BYU Game Will Set the Tone for the Rest of Jim Harbaugh, Michigan's Season

Don't look now, but Michigan is starting to look like a Jim Harbaugh football team.

Yes, the Wolverines' past two opponents haven't provided much of a measuring stick and Michigan's biggest tests of the season remain ahead. But in wins over Oregon State and UNLV—the first two of the Harbaugh era in Ann Arbor—the Wolverines have shown signs of some of the traits that have defined their new head coach's stints at San Diego, Stanford and in the NFL with the San Francisco 49ers.

Michigan has run the ball well (185 yards per game), seen improvement on its offensive line and while quarterback Jake Rudock has endured issues with turnovers, the Iowa transfer has done a good job spreading the ball around, completing passes to 12 different receivers in three games.

Defensively, the Wolverines have been borderline dominant, ranking seventh in the country in total defense having surrendered an average of 236.7 yards per game. That, coupled with its newfound power rushing attack, has been a signature of Harbaugh's past teams and is a promising sign for Michigan's future.

"He wants us to play hard," running back Ty Isaac said after the Wolverines' 28-7 win over the Running Rebels last Saturday. "Doing your job is probably the biggest thing that [Harbaugh]'s been preaching since he got here. It resonates when the defense goes out there and gets stops and we can put points on the board."

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But while Michigan has managed to fly under the radar followings its season-opening 24-17 loss to Utah after one of the loudest offseasons in college football, the Wolverines will find themselves back in the spotlight this Saturday when they welcome BYU to The Big House. Ranked 22nd in the AP Top 25 poll following last weekend's 24-23 loss to No. 10 UCLA, the Cougars will provide Michigan with its final litmus test in its out-of-conference schedule before Big Ten play begins against Maryland the following week.

Having started the season against the Utes—now 18th in the AP Top 25—Saturday's return to action against a ranked opponent should be helpful when it comes to deciphering just how far the Wolverines have come in its first month under Harbaugh.

"This will be a great test for our team," Harbaugh said at his Monday press conference. "Very excited about the competition this week and what’s in store. It’ll be a great gauge for where our team is at right now."

Making the grade on the field, however, will be easier said than done for Michigan this weekend.

Despite featuring a freshman quarterback in Tanner Mangum, the Cougars possess one of the most potent passing attacks in all of college football. BYU has averaged 310.7 yards per game through the air this season, including a 381-yard outing against No. 20 Boise State in the second week of the season.

While stout overall, the Wolverines defense has at times had issues defending the pass, particularly against Utah, when Michigan surrendered receptions of 10-plus yards to five different receivers.

Considering that BYU will be the first comparable team to the Utes that the Wolverines have faced this season, it's clear that Harbaugh's top concern this weekend comes with the Cougars aerial attack.

"Good receivers. Big receivers," Harbaugh answered when asked what stood out most about BYU. "Good quarterback. Big, physical team on both sides of the ball. Very athletic. They play extremely hard."

Offensively, the biggest questions on Michigan's test will pertain to the play of Rudock, who has already matched his interception total from a season ago, having thrown five picks through the first three games of the season. After the fifth-year senior completed 14 of his 22 attempts for 123 yards, one touchdown and one interception against UNLV, questions of whether Rudock is the right man for the job in Ann Arbor began to arise.

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Harbaugh, however, was quick to shut them down, insisting there's no quarterback controversy brewing within his program.

"To be clear, Jake Rudock’s the best quarterback. Not by a small margin," Harbaugh said. "He’s our best quarterback."

Nevertheless, the timing in the Wolverines passing game appears to be off, something that wide receiver Jehu Chesson didn't deny after the team's victory against the Running Rebels, per Angelique Chengelis of the Detroit News.

For that, Harbaugh has a simple answer, admitting that it takes time to develop consistency in a passing attack, especially with a quarterback who's only been on campus for a few months.

"When it comes to precision of the passing game and timing, that’s something that we’re all working together at," Harbaugh said. "It’s the responsibility of everyone."

But beyond questions about Michigan's pass defense and passing attack, this Saturday is more about the improvement as a whole that the Wolverines have made. With Big Ten play around the corner, this weekend should help the Wolverines see where they could stack up in a division that currently contains the country's top two teams in Ohio State and Michigan State.

"It’s well-documented right there. It’s a strong conference," Harbaugh answered when asked about Michigan's two rivals sitting atop the polls. "Both those teams have played well and won big games."

On Saturday, the Wolverines will have the chance to do the same.

And while a win may not catapult Michigan up the polls, it would provide plenty of optimism when it comes to the remainder of Harbaugh's first season coaching in the Big Ten.

Ben Axelrod is Bleacher Report's Big Ten lead writer. You can follow him on Twitter @BenAxelrod. Unless noted otherwise, all quotes were obtained firsthand. All statistics courtesy of CFBStats.com. Recruiting rankings courtesy of 247Sports.