Oftentimes, when Michigan and Penn State meet, there are Big Ten championship and College Football Playoff implications. That's not the case this season, but there will be a sense of urgency on each side. Kyle Whittingham's first season at Michigan was met with hand-wringing almost immediately.
In Week 1, the Wolverines needed a miracle to escape with a win over Western Michigan, a game they should have lost. Outside of a nice win over Oklahoma, it hasn't gotten much better. The offense is abysmal, and Michigan has now dropped back-to-back conference games against Minnesota and Iowa.
Over at Penn State, Matt Campbell hasn't exactly inspired confidence in his first year on the job either. After a 3-0 start, the Nittany Lions have dropped three straight against Big Ten opponents. One of those was a humiliating loss to Northwestern in which Penn State surrendered 413 yards on the ground.
With several Iowa State transfers at key spots, the offense is now struggling to score points in conference play. So, although this may not be a top-25 showdown between former Big Ten East rivals, the stakes are still high. There's pressure on these first-year coaches to patch some leaks, but only one will get the relief of victory.
Turn up the heat: When Whittingham was hired, the path to immediate success seemed obvious. Sherrone Moore, for all the turmoil he brought upon the program, won nine games with the Wolverines. Surely, a steady hand like Whittingham could get even more out of this team, right?
Against a tougher schedule, Michigan is in jeopardy of missing a bowl game. Quarterback Bryce Underwood and the offense have regressed under Whittingham's staff. The Wolverines have reached 20 points in one game -- a 52-17 blowout over UTEP in Week 2.
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