What to watch for: Michigan football vs Texas

For the first time since 2019, the No. 10 Michigan football team will take on a ranked nonconference opponent this Saturday. It’s not just any ranked opponent, either. With No. 3 Texas coming to Ann Arbor, the Wolverines will face off against a member of last year’s College Football Playoff, a top-five team and a bona fide championship contender.

For Michigan, facing the Longhorns is a marked departure from the weak nonconference schedules of recent seasons. The Wolverines are underdogs at home for the first time since 2021, and looked the part of a team finding their footing in the season opener.

Texas, meanwhile, looked the part of one of the best teams in the country. The Longhorns shut out Colorado State, 52-0, putting on a show on both sides of the ball. For Michigan to have any shot of pulling off the upset, the Wolverines will need to avoid a similar slow start to the one they had in Week 1. 

With one of the potential best games of the season on the docket on Saturday, there’s so much to look out for that it could get overwhelming. So, to help you out, here are a few key things to watch for:

Can Davis Warren keep up with Quinn Ewers?

Originally joining Michigan as a preferred walk-on, senior quarterback Davis Warren doesn’t have the typical background of a starting quarterback on a top-10 team. But after a long battle with junior Alex Orji, Warren won the job, and the Wolverines are sticking with him. 

In his first collegiate start, it seemed like Warren felt some nerves. He completed 60% of his passes for just 118 yards and one touchdown, and threw an interception on an attempted deep ball. While he found rhythm with junior tight end Colston Loveland, Michigan’s passing attack still left much to be desired. 

On the other side of the ball, Texas quarterback Quinn Ewers does have that expected background. He’s a former No. 1 overall recruit in the nation, and has 23 games worth of starting experience under his belt. Last season, he tallied 3,479 yards and 22 touchdowns to just six picks as he guided the Longhorns to their first ever CFP berth. 

The Wolverines will need Warren to lead them as they attempt to keep pace with Ewers on Saturday. Warren might not drive Michigan’s offense the same way Ewers does for Texas, but if he can make a few key throws and limit mistakes, he can keep the Wolverines moving enough to stay in the game and let their defense get to work. 

Warren, at least, is confident that he can compete.

“I’m used to being surrounded by top quarterbacks all the time, both in our building and on the outside,” Warren said Monday. “… I’ve been around it. I know I’m capable of playing at this level 100% and capable of doing whatever it takes to get a win, so it doesn’t affect me.” 

When kickoff rolls around on Saturday, watch if Warren can back up his comments — particularly against the Longhorns’ three preseason All-SEC second team defensive backs. Michigan doesn’t need him to be perfect, but he can’t fall too far behind Ewers either. 

Can the Wolverines establish the run?

At this point, Michigan’s identity is pretty well known. The Wolverines want to play physical, smashmouth football, winning the battle in the trenches and controlling the pace of play. And, following logically, a key part of that identity involves establishing the running game. 

In Week 1, it took Michigan until the third quarter to really get the running game going. Between a fully new starting five on the offensive line and some struggles for senior running back Donovan Edwards, the Wolverines’ rushing attack took approximately 50 minutes to break through. 

While the offensive line now has one game playing together under its belt, and Edwards has stepped up in big games in the past, Texas’ defense also presents a much bigger challenge than Fresno State’s did. 

“(The Longhorns’ defense is) very, very, very well coached,” Michigan running backs coach Tony Alford said Wednesday. “… They’re a very talented team, athletic, play with a lot of energy. You can tell that they enjoy playing this game and feel good about the scheme that they’re running.”

Alford pointed to linebackers Anthony Hill Jr. and David Gbenda as names to watch out for on Saturday commanding that defense. Hill impressed in his freshman season, earning co-Big 12 Defensive Freshman of the Year honors. This year, he’s already earned preseason All-SEC honors, and had five tackles and one tackle for a loss in Texas’ season opener. 

Another name to watch on that defensive front is edge rusher Trey Moore. Moore transferred to the Longhorns from UTSA, where he holds the single-season sack and tackles-for-loss records. He has the potential to wreak havoc in Michigan’s backfield off the edge, potentially slowing down the running game greatly. 

With a colossal challenge ahead in the form of Texas’ defense, watch if the Wolverines’ offensive line can find a rhythm quickly and help Michigan control the clock. Also, keep an eye on whether Edwards can live up to his big-game billing, potentially adding a more explosive side to the Wolverines’ rushing attack.

Can Michigan limit explosive plays?

Speaking of explosive plays, when asked Wednesday what he expects out of the Longhorns’ offense, Wolverines linebackers coach Brian Jean-Mary had a concise answer:

“Big plays,” Jean-Mary said. “Obviously they have a high-level quarterback in Ewers, and with (Texas coach Steve Sarkisian), the thing he’s going to make you do, he’s going to make you play sideline-to-sideline. And he’s always gonna try to scheme up and take the home run shots.”

Sarkisian and Ewers have plenty of shiny toys to play with in Alabama transfer wide receiver Isaiah Bond, Houston transfer receiver Matthew Golden and running back Jaydon Blue. The Longhorns will constantly look to break off chunk plays, and their weapons have the talent to do so. 

Combine that with Michigan defensive coordinator Wink Martindale’s tendency to play aggressive football, and the Wolverines could be in trouble. Martindale’s blitz-heavy scheme could prevent Ewers from having enough time in the pocket, but it could also leave Michigan’s defense vulnerable to deep balls and long touchdowns. 

On Saturday, watch if the Wolverines’ secondary can contain Texas’ explosive receivers and limit big plays. If it can’t, Michigan might be in for a long game in its first tough test of many this season. 

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After a season-opening win that didn’t exactly settle concerns about the Wolverines, they’ll get an instant chance to prove if they can compete at a top-10 level. There’s no shortage of storylines to follow on Saturday, but watch for these three that should help define the outcome of the game.

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