Nobody has a tougher early-season schedule than BYU, and through three games, it looks like the Cougars are for real. They have Hail Mary wins at Nebraska and against Boise State and they nearly took down UCLA on the road, giving up a late touchdown to fall 24-23. Even in that loss, good signs emerged. Quarterback Tanner Mangum, injured Taysom Hill’s backup, looks really good, and the defense is very strong.
How to watch BYU vs. Michigan on TV or online, plus 3 things to know
It’s a battle of quarterbacks that are trending in opposite directions.
Now comes the next test for the Cougars, against a Michigan team that’s improving, but at what pace? The Wolverines started the season with a road loss to Utah, and while they have certainly looked better in the past two weeks, with a legitimate defense, those blowout wins over the likes of Oregon State and UNLV aren’t all that impressive. Michigan’s quarterback situation is in bad shape, as Iowa transfer Jake Rudock hasn’t been consistent and has been considerably worse than he was with the Hawkeyes.
Michigan is at home for this game, and the defense will keep the Wolverines in it, but this is where we learn whether this team can finish in the top third of the Big Ten this year. For BYU, it’s yet another test as part of a grueling early-season schedule. And in a week without many good games, it should provide a lot of excitement.
How to watch, stream and listen
TV: Noon CT, ABC
Online streaming: WatchESPN
Spread: Michigan is favored by six points.
Make friends: Get to SB Nation’s team blog chats for this game at Maize n Brew for Michigan fans and Vanquish The Foe for BYU fans.
Three big things to know
1. Can Michigan find a passing game at all? The Wolverines offense has been marred by inconsistency, particularly in the passing game. It appears Jim Harbaugh is going to stick with Jake Rudock for the long haul, but if Michigan is to make any sort of noise in the Big Ten this year — or even beat BYU — Rudock has to be better.
2. Get to know Tanner Mangum. Taysom Hill was outstanding, but Mangum is impressive in his own right, and not just in his Hail Mary throwing ability. A former four-star recruit, Mangum has shown why he got so much hype coming out of college. Another impressive performance, this time in the Big House, would just improve his stock more.
3. BYU has looked a lot more impressive than Michigan so far this season, but the Wolverines opened as six-point favorites. It’s not just Vegas who likes Michigan: So do the computers, which have Michigan in the top 25.
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