The defending School Soccer Playoff-champion Michigan Wolverines host the Texas Longhorns within the first “Large Midday Saturday” recreation of the 2024 season on Sept. 7 in what’s one of many greatest box-office video games of the season and solely these packages’ second all-time matchup.
Each groups are coming off an look within the School Soccer Playoff, which now has a 12-team format, however do they every want an early assertion win to set the tone for his or her respective 2024 seasons?
RJ Younger asserted that the reply is a convincing “sure,” particularly for Michigan, on the most recent version of “The No. 1 School Soccer Present with RJ Younger.”
“This appears like a 12 months that is large open, and should you appear like you wish to throw down a marker early, say ‘we are the Large Ten champs, we are the nationwide champs, deal with us like that,’ go beat up on a School Soccer Playoff crew like Texas,” Younger mentioned about Michigan. “At first, Sherrone Moore wants a gap salvo. He wants a shot. You have obtained Donovan Edwards within the backfield, run him. Work out what your quarterback state of affairs’s going to be, whether or not it’ll be Jack Tuttle or Alex Orji, run it. You want [defensive coordinator] Wink Martindale to place the clamps down on the protection. … for Michigan, I believe that is actually me discovering out what you bought, and also you displaying us what you bought, displaying us this is not a fluke what you probably did.
“Displaying us that you do not want Connor Stalions to present you a aggressive benefit for three-plus years to win a Nationwide Championship. Additionally, not for nothing, it is not simply that Jim Harbaugh left, it is that Sherrone Moore had by no means carried out this earlier than.”
Whereas Michigan went 15-0 final season and has received the Large Ten and cracked the School Soccer Playoff in every of the previous three seasons, it misplaced 13 gamers from its championship roster to the 2024 NFL Draft, in addition to Harbaugh — who turned the brand new head coach of the Los Angeles Chargers.
The Wolverines promoted Moore, their former offensive coordinator, to go coach; Moore served as performing head coach in 4 video games final season as Harbaugh was serving a number of suspensions and has been on Michigan’s teaching workers in some capability since 2018.
Michigan figures to stay an offense that forces the problem up entrance via its floor recreation, given it has completed within the high three within the Large Ten in speeding yards in every of the previous three seasons — together with first in 2021 and 2022. Furthermore, it is going to have a first-time beginning quarterback, no matter who will get the nod.
Whereas their main rusher of the previous two seasons, Blake Corum, is now within the NFL, the Wolverines nonetheless have the colourful Edwards within the backfield and can presumably search for a breakout season from senior operating again Kalel Mullings.
On the opposite facet, Texas is coming off its highest win whole (12) since 2009. Younger sees the heavyweight, out-of-conference recreation as an early take a look at of the Longhorns’ validity.
“We’re all going to heap a number of strain on Texas,” Younger mentioned. “And you understand how it feels after we heap a number of strain on Texas; they do not at all times shoulder the burden such as you would anticipate them to shoulder the burden … you bought Quinn Ewers coming again; you bought Johntay Cook dinner on the skin; you bought CJ Baxter, however I am actually desirous about what these offensive and defensive linemen are going to be as a result of I believe that is the place the sport’s going to be received. As quiet because it’s saved, [head coach] Steve Sarkisian is basically nice about getting 1,000-yard backs. He is actually good about placing Jonathan Brooks’ and CJ Baxter’s in place to go run roughshod over your entrance seven after which clip your wings by going excessive. He is obtained pace on the skin. He will have excellent inside offensive line play [with] Kelvin Banks going right into a draft-eligible 12 months.
“And Quinn Ewers, all he is obtained to do is keep wholesome. If he stays wholesome, they obtained a shot right here … for Texas, that is about breaking via to the following stage. It is about entering into the Nationwide Championship recreation.”
RJ Younger reacts to the Large Midday Kickoff recreation announcement schedule
Texas is coming into its fourth season with Sarkisian as head coach, and this system has solely improved below his watch, making a three-win soar from 2021 to 2022 and a four-win soar from 2022 to 2023.
Moreover, the Longhorns received the Large 12 final season for the primary time since 2009, headlined by a protection that was first within the Large 12 in opponent whole yards (321.7) and factors (17.5) per recreation. Their signature regular-season win got here in Week 2, as they beat Alabama in Tuscaloosa, 34-24. The Washington Huskies have been the top of the road for Texas within the School Soccer Playoff semifinal spherical, although, as the previous obtained a dramatic 37-31 victory.
Texas is led by Ewers, who threw for 3,479 yards and 22 touchdowns throughout 12 video games final season, whereas finishing 69.0% of his passes. Ewers is projected to be one of many first quarterbacks off the board within the 2025 NFL Draft. That mentioned, Texas misplaced 11 gamers to the draft, together with star defensive linemen Byron Murphy and T’Vondre Sweat and pass-catchers like large receiver Xavier Worthy and tight finish Ja’Tavion Sanders, amongst others.
The Longhorns are coming into their first season within the SEC, together with Oklahoma, forming a 16-team convention. After all, the Large Ten can say “maintain our beer” — actually now — because the convention is ready to debut an 18-team convention, with USC, UCLA, Oregon and Washington now a part of the convention.
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