Penn State vs. Michigan: What you need to know in this huge Big Ten clash

Penn State was unbeaten after five games last season before a sputtering defense and injuries knocked the season off course.

The true test of whether this year’s 5-0 team is any different will be clear in three weeks as Penn State faces a daunting stretch of games.

It starts Saturday with a road trip to No. 5 Michigan before the Nittany Lions host Minnesota, then No. 2 Ohio State.

The 10th-ranked Lions (5-0, 2-0 Big Ten) and Wolverines (6-0, 3-0) kick off at noon Saturday in front of a “Maize Out” at the Big House in Ann Arbor.

» READ MORE: Penn State may be touchdown underdog against Michigan, but numbers say it should be closer

Michigan’s polished junior tailback Blake Corum has 735 yards and 11 touchdowns. Defensively, Penn State hasn’t allowed a team to rush for more than 119 yards in a game. A Lions win likely won’t come without containing Corum.

Playing the Wolverines at the Big House means a bit more to Penn State’s four Michigan natives, three of whom will see plenty of reps. Kalen and Kobe King (Cass Tech) along with Jaylen Reed (Martin Luther King High School) hail from Detroit. Jamari Budden is from Ypsilanti.

» READ MORE: This NIL collective is set to secure disability insurance for 13 Penn State football players

“[This game] means a lot, being from Michigan originally,” Kalen King said. “It’s almost like a homecoming game because I get to go back to where I’m familiar with and see a lot of familiar faces. It’ll be a chance to play against a lot of people I’m already familiar with from back home. I’m planning on having a lot of people at this game.”

The Wolverines hold a 15-10 edge in the all-time series. Two of the last three games were decided by one possession.

The Lions won, 28-21, in 2019. They won again, 27-17, in 2020. Michigan won, 21-17, last year in Happy Valley behind a game-winning, 47-yard touchdown catch by tight end Erick All with 2 minutes, 26 seconds left.

» READ MORE: Penn State’s Nick Singleton is ‘all substance, no swag’ — an approach that keeps paying off

“[It’s a] big, big, big game,” Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh said. He added later: “We’re going to have to play really good. And not just run defense. Pass defense is really good. They’re really good at both. So, the biggest challenge of the year, so far, in our opinion.”

“Not only is this Saturday critical in terms of how we manage the game and how our players go out there with the confidence and swagger to make the plays when they’re needed, but it’s also all of the progress that you can make the other 364 days a year that add up. All those little wins add up all year long to put your team in the best position to be successful. … This is why you come to a place like Penn State, to play in these types of games.” — Penn State coach James Franklin

After Michigan, Penn State will host Minnesota in its “White Out” game at 7:30 p.m. on Oct. 22 at Beaver Stadium. The last time the two teams played was 2019, with the Gophers putting the first blemish on Penn State’s record, 31-26.