Michigan @ Northwestern preview

Michigan at Northwestern

Last Meeting ( Oct 10, 2015 ) Northwestern 0, Michigan 38

No. 15 Michigan looks to win its fourth straight game when it visits Northwestern in Big Ten play on Saturday. The Wolverines have outscored their opponents 150-33 during their winning streak, including an impressive 56-10 rout of Nebraska in Week 4 to improve to 4-0 in conference openers under Jim Harbaugh, and they hope to keep climbing the national rankings by beating the Wildcats for the sixth consecutive time.

"We're still in control of our goals and our destiny and we have to come out and show the world because we know what we have here," Michigan defensive end Rashan Gary told reporters. "The Nebraska game gave a glimpse but we've got to keep improving." Northwestern hopes to have fixed its early-season problems during the bye week after dropping back-to-back games, including a disappointing 39-34 defeat to Akron, which was their second loss to a Mid-American Conference team in the last three years. The Wildcats won their Big Ten opener against Purdue in Week 1, but haven't started conference play 2-0 in 18 years and hope to bounce back from their sluggish start by knocking off Michigan for the first time since 2008. "They have great talent at every position," Northwestern coach Pat Fitzgerald told reporters. "They play very physical…so just very impressed."

TV: 4:30 p.m. ET, FOX. LINE: Michigan -14.

ABOUT MICHIGAN (3-1, 1-0 Big Ten): Running back Karan Higdon racked up a game-high 136 yards on the ground to go along with a touchdown after missing the previous contest with an undisclosed injury, while fullback Ben Mason rushed for a career-best three touchdowns in the win against Nebraska. Running back Chris Evans missed the game with a suspected hamstring injury and is likely to miss another game while Gary is expected to play after sitting out the second half with a sore shoulder. Wide receiver Donovan Peoples-Jones was named the Big Ten Co-Special Teams Player of the Week after returning a punt 60 yards for a touchdown.

ABOUT NORTHWESTERN (1-2, 1-0): Sophomore running back Jeremy Larkin, who led the team in rushing yards (346) and touchdowns (five) in 2018, was forced to retire earlier in the week after he was diagnosed with cervical stenosis. Clayton Thorson threw for a career-high 383 yards and three touchdowns in the loss to Akron to set a new program record for most TD passes with 47 in his career, eclipsing the old mark of 44 held by Len Williams and Brett Basanez. John Moten is expected to shoulder most of the load at running back in Larkin's absence while freshmen Isaiah Bowser and Drake Anderson could see some carries as well.

EXTRA POINTS

1. Michigan has won 10 of the last 11 meetings with Northwestern.

2. Thorson has started 42 straight games at quarterback, which is the second-longest active streak in the nation.

3. The Wolverines are ranked third nationally in total defense (240 yards per game).

PREDICTION: Michigan 28, Northwestern 16