ANN ARBOR, Mich. — Michigan has earned some respect, winning at least eight games for the first time in four years. The 20th-ranked Wolverines (8-2, 4-2 Big Ten) want more.
It won’t be easy.
Michigan hosts No. 17 Nebraska for the first time since 1962 today, and rival Ohio State next week.
“Eight wins is eight wins,” said fifth-year senior defensive end Ryan Van Bergen, who was a redshirting freshman when the Wolverines won nine games in Lloyd Carr’s final season in 2007. “I don’t think anyone is wild about that in our program.
“If we sit on what we’ve done so far, our legacy won’t be anything special.”
The Cornhuskers (8-2, 4-2) are also hoping for more from their debut season in the conference.
Their victory over Michigan State cleared the path toward the Big Ten’s first championship game, but getting upset by Northwestern two weeks ago was costly because now they need help. To earn the Legends Division’s spot in the Dec. 3 game in Indianapolis, Nebraska needs a win over the Wolverines, a victory against Iowa next week at home, and has to root for the Spartans to get upset by Indiana or at Northwestern.
Michigan, meanwhile, has to win twice and hope its in-state rival loses two more games to play in the Big Ten’s inaugural marquee matchup.
Even without an assist, the winner of the Cornhuskers-Wolverines game will break a second-place tie in the division and might end up playing in a BCS bowl.
“Getting to a BCS bowl would mean a lot as a going-away present for my senior year,” Nebraska receiver Brandon Kinnie said.
Cornhuskers coach Bo Pelini won at least nine games in his first three years in charge of a program that slumped under Bill Callahan, and has an opportunity to surpass the 10-win seasons he had the past two years. Pelini is winning for a second straight season by relying on rushing from running back Rex Burkhead and quarterback Taylor Martinez, who have combined for more than 1,800 yards on the ground this season.
Michigan’s defense was among the worst in college football last season in Rich Rodriguez’s final year and suddenly ranks among the best, giving up just 15.5 points a game, almost 20 fewer than last year.
