Michigan vs. Utah: Complete Game Preview
Jim Harbaugh's long-awaited debut is almost here.
The Michigan Wolverines travel west to open the 2015 college football regular season, squaring off with the Utah Utes on Thursday, Sep. 3 in Salt Lake City.
Following a 5-7 campaign, Michigan fired head coach Brady Hoke and nabbed Harbaugh, who brings a power-run scheme back to the program where he played quarterback in the 1980s.
Utah, which finished 9-4 last season, is looking to establish itself as a Pac-12 contender. The Utes knocked off the Wolverines 26-10 at the Big House in 2014.
As of this writing, per OddsShark.com, Utah is favored by 5.5 points. Kickoff is scheduled for 8:30 p.m. ET and will be televised on Fox Sports 1.
Michigan Keys to Victory
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Efficient Quarterback Play
Whether it's Jake Rudock or Shane Morris, the Michigan quarterback must avoid giving the ball away.
Last season, the Wolverines committed 26 turnovers, which was part of an 11-way tie for the 101st in the nation. On a per-game basis, only 12 teams protected the football worse than Michigan.
Fortunately for the yet-to-be-named starter, Harbaugh and offensive coordinator Tim Drevno prefer to rely on the running game. What that means, though, is the quarterback needs to capitalize on his opportunities to sling the ball.
The quarterback isn't required to be a playmaker, but he can't be a non-factor or negatively affect the offense, either.
Stand Tall Near the Red Zone
Perhaps the following stat will come as a surprise: Michigan outgained Utah during the 2014 matchup. However, the Wolverines' four turnovers doomed them down the stretch.
But the Michigan defense deserves credit, because it both scored the team's only touchdown and never allowed the Utes to build an insurmountable lead.
Utah reached the red zone twice—excluding the game-sealing possession—but failed to score a touchdown, eventually settling for a quartet of field goals on the day.
If the Wolverines force the Utes into a game of three-pointers once again, Michigan will find itself in wonderful position to pull off the upset. After all, it's highly unlikely the offense will be that inept in 2015.
Utah Keys to Victory
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Rely on the Experienced Offensive Line
According to Dirk Facer of the Deseret News, center Siaosi Aiono thinks the offensive line isn't receiving enough attention.
"I don't think we get enough credit with how experienced our guys are; I mean, there's not a lot of gaps to fill in from last year because we only lost two guys. But the guys in back of them got a lot of playing time last year and stuff like that, so I feel real comfortable and confident in all the young guys that are going to step up this year.
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Now, the Utes lost All-Conference left tackle Jeremiah Poutasi to the NFL, so his presence won't exactly go unnoticed. With that being said, Aiono, Isaac Asiata, J.J. Dielman and Salesi Uhatafe have tallied a combined 55 career starts.
Similar to Michigan, Utah's receivers are unproven behind the No. 1 target. But if the offensive line consistently wins in the trenches, the Utes won't need receivers to step up and can instead lean on the legs of running back Devontae Booker and dual-threat quarterback Travis Wilson.
Win the Field-Position Battle
Michigan's offense is coming off a season during which sustaining drives was a difficult task. That weakness should change under Harbaugh, but it's nothing more than speculation right now.
Blake O'Neill or Kenny Allen should change the Wolverines' punting troubles, but Utah doesn't need to speculate about anything in that regard. Tom Hackett earned first-team All-American honors last season.
Field position typically influences the result of low-scoring affairs, and Hackett blasted 25 punts of 50-plus yards last season. Forcing opponents to sustain drives isn't a perfect indicator of success, but providing a defense ample space to bend before breaking is undoubtedly useful.
Until Michigan proves otherwise, Utah holds a clear advantage in a game expected to end in a one-possession difference.
Michigan Players to Watch
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The Running Backs
Which one is the starter? What's the rotation? Is Drake Johnson ready?
De'Veon Smith and Derrick Green, the leading rushers from last season, return to the offense, and USC transfer Ty Isaac is eligible to play. Johnson emerged as a legitimate No. 1 back late in the season.
Michigan has a collection of talented running backs, and barring injury, the 2015 depth chart likely ends with Green at the top, followed by Johnson, Isaac and Smith. However, injuries have not been barred from the Wolverines' backfield.
Smith was the only player to avoid injury during the offseason, so he might open the year as the starter while Green—who needed to recover from a broken clavicle—handles more carries than Isaac (leg) as Johnson (ACL) is slowly worked into the rotation.
Hopefully the season opener will answer a couple of those questions.
Jabrill Peppers, Safety
"Enough talk. Let's see Jabrill Peppers on the field" is what practically every college football fan is thinking.
After an injury derailed his true freshman season, Peppers enters the 2015 campaign with high, high, high expectations. He's the starting safety, will move to the "Star" position in the nickel and might play offense.
Plus, MLive's Nick Baumgardner notes special teams coach John Baxter said Peppers is one of four Wolverines who will contribute as a returner this season.
It shouldn't be hard to watch for Peppers, because he'll probably be everywhere. Most importantly, Peppers can officially show if he's worth all the hype on the field, not just in headlines.
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Utah Players to Watch
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Devontae Booker, Running Back
In 2014, the 5'11", 203-pound running back shredded opponents for 1,512 yards and 10 touchdowns, but he added 43 receptions for 306 yards and two more scores.
Booker tallied 100 all-purpose yards during every season outing except for two—one of which was against Stanford when he managed 99.
The other? Michigan. It was Booker's worst performance of the year. The Wolverines surrendered just 34 rushing yards on 11 carries and two catches for nine yards.
Can Utah flip the script on a team that not only has the blueprint to contain Booker but also has executed in doing so? Or will Michigan repeat its stellar performance?
Hunter Dimick, Defensive End
Nate Orchard and his 18.5 sacks will be missed, but Hunter Dimick can lessen the impact of the 2015 second-round pick's absence.
Dimick tallied 14.5 tackles for loss and 10 sacks last season, both of which are team-best marks for a returning player. He recorded 52 total tackles and forced a pair of fumbles, too.
The junior defensive end has a chance to prove he's capable of taking on the featured role. And, according to Facer, fellow starter Jason Fanaika believes Dimick—otherwise known as "Snacks"—is ready for the challenge.
"'Snacks,' that's definitely one guy that I think everyone on the D-line tries to follow," Fanaika said. "That's definitely one guy that I'll put all my money on, no matter what happens. If I'm going into an alley, I'm taking 'Snacks' with me."
What They're Saying
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Michigan
According to Mark Snyder of the Detroit Free Press, Harbaugh believes fall camp—otherwise known as the submarine—wasn't an enjoyable experience, but that's a good thing. Harbaugh said:
"I can't recall being a part of a camp where the players were asked to do more work and did that work and did it with a tremendous focus. It was a good experience. I think that's football. There's not a lot of people that enjoy camp; it's good football. In a lot of ways, that's the way it should be. If you do enjoy it, there's probably a pretty good chance you're not going to be very good.
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Utah
Per Brad Rock of the Deseret News, linebacker Jared Norris said the Utes are looking forward to getting back on the field, and opening against Michigan only increases the excitement. Norris said:
"Since it's the first game of the season, we're excited, ready to go. It's more of an anxiety feeling than anything. You're just anxious. Since the first game happens to be Michigan, that heightens it even more."
Prediction
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Despite what Popular Mechanics apparently believes, this is not a cupcake game for Michigan.
Thursday night's clash will be a defensive struggle, and the Utes have an ever-so-slight edge heading into what should be a tight finish.
Yes, the Wolverines know how to limit Booker. However, the Heisman hopeful is no longer sharing snaps with Bubba Poole, so Booker will receive 25-plus touches behind an offensive line that will pave a few wide running lanes for the senior.
Michigan will have a chance to steal the victory down the stretch, but Utah will hold on for a hard-fought victory in the season opener.
Prediction: Utah 20, Michigan 17
All recruiting information via 247Sports. Stats from cfbstats.com. Quotes obtained firsthand unless otherwise noted. Follow Bleacher Report CFB Writer David Kenyon on Twitter @Kenyon19_BR.
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