Week 8 of the NCAA football season pits with it some exciting conference clashes and a battle between USC and Notre Dame in a week full of potential NFL-talent rich teams battling it out. Our feature games of the week span across the country and we've got you covered on why you should be watching these athletes when they line up on Saturday.
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Michigan @ Penn State
When Michigan is on offense:
- Michigan QB John O’Korn has completed just 11 of his 32 pass attempts that have traveled at least 10 yards through the air, and just four of 16 outside the numbers in that yardage range. Opposing quarterbacks have completed just 24-of-69 passes in this range against Penn State this year.
- Michigan's Mason Cole has given up just six total pressures this season, and currently has the conference's sixth-highest pass block efficiency mark of 97.5.
- Penn State S Marcus Allen has been a solid all around player, as he has recorded 10 total stops on the year and has allowed just 9-of-16 targeted passes his way to be caught for just 48 yards, no touchdowns and an interception.
When Penn State is on offense:
- After finishing first in the country in elusive rating in 2015, and third in the Big Ten last year (among backs with at least 150 total touches), Barkley currently ranks fourth in the conference this year, and 15 of his 30 forced missed tackles came in one game against Iowa. Last year, the Wolverines missed just one tackle on Barkley, and two overall in the contest against Penn State.
- This year, Michigan is missing an average of 4.7 tackles per game, tied with Georgia for the lowest mark in the country.
- Michigan’s defensive line trio of Maurice Hurst, Chase Winovich and Rashan Gary have combined for 12 sacks, 20 hits and 40 hits on opposing quarterbacks this year, with 21 of their combined pressures coming last week against Indiana.
- Hurst is currently third among all interior defenders in terms of total QB pressures, as he has accrued 25 total on the season. Penn State QB Trace McSorley currently fields a 36.7 passer rating when under pressure, second-lowest among B1G quarterbacks with at least 40 pressured dropbacks.
Be sure to sign up for PFF Edge and check out our other featured matchups in Week 8 – including Louisville @ Florida State, Oklahoma State @ Texas, USC @ Notre Dame and Washington State @ Colorado, along with much, much more from your PFF Edge subscription.
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