Two underperforming Big Ten teams clash this weekend at the Big House.

Penn State and Michigan will both be seeking their first Big Ten win of the season as they meet on Saturday, with both programs desperate to snap their losing streaks.

The Nittany Lions are coming off a 31-23 White Out loss to USC that was closer than many expected. The blue and white continue to struggle on defense and in the run game, but Matt Campbell promises corrections will come in time.

Penn State hasn’t beaten Michigan since 2020, a matchup in Ann Arbor that similarly featured two unranked teams.

The last time these two teams met was in 2023, when the Wolverines ran the ball 32 consecutive times down the throat of the Nittany Lions defense to win.

The blue and white and the maize and blue have produced instant classics, including the Nittany Lions’ four-overtime home win over Michigan in 2013 and the Wolverines’ last-second win over then-undefeated Penn State in 2005. The Wolverines lead the all-time series 17-10.

Penn State is a 6.5-point underdog, per FanDuel. This is the first time this season the Nittany Lions aren’t favored in a matchup.

The Team

While Michigan’s 2025 season was not as disappointing as Penn State’s campaign, the Wolverines failed to meet expectations in their second season under Sherrone Moore. 

After starting the year as the No. 14 team in the nation, the Wolverines ultimately finished with a 9-4 record and a Citrus Bowl loss to Texas.

Following the season, it was announced that Moore would be terminated by the university after it was determined that the head coach was involved in an inappropriate relationship with a staff member.

Moore was sentenced to 18 months of probation and a $1,000 fine for two misdemeanors.

For a program that was still in the wake of a massive sign-stealing scandal involving former staffer Connor Stalions, one that broke in the middle of a national championship run, Michigan was in desperate need of a culture shift.

The maize and blue hired Kyle Whittingham to do just that.

Whittingham originally announced his retirement after a 32-year career with Utah. He served as head coach for 21 of those seasons and earned multiple coaching accolades and awards during his tenure.

However, Whittingham’s first season in maize and blue has gone far from plan. 

The Wolverines won their first game of the season over Western Michigan on a Hail Mary after a bizarre replay review determined there was still time on the clock. 

Michigan sits at 3-2 and, like Penn State, is winless in Big Ten play. The team is on a two-game losing streak and is coming off a bye week.

The offensive coordinator is Jason Beck. He coached under Whittingham at Utah last season in the same role and previously worked on staff at BYU, Virginia, Syracuse, and New Mexico State.

Jay Hill is the defensive coordinator, a man who spent 12 seasons with the Utes in a variety of roles, beginning in 2001. He left Salt Lake City ahead of the 2014 season to start at Weber State, then later at BYU.

The Offense

If you thought the Penn State offense was lackluster, wait until you hear what’s going on in Ann Arbor.

The Wolverines average just 315.8 yards per game, good for second-to-last in the Big Ten, just above their in-state rival, Michigan State.

Michigan’s 180.8 passing yards per game is dead last in the conference, and while its rushing is middle of the pack, Penn State’s is higher despite the struggles on the ground.

Sophomore quarterback Bryce Underwood is a major contributor to the team’s struggles. The former top prospect in the nation gets only a fraction of the hype that once surrounded him, despite having all the tools of a successful dual-threat signal-caller.

Underwood has a 59.3% completion rate through five games and has failed to reach 200 passing yards on three occasions. He has thrown just five touchdowns this season and has thrown four interceptions and fumbled twice.

Wideout JJ Buchanan has been one of the offense’s few bright spots. The Utah transfer averages just under 90 receiving yards per game and has accounted for four of Underwood’s touchdowns. 

Andrew Marsh leads Buchanan in receptions, with 25, but has 178 fewer yards.

Jordan Marshall has not lived up to the hype after breaking out last season. In a four-game stretch during the latter half of 2025, Marshall averaged 142.5 rushing yards and 1.75 touchdowns per game. This year, he hasn’t even reached 60 yards in four quarters.

Underwood has the most carries on the team, with 57, and is close behind Marshall’s 244 yards.

Michigan’s depleted offensive line has been a disappointment as well, allowing eight sacks thus far. 

Like Penn State, Michigan’s shortcomings in the run game can be attributed to an inability to execute up front. Center Jake Guarnera seems to believe the unit is a hair off from flipping the narrative. Sound familiar?

The Defense

The offense might not be meeting Michigan standards, but the defense certainly is.

The Wolverines boast the Big Ten’s top defense in yards allowed per game, surrendering an average of 241.4 yards, 3.9 per play. The unit also ranks second nationally in total defense.

Senior linebacker Troy Bowles leads the team in total tackles with 40, 21 of those coming on his own accord. His position mate Nathaniel Staehling is the next closest “competitor,” with 25 tackles for the year, 11 solo.

Michigan has found a way to get to the opposing quarterback this season, with 12 sacks. Defensive end John Henry Daley leads that charge with three; Dom Nichols follows closely behind with 2.5.

The maize and blue have excelled at defending against the pass this season, arguably the strongest aspect of their game. The unit allows 146.8 passing yards per game, the sixth-best mark in the nation.

Credit goes largely to the depth and experience of the Wolverine defensive secondary, a group that includes multiple multiyear starters like Jyaire Hill and Zeke Berry.

Hill has one interception and 25 tackles, while Berry has two pass deflections. Safeties Chris Bracy and Rod Moore Jr. and cornerback Chris Snowden each have one takeaway. 

The defensive line was tabbed as one of the nation’s best heading into 2026, and the big men up front have delivered. Michigan allows just 2.8 yards per carry, No. 12 in the country, which does little for a struggling Penn State run game.

Special Teams

Pitt transfer Trey Butkowski is the team’s placekicker and has been as perfect as you could ask for this season. He is 4-for-4 on field goals and 13-for-13 on extra points. Butkowski’s longest kick of the season is 49 yards, and he has yet to attempt a kick from more than 50 yards out in his two-year collegiate career.

If there’s one area on special teams where Michigan has struggled, it’s punt returns. Andrew Marsh averages just 4.3 yards per return, making Michigan No. 123 in the nation.