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Michigan football coach Jim Harbaugh borrows from basketball to explain what makes the Wolverines quarterback, Shea Patterson, dangerous, claiming he has the guiding instinct.
"I think there is a sensation there," Harbaugh said. "Understand the spacing of players, their proximity to you, where you can go to avoid defenders."
Harbaugh added, "He has the knack for getting out of the pocket. In terms of jamming, he's really clever when he's out of his pocket. "
Wisconsin's No. 10 ability to contain Patterson's goaltender will be crucial in Saturday's home game against Michigan No. 13 (7:30 pm local time, ABC).
Five reasons why the Michigan-Wisconsin match could be one of the most competitive clashes of the ranked teams this season:
1. Important for ranking
Michigan (5-1) will travel to Michigan, its rival, in a week from Saturday and will travel to Penn State the following weekend. An appointment with the Ohio State power plant in Columbus is also emerging.
These Wolverines will be defined by their way of playing, and their hope of a memorable season would be seriously compromised by a defeat against Wisconsin.
At the same time, Wisconsin (4-1) needs a win to remain unbeaten in the Big Ten and on the road to an expected clash with Penn State who will become the best team in the West Division. Wisconsin does not play in the state of Ohio this season.
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2. Patterson against Alex Hornibrook
Patterson, a transfer from Mississippi State, is the offensive leader that was missing in Michigan in 2017. Dwayne Haskins Jr. of the state of Ohio is the only quarterback Big Ten to have a better rating (190, 8) as Patterson (160.7). Balloon protection has been one of Patterson's main strengths.
But Hornibrook quarterback Wisconsin was quietly effective, throwing only two interceptions in 114 attempts. However, he completed less than 50% of his passes in two previous starts against Michigan.
3. Jonathan Taylor vs. Michigan's No.1 Defense
Taylor is third in the country with 849 rushing yards. but he will face a Michigan team ranked first on the defensive with an average of 231 yards per game. Last week, Taylor raised 221 yards against Nebraska.
Taylor ran for 132 yards against Michigan last season. A handful of high-level players are looking to slow him down in Michigan, led by fast defensive lineman Chase Winovich, who leads the Big Ten with 10 tackles for the loss this season.
"We have a lot of respect for him. He has talent. He plays the game with a lot of energy and is hard to block, "said Wisconsin coach Paul Chryst. "When you go against him, you must be great in your technique and you must be great in your efforts."
4. underrated rivalry
This is the third consecutive season that Michigan and Wisconsin have been ranked in their conference match.
This year's match resembles the 2016 match in which the Badgers were ranked 9th and Michigan 10th. Michigan won this game 14-10. Last season, Wisconsin won. This year, the teams seem to be tied, and both had awesome play periods and periods in which they seemed out of sync.
This rivalry seems to be more marked by respect than by aversion.
"Very impressed by the sound quality in all phases," Harbaugh said of Wisconsin. "(They are) a team that does not fight. Do not give up big games. People are not out of position. They do not return the ball. They are very hard to beat, it's a sign of a well-trained team and an excellent program. "
5. Both teams are struggling
Wisconsin High School has been affected by several injuries. Corner players Travian Blaylock, Deron Harrell and Caesar Williams are debatable. Starting safety Scott Nelson will pass the first half of the match against Michigan because he was accused of targeting Nebraska.
Michigan did not reveal if injured Rashan Gary would play. The monstrous defensive tackle was injured last week. Offensive back Chris Evans is expected to play after missing three games due to an injury.
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