LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Michigan's first road game comes with an added challenge at Nebraska on Saturday.

The Wolverines (4-0, 1-0 Big Ten) will go against an offense that has gone back in time under first-year coach Matt Rhule.

The Cornhuskers (2-2, 0-1) have been lining up in the I formation at times and mixing in some option plays to the delight of fans who remember the days when no team pounded the ground better than Nebraska.

“It’s one of the best plays in football," said Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh, who turned a bit nostalgic as he recalled Rick Leach running the option for the Wolverines in the 1970s when Jack Harbaugh, Jim's dad, was an assistant under Bo Schembechler.

“It’s very effective when it’s implemented correctly,” Jim Harbaugh said, "whether it’s the double option or the triple option.”

Michigan held Rutgers to 77 rushing yards in a 31-7 win last week. But preparing for the option stresses defenses because the style of offense is rarely seen outside service academies these days.

Nebraska quarterback Heinrich Haarberg, with Anthony Grant the lone running back, ran the double option with success in last week's 28-7 win over Louisiana Tech.

When fullback Barrett Liebentritt joined Grant in the I formation, there was the threat of the triple option where Haarberg could keep the ball, hand off to Liebentritt or pitch to Grant. The Huskers lined up in the I on 17 of their 66 plays, including seven times on a nine-play, 85-yard touchdown drive to open the second half.

The option plays are not as sophisticated as the ones made famous by Tom Osborne and quarterbacks like Tommie Frazier. Haarberg, for example, never pitched the ball against Louisiana Tech.

Offensive coordinator Marcus Satterfield has turned to the option because of limited depth at receiver, and it probably will remain a part of the offense whether the quarterback is Haarberg or Jeff Sims.

This will be the most option second-year Michigan defensive coordinator Jesse Minter has schemed against. The last time the Wolverines saw much option was in 2019, when they beat Army 24-21 in two overtimes.

“Stopping the run and being able to run the ball is a winning formula in football," Harbaugh said. "We’re just going to have to play good. It will be a game of blocking, tackling, focusing on fundamentals, reads, getting off blocks, defeating blocks, playing assignment, being in the right alignment, being in the right technique, a lot of focus on real football.”

BE LIKE MIKEY

Michigan cornerback Mike Sainristil has emerged as a key player on one of the nation's best defenses, making a 71-yard pick-6 in last week's win over Rutgers.

“For him to stay up and and take it back to the crib, as the young people like to say, that was just a beautiful thing,” Harbaugh said.

The fifth-year player has 11 tackles and two interceptions after playing receiver and scoring a touchdown in each of his first three seasons.

LOAD MANAGEMENT

Donovan Edwards is averaging just 3.3 yards a carry for the Wolverines after picking up 7.1 yards per rush last season, when he replaced an injured Blake Corum as the featured back late in the year.

“Absolutely nothing wrong with Donovan Edwards,” Harbaugh said.

Edwards is backing up Corum again and hasn't had a lot of chances, getting 12 carries in the season-opening win over East Carolina and an average of seven rushes against UNLV, Bowling Green and Rutgers. Harbaugh said he is mindful of managing the number of carries for his backs.

“While they’re not getting paid, I don’t like to take the tread off the tire,” he said. "I like to keep that tread on the tire.”

RUN DEFENSE TO BE TESTED

Nebraska is allowing an average of just 46.5 rushing yards per game and has held each of its first four opponents under 60 yards on the ground. Rhule likes the trend but doesn't put much stock in it.

“This is a team that’s going to come in, that’s trying to prove a point on the ground against you and run the ball at you,” Rhule said. “Guys have to be up for the challenge.”

NEBRASKA NICE

Michigan offensive lineman Trevor Keegan still marvels at how nice Nebraska fans were after his team's visit in 2021.

“We beat them and they’re like, `Hey, congratulations, great game! You played so well!'" Keegan recalled. “I thought, `Are they messing with me?’ But then like 20 more of them did the same thing.”

No. 2 Michigan (4-0, 1-0 Big Ten) at Nebraska (2-2, 0-1), Saturday, 3:30 p.m. ET (Fox)

Line: Michigan Michigan by 17 1/2, according to FanDuel Sportsbook.

Series record: Michigan leads 7-4-1.

WHAT’S AT STAKE?

Michigan and Nebraska are among eight schools with over 900 all-time wins, but both are in very different places. The Wolverines play on the road for the first time and can't afford to stumble as they pursue a third straight College Football Playoff appearance. The Cornhuskers are early in their rebuild under Matt Rhule and have shown promising signs on defense.

KEY MATCHUP

Michigan RBs Blake Corum and Donovan Edwards vs. Nebraska front seven. Corum is tied for the national lead in rushing touchdowns (8) and averaging 87.5 yards per game and better than 6 yards per carry. Edwards has gotten off to a slow start with just 109 yards through four games. The Huskers are second in rushing defense (46.25 ypg) and have held four straight opponents under 60 yards on the ground.

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Michigan: CB Mike Sainristil had a 71-yard pick-6 last week for his second interception this year. He ranks fifth on the team with 11 tackles, including two for losses. The fifth-year player has become a run-stopping, ball-hawking defensive back after playing receiver and scoring a touchdown in each of his first three years.

Nebraska: RB Anthony Grant had a confidence-building performance against Louisiana Tech last week, running for 135 yards and making a key block on a touchdown. It was much needed after Grant was benched for fumbling late in the opener against Minnesota. With Nebraska having a limited passing game, look for Grant to carry a heavy load against what could be the best defense the Huskers will face.

FACTS & FIGURES

Nebraska has lost 13 straight against top-five opponents since beating Oklahoma 20-10 in Lincoln in 2001. The Huskers have lost 22 in a row against the Top 25. ... The Wolverines are giving up an FBS-low 5.8 points per game and are the first team since 1971 to allow seven or fewer points in each of its first four games. ... J.J. McCarthy is completing 79.8% of passes, leading all major-college QBs. ... Michigan, which has won the last two Big Ten titles, has won 29 of its last 32 games. ... Nebraska has rushed for 200 straight yards in three straight games for the first time since 2018.

No. 2 Wolverines will be biggest challenge to date for Nebraska first-year coach Matt Rhule

Things to watch during Week 5 of play in the Big Ten Conference:

GAME OF THE WEEK

No. 2 Michigan (4-0, 1-0 Big Ten) at Nebraska (2-2, 0-1), Saturday, 3:30 p.m. ET (Fox)

A smothering defense has led Michigan to four easy wins at home. Now the Wolverines go on the road for the first time against a fellow historic program in Nebraska. First-year Cornhuskers coach Matt Rhule is leaning hard on a vastly improved defense while an offense with few playmakers chugs along. The Wolverines hammered the Huskers 34-3 in Ann Arbor last year but escaped with a 32-29 win in their 2021 visit to Lincoln. Michigan's defense will face a new wrinkle with Nebraska's offense mixing in option plays to counter a dearth of depth at receiver.

BEST MATCHUP

Illinois (2-2, 0-1) at Purdue (1-3, 0-1), Saturday, 3:30 p.m. ET (Peacock)

Bret Bielema squares off against his former defensive coordinator in Purdue coach Ryan Walters, who took four Illinois assistants with him to West Lafayette. Both teams are desperate for a win in the wide-open West Division. Bielema signed a new six-year contract in December following an eight-win season and the program's first bowl since 2008. But there's a sense progress has stalled. Walters, who took over the defending West champion Boilermakers, is 0-3 at home and his team has committed seven turnovers over the past two games.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS

Penn State has won nine straight games, all by at least 14 points. Over the last two years, no other FBS team has had such a streak longer than six games. ... Michigan and Nebraska are among eight teams with at least 900 all-time wins. ... Maryland's plus-31 fourth-quarter point differential the past two weeks is best in the FBS; Minnesota's minus-28 is the worst, according to Sportradar. ... Bryce Kirtz's 215 receiving yards for Northwestern against Minnesota last week are most in the Big Ten this season. ... Rutgers, which hosts Wagner, has won 15 straight against FCS opponents since losing to New Hampshire in 2004.

LONG SHOT

Michigan State is an 12 1/2-point underdog at Iowa, according to FanDuel Sportsbook. The Spartans have scored only 16 points over their past two games, and Iowa's defense typically doesn't allow many. Michigan State has a puncher's chance as long as Iowa's offense continues to underperform. The Hawkeyes managed just 76 total yards in a 31-0 loss at Penn State last week. If the Spartans can get pressure on Cade McNamara — and they are capable of it — this one could be close.

IMPACT PLAYER

Indiana RB-WR Jaylin Lucas must be more of a threat when the Hoosiers play at Maryland. Lucas is the Hoosiers' most versatile player and was the team's leading receiver through three games. He was not targeted once during Indiana's four-overtime win over Akron after he caught 10 balls for 98 yards against Louisville. Offensive coordinator Walt Bell needs to find ways to get Lucas the ball in the open field to test, according to Pro Football Focus, one of the nation's highest-graded tackling teams.