UNLV Week: Three Keys To A Michigan Football Victory

Week 2 is swiftly approaching and the Wolverines will take on UNLV. Here's what Michigan needs to do to win.

In a Week 2 matchup, Michigan will host UNLV for the second time ever. The last meeting came back in 2015 -- the first year Jim Harbaugh was the head coach at Michigan -- and the Wolverines won, 28-7. 

The Wolverines are coming off a 30-3 win against East Carolina a week ago, while the Rebels are also coming off a big win after defeating Bryant, 44-14. 

Michigan is a huge favorite for the second week in a row, and while the Wolverines should win big, here are three keys to making sure that happens. 

Offense: Don't force the run game

Most of the talk surrounding the Michigan offense a week ago, was the lack of a run game. The Wolverines totaled 122 yards on the ground as a team and neither Blake Corum nor Donovan Edwards hit 100 yards. But that was largely because East Carolina stacked the box against Michigan and forced J.J. McCarthy to throw the ball -- which he did exceptionally well. 

Michigan has a certain identity that its instilled in the past few years: a smashmouth team that will run the ball down the opposing team's throat. After Week 1, it feels like the Wolverines are going to want to make a statement and run the football against UNLV. And there is a good chance Michigan will be able to do that after the Rebels allowed 179 yards in Week 1 against Bryant. 

But, Michigan needs to do exactly what it did last week. Try to be as balanced as it was offensively, and do what the defense allows. If UNLV wants to stack the box like ECU did, then allow J.J. to air it out. But if the Rebels choose to stop McCarthy and drop back, then Corum and Edwards could eat. 

Bottom line, don't get one-dimensional and do whatever is needed to score points and move the football. 

Defense: Must be sound against the UNLV rushing attack

If Week 1 told us anything about UNLV, it appears the Rebels are going to run the football and do it a lot. The Rebels' starting quarterback Doug Brumfield threw the ball for a meager 86 yards and an interception, but the ground attack got the job done against Bryant. 

The Rebels ran the ball for 268 yards and they used seven different ball carriers to get the job done. UNLV runs a spread offense, but between Brumfield's legs and different formations, the Rebels could be a tricky offense. 

Michigan allowed 103 yards on the ground against ECU, and the Wolverines are going to need to be sound against the Rebels' run game this Saturday. The interior line needs to clog the lanes, while the Edge rushers must set the edge and not bite on the option attack. If the Michigan defenders can stay in their lane and communicate, the Wolverines should be able to defend the Rebels' run game.

The more Michigan can force Brumfield to throw the ball, the better it will favor the maize and blue. 

Find a pass rush and get home

This third key goes with the second one -- kind of. UNLV will be a run-first offense, but if Michigan can force some long third downs then the Rebels will have no choice but to pass the football. 

The Michigan pass rush wasn't as terrible as people made it sound last week, but the Wolverines ultimately didn't force a sack against ECU. The Pirates did a good job of getting off quick passes and didn't hold the ball too long. 

Michigan had a pass rush. I can think of two plays off the top of my head. Kenneth Grant beat his man off the snap which forced Mason Garcia to throw an errant pass Mike Sainristil's way for an interception. And then later in the third quarter, TJ Guy got off the edge and almost had Garcia, but he got away. 

It would be a little more concerning if Michigan has another zero-sack day this upcoming week. The Wolverines need to figure out a way to bring the QB down this week and get their pass rush going for future weeks.