evidence that is pretty damning for Michigan, but I think it’s fair to question how much of it is accurate, especially since some of the information that has been reported throughout this has been debunked (such as the reports about Harbaugh’s contract). I don’t think there’s any arguing against sign stealing in general; it’s something that was probably going on, but I think it’s best to let the investigation run its course and understand the true scope of it before we hand down any punishment.

Michigan has clearly had a fantastic season, and there is no reason to believe that Purdue will derail them (unless you have a lot of Boiler Gold in your system). What does Michigan require from this game? Is health the only thing that matters?

In this game, I believe health is the most important factor. It’s something Jim Harbaugh has mentioned before this season, where the primary goals are to win the game and stay healthy. I don’t believe Michigan’s mission is to win every game by 40 points or more, so they shouldn’t make a mistake by going for style points. However, given Michigan’s upcoming road game against Penn State, this could be a difficult situation. It also wouldn’t be the first time a team returned from a bye week sluggish. Overall, the goal should be to win while keeping everyone healthy.

What has Harbaugh done to transform this program from one that couldn’t beat Ohio State to one that is expected to beat Ohio State again this year and win their third consecutive conference title?

I believe the most significant change in Michigan over the last three years has been its commitment to fundamentals and understanding of its own identity. From 2015 to 2020, I believe Michigan experienced an identity crisis that we did not recognize. Michigan, on the other hand, has found something that works (particularly on offense) and has decided to stick with it. Most people have probably heard how FOX’s Joel Klatt described Michigan as a “boa constrictor” that is perfectly content to simply squeeze the life out of its opponents by using good fundamentals and sticking to its grounding and pounding strategy. Michigan and Jim Harbaugh have done an excellent job of sticking to their guns and executing game after game, regardless of what outsiders think.

Where do you stand on khakis and milk?

Khakis are a good choice for me. Going back to the last question, I believe it is safe to say that Jim Harbaugh was being held back. I don’t believe he’s worn them in a game since 2020. Milk, on the other hand, never fails to disappoint.

Let’s imagine a world in which Purdue wins this game; can you think of any way that could happen?

J.J. McCarthy either has a bad game or does not play at all. Because of the presence of Blake Corum and a strong offensive line, I don’t believe Michigan’s offense is solely dependent on J.J. McCarthy, but McCarthy has been responsible for much of their success this year, and a bad game from him would undoubtedly open the door for Purdue. However, Michigan’s defense, which is currently ranked among the best in the country, would have to struggle as well.

Hudson Card, with his ability to use his legs and make plays, has a chance to make things interesting. Even running back Devein Mockobee had some success against this Michigan defense last year, so another strong performance from him would be expected.

Would you mind predicting the final score? Will Purdue be able to cover the 30+ point spread?

Purdue will not be able to cover the spread in this one, and Michigan will win 45-7. In the midst of all the sign-stealing allegations, I believe Michigan will play with some fire. The fact that the Wolverines are playing at home and will be well rested after their bye week only adds fuel to the fire.