ANN ARBOR, MICHIGAN - OCTOBER 15: Mike Morris #90 of the Michigan Wolverines reacts after a Michigan defensive stop during the first half of a college football game against the Penn State Nittany Lions at Michigan Stadium on October 15, 2022 in Ann Arbor, Michigan. (Photo by Aaron J. Thornton/Getty Images)
The Florida Gators (7-3) take on the Michigan Wolverines (6-5, 1-0 Big Ten).
Tuesday, at 7 p.m. EST in Charlotte, North Carolina
BOTTOM LINE: The Florida Gators will face the Michigan Wolverines at Spectrum Center in Charlotte, North Carolina.
Against non-conference opponents, the Wolverines are 5-4. Michigan ranks third in the Big Ten with 82.2 points per game and a 49.7% field goal percentage.
The Wolverines are 5-4 against non-conference opponents. Michigan is third in the Big Ten in scoring (82.2 points per game) and field goal percentage (49.7%).
Michigan is shooting 49.7% from the field this season, which is 7.8 percentage points higher than Florida’s opponents (41.9%). This season, Florida has shot 45.4% from the field, 0.9 percentage point higher than Michigan’s opponents, who have shot 44.5%.
TOP PERFORMERS: For the Wolverines, Olivier Nkamhoua averages 16.5 points and 7.3 rebounds per game.
Walter Clayton Jr. is averaging 16.5 points and shooting 47.2% for the Gators. Florida’s Tyrese Samuel averages 13.9 points per game.
READ MORE
Where Michigan’s defense must improve before the…….
When Michigan defeated Iowa 26-0 on December 2, they not only won their third consecutive Big Ten title, but they also secured a spot in the College Football Playoff.
The Wolverines face Alabama in the CFP semifinals on New Year’s Day at the Rose Bowl. This is a long layoff for any team, and what both programs do in December will have a significant impact on what happens when they meet on January 1.
Michigan is not only studying Alabama’s film, but they are also aware of what they need to work on in the weeks leading up to the Rose Bowl.
Michigan’s win over Iowa, despite being a shutout and defensive masterpiece, was not always easy for the offense against an elite Iowa defense. The offense at Michigan averaged 3.3 yards per play, their lowest total in a game since 2014. There were also issues with pass protection, and quarterback J.J. McCarthy was sacked four times.
“Uncharacteristically, we had some drops, uncharacteristically, we had some protection issues, and things that we’ll work on,” said head coach Jim Harbaugh after the win over Iowa.
The matchup against Iowa, which ranks fifth in total defense, came at an ideal time for Michigan. Alabama’s defense is also very good, ranking No. 18 in total defense.
“Pass pro, we had dropped passes. “There are only a few things we can clean up, but we have a month now,” Corum said on December 2. “We’ve got a month to get these guys healthy. We have a month to see a lot of movies. We have a month to put in a lot of practice time. We still have time. We can’t afford to waste time, but we do.”
More than half of December has passed since Corum’s remarks, and the Rose Bowl will begin in the blink of an eye. On a minute-by-minute basis, the Michigan offense relies heavily on attention to detail.
This month will also see a focus on improving offensive line cohesion. When right guard Zak Zinter suffered a season-ending leg injury against Ohio State, lineman Karsen Barnhart was moved from right tackle to right guard, with Trente Jones taking over as the starting right tackle. It was no surprise that the offensive line looked sloppy against Iowa. It’s not easy to replace someone like Zinter, who was named a unanimous First Team All-American. Better line cohesion will be required from Michigan, as Alabama linebacker Dallas Turner excels at generating pressure. Turner was named SEC Player of the Year after compiling 50 total tackles (14.5 for loss), nine sacks, and two forced fumbles in his senior season.
