#6 Michigan (6-0, 3-0 Big Ten) vs. Northwestern (3-3, 1-2 Big Ten)

Michigan Stadium • Ann Arbor, Mich.
Saturday, Oct. 23, 2021 • 12:05 p.m.
Television: Fox
Radio: Learfield Michigan Sports Network
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Northwestern Game Promotions

• Inaugural George Jewett Trophy
• 2020 Michigan Hall of Honor Recognition
• Men's Gymnastics Big Ten Championship Recognition
• Water Polo CWPA Championship Recognition
• Halftime Performance: "Fire Up, It's Saturday"
• Full Promotions Schedule

Monday, Oct. 18

Complete Game Notes (PDF)

Coach Harbaugh Weekly Press Conference | Watch

Inside Michigan Football Radio Show (7 p.m.) | Listen

• Saturday's game will be the inaugural matchup for the George Jewett Trophy.
• Michigan is 6-0 for the first time since 2016.
• The Wolverines moved up two spots in both polls this week and are ranked sixth.
• Saturday will mark the 76th meeting between U-M and Northwestern, with the Maize and Blue winning the last six.
• The Wolverines are top-15 in both scoring offense and defense this season, ranking 14th in scoring offense and eighth in scoring defense.

Wolverines and Wildcats

• This will be the 76th meeting between Michigan and Northwestern.

• The Wolverines hold a 58-15-2 advantage in the all-time series and have won 33 of the last 37 games played between the two schools dating back to 1966.

• Michigan has won 11 of the last 12 games in the series; the only setback came in a 21-14 affair played at Michigan Stadium in 2008

• Four of the last five games have been decided by less than a score, including a pair of overtime games, with Michigan coming out victorious in each instance.

• Michigan holds a 31-6-2 advantage in games played at the Big House and is 35-6-2 all-time in games against Northwestern in Ann Arbor.

Series vs. Northwestern: Michigan leads 58-15-2
Series Streak: Michigan won 6
Last Meeting vs. Northwestern: 2018 (Michigan, 20-17)
Last Michigan Win: 2018

Television Coverage

Fox will broadcast the game to a national audience. Gus Johnson (play-by-play), Joel Klatt (color) and Jenny Taft (sideline reporter) will call the game.

George Jewett Trophy

• Saturday's game will be the inaugural matchup for the George Jewett Trophy, the first rivalry game trophy named for an African American player in Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) history.

• Jewett was the first African American to play football at each institution and was the first Black player to suit up for any of the schools that currently make up the Big Ten Conference.

• Jewett played for Michigan during the 1890 and 1892 seasons. He starred on the gridiron for the Wolverines as a fullback and halfback and was the team's main kicker, all while studying medicine.

• He left Michigan for Northwestern in 1893 to finish his medical degree. While in Evanston, he also lettered and starred in football for the Wildcats for two seasons.

In the Polls

• Michigan moved up two spots in both polls this week after its bye week and following the Wolverines' 32-29 victory at Nebraska (Oct. 9).

• After their 38-17 win at Wisconsin (Oct. 2), the Wolverines returned to the top 10 for the first time since late in the 2019 season.

• The Northwestern game will be the program's 29th game as a top-10 team under coach Jim Harbaugh.

• U-M has been ranked for all but 13 contests under Harbaugh (78 games). The Wolverines were not ranked the first four games in 2015, four games in 2017 and 2020, and the first two games of the 2021 season.

Game Notes Nuggets

• The Wolverines are 6-0 for the first time since 2016. It's the sixth time since 1980 that U-M has opened the season 6-0 (2016, 2011, 2006, 1997, 1986).

• Though six games, U-M has had Big Ten Conference honorees on offense (Blake Corum, Washington), defense (David Ojabo, Wisconsin; Brad Hawkins, Nebraska) and special teams (Jake Moody, Nebraska).

• The Wolverines are top-15 nationally in both scoring offense and defense this season, ranking 14th in scoring offense (38.5 points per game, No. 2 Big Ten) and eighth in scoring defense (15.5 points per game, No. 4 Big Ten).

• The offense has produced 31 plays of 20-plus yards (17 passing, 14 rushing). The Wolverines have scored eight touchdowns of 50-plus yards this season and have scored in 20 of 24 quarters overall.

• In the red zone, the Wolverines have 16 touchdowns on 26 possessions, with a 96.2 percent scoring rate (points on 25 of 26 red zone possessions).

• Running backs Hassan Haskins and Blake Corum are tied for the team lead with eight touchdowns each, and they share a national ranking of tied-22nd in rushing scores. Haskins has four 100-yard rushing efforts in his last seven contests. Corum (101.7 yards per game) ranks 20th nationally among rushers.

• Corum is also fourth nationally in all-purpose yards (160 yards per game) and leads the team with 10 plays of 20-plus yards (six rushing).

• The offensive line has been among the nation's most efficient, with just two sacks allowed (No. 2 NCAA) and 13 tackles allowed behind the line of scrimmage (No. 1 NCAA). Both marks lead the Big Ten.

• Quarterback Cade McNamara needs 14 passing yards for 1,000 on the season. Through six games, he has completed 72-of-119 passes for 986 yards and five touchdowns.

• The defense has generated at least one turnover in five of six games. After failing to record one in the opener, the Wolverines have at least one in five straight.

• U-M has forced 11 turnovers this season while allowing just two, both interceptions. At Nebraska (Oct. 9), Cade McNamara threw his first career interception on his 175th career attempt.

• Defensive end Aidan Hutchinson has twice been named Pro Football Focus' National Defensive Player of the Week, including after U-M's most recent game at Nebraska (Oct. 9), where he helped the Michigan defensive line record the highest week-six grade (90.0) in the FBS.

• On the season, the Wolverines' front-seven has the second-highest grade in the nation (87.3) behind only Georgia (91.3), according to PFF. That has been the engine behind a team ranked No. 21 nationally in total defense (310 yards per game).

• With 40 tackles (16 solo), linebacker Josh Ross has 11 more tackles than the next-closest Wolverine. Linebacker Nikhai Hill-Green (27 tackles, 23 solo) leads the team in solo stops.

• The defense has allowed just two rushing touchdowns this season and nine of 11 total touchdowns surrendered came as the result of drives 60 yards or longer.

• Jake Moody scored 14 points at Nebraska (Oct. 9) and was named Big Ten Special Teams Player of the Week. Now 12-of-13 on the season, his 61 points lead the team and he ranks ninth nationally in scoring average (10.2 points per game).

• Moody has also generated 37 touchbacks on 45 kickoffs, allowing just 35 kickoff return yards total this season (No. 2 NCAA).

• Punter Brad Robbins has been an equally important ingredient to the Wolverines' special teams success. Robbins has yielded just 12 return yards all season on 19 punts, averaging 45.1 yards per attempt with 10 punts inside the opponent's 20-yard line.

• U-M has also been successful in the return game, with A.J. Henning ranking No. 12 nationally in punt return average (11.6 yards per return) and Blake Corum ranking No. 14 nationally in kickoff return average (27.6 yards per return).

• Six Wolverines are native to the state of Illinois: Josh Beetham (Yorkville), A.J. Henning (Frankfort), Danny Hughes (Naperville), Trevor Keegan (Crystal Lake), J.J. McCarthy (La Grange Park), and Tyler McLaurin (Bolingbrook).

Michigan State Game Time, TV Announced

Michigan's game at Michigan State on Saturday, Oct. 30, has been announced as a noon start. Fox will televise the game from Spartan Stadium in East Lansing, Mich.