STATE COLLEGE, Pa. — In what could be its last chance to force their way into the College Football Playoff and Big Ten title conversation, No. 10 Penn State hosts third-ranked Michigan Saturday in Happy Valley.
The game will kick off at noon on FOX43.
The matchup is juicy enough, but there's an even bigger subplot surrounding the game: the status of Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh, whose program is embroiled in a sign-stealing scandal involving a former Harbaugh staffer.
Friday afternoon, Big Ten officials announced that Harbaugh would be suspended for the Wolverines' final three games, including Saturday's game in Happy Valley.
There are reports that Michigan would head to court to seek an injunction to keep Harbaugh on the sidelines.
Sticking to what we do know right now -- how the teams match up on paper -- here's a preview of Saturday's clash.
No. 3 Michigan (9-0) at No. 10 Penn State (8-1)
THE SERIES: Saturday's clash will be the 27th meeting between the two programs. Penn State holds a 16-10 advantage in the series, but Michigan rolled to a 41-17 triumph last year in Ann Arbor for their second straight victory over the Lions. Penn State coach James Franklin is 3-5 against Michigan since Harbaugh took over with the Wolverines.
BIG NOON KICKOFF: Penn State will make its third appearance of the season on the FOX Sports Big Noon Kickoff. The Lions defeated Illinois and lost to Ohio State in their two previous appearances this year.
ABOUT MICHIGAN: The Wolverines hammered Purdue 41-13 last week to improve to 9-0 overall and 6-0 in Big Ten play. Michigan got a huge performance from quarterback J.J. McCarthy, who threw for 335 yards. The Wolverines scored five rushing touchdowns against Purdue.
McCarthy ranks third in the nation with a 75.7 completion percentage and his 188.7 passing efficiency rating ranks second. He's thrown for 2,134 yards and 18 touchdowns this season.
Michigan ranks fifth in the nation in scoring offense (40.7 ppg; 1st in B1G), 42nd in total offense (424.2 ypg; 2nd), 44th in passing offense (257.1; 3rd) and 50th in rushing offense (167.1; 4th). The Wolverines also sit first in the country in completion percentage (75.1).
RB Blake Corum leads the country with 16 rushing touchdowns to go with 649 yards. He scored three TDs against Purdue.
The Wolverines have one of college football's best defenses, ranking first in the nation in scoring defense (6.7 ppg), total defense (231.4 ypg) and passing defenese (141.3) and ninth in rushing defense (90.3).
Linebacker Junior Colson is Michigan's top tackler, with 49 stops this season.
Harbaugh is in his ninth season as head coach at Michigan. In five of his eight previous seasons as the Michigan head coach, Harbaugh has guided the Wolverines to 10-win seasons.
ABOUT PENN STATE: The Lions hammered Maryland 51-15 last week to improve to 8-1 overall and 5-1 in the Big Ten. Penn State QB Drew Allar completed 25 of 34 passes for 240 yards and four touchdowns, including TD throws to tight ends Theo Johnson and Tyler Warren. Kaytron Allen rushed for 91 yards and a TD on 19 carries, while Dante Cephas caught five passes for 53 yards and scored a pair of touchdowns.
The Lion defense held Maryland to a season-low 234 total yards and limited the Terrapins to minus-49 yards rushing. That's the second-lowest rushing total allowed by a Penn State defense since 1947.
Penn State leads the country in rushing defense, allowing just 60.3 rushing yards per game. The Lions have held each of its last eight opponents under 100 rushing yards, the longest active streak in the FBS.
Overall, the Lions rank second in the nation in total defense (234.4 yards per game/second in Big Ten), third in scoring defense (11.9 points per game/third in Big Ten), and 13th in passing defense (173.9 yards per game/fifth in Big Ten).
STRIPE OUT GAME: Saturday's game will be Penn State's eight Stripe Out Game, a tradition that began in 2015. Penn State is 5-2 in Stripe Out games, but lost last year, when they fell 44-31 to Ohio State.