Cincinnati (1-0) at No. 8 Michigan (1-0), Saturday Noon (ABC)
Line: Michigan by 34.
Series record: First meeting.
WHAT’S AT STAKE
The Wolverines have a chance to build off a season-opening 33-17 win over Florida. The Bearcats can give the Luke Fickell era a big boost with a stunning upset, or they can simply gain respect by being competitive.
KEY MATCHUP
Michigan’s running game vs Cincinnati’s defense. The Wolverines will want Chris Evans to gain more yards per carry after giving their No. 1 RB the ball 22 times for 78 yards against the Gators. Backup Ty Isaac had 114 yards on 11 carries, displaying the potential he had when he began his college career at USC. Bearcats DT Cortez Broughton, a second-team all-conference player, leads a front that will be tested by a team determined to run early and often.
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Cincinnati: Mike Boone took advantage of his debut as a No. 1 RB, running for 100 yards and a TD on 19 carries. The Bearcats will need him to have more success to keep their defense off the field.
Michigan: QB Wilton Speight was benched against Florida after throwing two pick-sixes and bounced back well enough to lead the Wolverines to a lopsided victory. Speight should have a chance to gain confidence against an overmatched defense.
FACTS & FIGURES
The Wolverines had 19 players start for the first time last week. … Cincinnati’s Hayden Moore threw three TDs in 26-14 season-opening win over Austin Peay. … Fickell was hired in December to replace Tommy Tuberville, who resigned after four seasons with the Bearcats. … Fickell, a former Buckeyes’ defensive lineman, was on Ohio State’s staff for 15 years, including a season as interim coach in 2011 after Jim Tressel. … Michigan LB Devin Bush had seven tackles against Florida, including two sacks and another stop for a loss.
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