CHICAGO – It’s gameday for the Michigan Wolverines as they’re taking on the Northwestern Wildcats at the historic Wrigley Field in the battle for the George Jewett Trophy.
The game marks the third meeting between the football programs for the rivalry trophy named after an African American player in Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) history.
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Michigan won the inaugural trophy game in 2021 with a 33-7 victory and also won last year’s matchup 50-6. Both previous games were held at Michigan Stadium.
Wolverines and Wildcats rivalry history
The game will be the 78th meeting between Michigan and Northwestern.
Michigan holds a commanding 60-15-2 advantage in the all-time series and has won 35 of the last 39 games against the Wildcats.
The Wolverines have a 37-6-2 record against Northwestern in games played in Ann Arbor and are 23-7 in contests played in Evanston.
Michigan and Northwestern at Wrigley Field
This season, the two programs will play at historic Wrigley Field, home of the Chicago Cubs, as Northwestern’s Ryan Field undergoes construction.
It will be the first time Michigan and Northwestern meet at Wrigley Field.
The last time Michigan played in a baseball stadium was in 2008, a 29-6 victory over Minnesota at the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome during its final season as the Gophers’ home.
Michigan posted a 12-0 record at the Metrodome over 27 seasons (1982-2008).
Before that, the last game at a baseball stadium was in 1950 when No. 1 Army defeated No. 18 Michigan 27-6 at Yankee Stadium.
Michigan offense highlights
The Wolverines have tallied 42 plays of 20-plus yards on offense through eight weeks, including 25 receiving and 17 rushing plays.
Freshman wide receiver Andrew Marsh leads the team with 10 such plays (nine receiving, one rushing) and has four kickoff return plays of 20-plus yards.
The offensive line has paved the way for 24 rushing touchdowns while allowing only 12 sacks this season.
Despite injuries, the unit has used five different starting lineups in nine games.
Michigan’s offense allows opposing defenses to create an average of 3.67 negative plays per game, ranking ninth nationally in tackles for loss allowed.
Running backs Justice Haynes and Jordan Marshall form a dynamic duo.
Whichever tailback starts has reached at least 100 yards rushing with at least one touchdown in eight of nine games this year.
Haynes has posted rushing yards of 159, 125, 104, 149, 117, and 152 in various games; Marshall has 133 and 185 yards in his starts.
The only exception was at USC when Haynes left with an injury.
Marshall averages 5.9 yards per carry with just one yard lost on 124 carries. Haynes and Marshall have nearly even carries this season.
Michigan’s run game ranks 12th in the FBS, averaging 223.8 yards per game. The team has surpassed 200 rushing yards in five contests, including four games with 250-plus yards.
Six different players have scored rushing touchdowns this season, led by Haynes with 10, ranking 17th nationally despite missing nearly three full games.
Marshall has eight rushing touchdowns.
Haynes ranks third in the Big Ten with 857 rushing yards (16th nationally) and is second nationally in rushing yards per game (122.4), averaging 7.08 yards per carry (fifth nationally).
Marshall ranks fifth in the Big Ten with 729 rushing yards.
Michigan leads the FBS with seven rushing plays of 50-plus yards, six of which resulted in touchdowns. Haynes and Marshall rank among the nation’s leaders in runs of 50-plus yards.
Freshman quarterback Bryce Underwood averages 5.3 yards per carry with three rushing touchdowns.
Adjusted for sacks, he averages 7.3 yards per carry on 40 rushes for 292 yards.
Michigan has 10 separate 100-yard rushing performances this year: six by Haynes, three by Marshall, and one by Underwood.
Underwood has a 60.9% completion rate (134-of-220), 7.59 yards per attempt, and a passer rating of 132.5.
He ranks fourth in the Big Ten with 12.47 yards per completion.
Tight ends have combined for 34 catches for 410 yards this season, averaging 12.1 yards per catch. Five different tight ends have caught passes.
Michigan leads the turnover battle with a 16-8 ratio (four fumbles lost, four interceptions), ranking 10th nationally.
The Wolverines have forced at least one turnover in every game this season and multiple turnovers in five of nine contests.
Defensive highlights
Linebacker Cole Sullivan leads the team with four turnovers forced (three interceptions, one fumble recovery).
Sullivan is one of nine Michigan linebackers to record three or more interceptions in a season and the first since Steve Morrison in 1991.
Michigan ranks 19th nationally in total defense. Only Oklahoma, USC, and the Michigan State Spartans have surpassed 300 yards of total offense against the Wolverines.
Nine different players have contributed to Michigan’s 11 interceptions, including Zeke Berry, Elijah Dotson, TJ Guy, Brandyn Hillman, TJ Metcalf, Jacob Oden, Rod Moore, Jimmy Rolder, and Cole Sullivan.
Through nine games, 18 players have recorded an interception or pass breakup, including four linebackers, three defensive linemen, and 10 defensive backs.
Berry leads the defense with six passes defended.
Michigan ranks fifth in the Big Ten in total pass breakups with 29.
The pass rush averages 2.67 sacks per game, ranking 18th nationally.
Michigan’s 24 sacks are tied for fourth in the Big Ten.
Central Michigan is the only team with a high rushing rate that has not been sacked by Michigan.
The defense ranks 23rd nationally in tackles for loss, averaging 6.7 negative plays per game.
Derrick Moore leads the team with 8.5 sacks and 9.0 tackles for loss.
Moore ranks seventh nationally with 0.94 sacks per game, tied for the most in the Big Ten and first outright in conference play.
Moore has recorded multiple sacks in three consecutive games for the first time in his career, the first Wolverine to do so since LaMarr Woodley in 2006.
He ranks ninth all-time at Michigan with 19.5 career sacks.
Michigan’s defense limits big plays.
Opponents have 25 rushes of 10-plus yards, tied for the 11th fewest in the FBS, and no rushes of 50-plus yards.
Opponents have completed only one pass of 50-plus yards, making Michigan one of seven teams allowing one or fewer 50-plus yard plays (rushing and passing combined).
The rushing defense ranks 12th nationally, allowing 100.2 yards per game and 3.0 yards per carry on 296 rushes.
Linebacker Ernest Hausmann leads the team with 66 tackles through nine games, followed by Rolder with 52.
Metcalf leads the secondary with 35 stops, and Rayshaun Benny leads interior defensive linemen with 21 tackles.
Michigan allows points on 76.9% of red zone drives, ranking 22nd nationally in red zone defense.