WHAT TO KNOW
What’s at stake
The Cougars can stay ranked with another victory after winning at Nebraska, beating No. 20 Boise State and losing to No. 10 UCLA by a point. The Wolverines have a shot to give coach Jim Harbaugh his first significant win as their leader and to boost the team’s confidence going into Big Ten play.
Key matchup
Michigan QB Jake Rudock against BYU’s pass defense. Rudock has thrown five interceptions and hasn’t completed a pass longer than 28 yards this season. The graduate transfer from Iowa is going against a team with seven interceptions, tying the highest total in FBS. The Cougars will likely take away quick, short passes to wide receivers, forcing Rudock to attempt to beat them with longer shots down the field.
Players to watch
BYU: QB Tanner Mangum. The freshman, months removed from a Mormon mission in Chile, threw a Hail Mary with no time on the clock to stun the Cornhuskers after Taysom Hill was injured and a go-ahead TD to beat Boise State. Mangum was 30 of 47 with 244 yards, a TD and an interception in last week’s 24-23 loss at UCLA.
UM: CB Jourdan Lewis. He has a Big Ten-best six pass breakups and will get a chance to add to that total against a team averaging 40-plus passes, 300-plus yards passing and nearly two TDs per game. Lewis played in last week’s win against UNLV after having a concussion in a victory over Oregon State.
Facts & figures
BYU is 4-7-1 against teams currently in the Big Ten. ... The Wolverines have come away with points every time they’ve had the ball inside the 20, scoring eight TDs and making two field goals. ... Harbaugh was on Michigan’s team in 1984, the only time it played BYU, but broke his arm earlier in the year and didn’t play when the Cougars beat the Wolverines 24-17 in the Holiday Bowl to finish 13-0 and win the national championship.
Betting line
Michigan by 5 ½