In a strength vs. strength matchup, the Texas offense will match up against the Michigan defense.

Both the defensive front and the secondary have quarterback Quinn Ewers on high alert, noting that it will be challenging to push the ball downfield while operating in what might not be a clean pocket.

“They got a good twitch, they’re bigger guys, they’ve played a good amount of football, like I said, I think they’re twitchy and physical,” Ewers said. He said of the defense as a whole: “I think first off they’re coached really well and they play real hard and they bring a physical brand of defensive football.”

Head coach Steve Sarkisian coached with defensive coordinator Wink Martindale with the Oakland Raiders and he says that while Martindale is aggressive, his defense is a bit more nuanced than advertised.

“I think a lot of times people think, ‘Oh, they just blitz and they’re reckless,’ or something. They’re not,” Sarkisian said. “There’s a method to all of the madness that they do. They’re very sound from a coverage standpoint. They’re a really good defensive front with some elite players on the defensive front, but also some elite players in the back end, too. And so when you put together scheme with great players, and then they play with a great deal of confidence because of who they’ve been over the years, that’s the challenge.”

The fact that Michigan may be able to generate pressure while having the defensive backs that can contend with Texas’ talented receiving corps could play a big difference in this game.