Michigan football is set to face USC in Los Angeles on Saturday. It’s unclear if either team is the best that the other has seen to date, however. The Wolverines played at No. 6 Oklahoma, while the Trojans played at No. 17 Illinois. Both were losses.
But it’s unclear just how good any of the past opponents were. Thus, let’s take a look at some of the stats and previous matchups for both teams.
Total offense vs. total defense
Passing offense vs. passing defense
Rushing offense vs. rushing defense
Scoring offense vs. scoring defense
Total defense vs. total offense
Passing defense vs. passing offense
Rushing defense vs. rushing offense
Scoring defense vs. scoring offense
Michigan metrics above or below expectations
Strength of schedule and rankings
According to ESPN, Michigan has had a much harder schedule, ranked 17th in the country. USC is 34th to this point. Of course, each has faced one ranked opponent — Michigan played at the current No. 6 team, Oklahoma, while USC played at No. 17 Illinois. The Wolverines’ opponent records are a combined 17-9, whereas the Trojans’ opponent records are 14-12.
USC is ranked ahead of Michigan in ESPN FPI at No. 10 overall. Michigan is ranked 12th. SP+ also has USC ahead of Michigan at No. 13 (Michigan is 14th). USC has the No. 1 offense, No. 49 defense, and 38th special teams. Michigan has the 31st offense, seventh-ranked defense, and 64th special teams.
Conclusions
Michigan has had a tougher schedule and has faced tougher defenses thus far. It will have the toughest defense that USC has seen to date, but the Wolverines’ pass defense has allowed teams to pass as much as they average. The maize and blue also played a very good Wisconsin rushing defense, and had success against that. USC has yet to play any good defenses as a whole, whereas the Wolverines have. And the Trojans’ defense is among the wost that Michigan will have seen.
Conversely, Michigan has faced a very good offense in Nebraska, but the Huskers had some success moving the ball (though much of their yards came on the Hail Mary and the final drive of the game after a penalty extended it). USC, weirdly, given how Michigan was last year, hasn’t faced an offense as good as the Wolverines. It’s unclear how good USC is offensively when it plays a good defense, while Michigan’s offense has tended to get stuck in the mud in some facets against the good defenses (Oklahoma, Nebraska, and Wisconsin).
The USC defense likely won’t be able to stop Michigan too much, but it’s not clear how much the Wolverines will be able to stall the Trojan pass game led by Jayden Maiava and Makai Lemon. So this will be the biggest test for USC to date, but the second biggest for Michigan behind Oklahoma, which is better in a lot of ways. But the USC pass game could stretch the Wolverine defense more than we’ve seen to this point.
This article originally appeared on Wolverines Wire: Michigan football faces USC in pivotal matchup as stats show contrast in strengths
Reporting by Isaiah Hole, Wolverines Wire / Wolverines Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
