Remember us?

Talented Michigan seems overlooked amid BCS mess

John Navarre brings veteran leadership and a Big Ten-leading 23 passing TDs to the Rose Bowl. Danny Moloshok/Getty Images

LOS ANGELES -- On the eve of his team's Rose Bowl game, USC coach Pete Carroll fielded an hour's worth of questions Wednesday in his final pre-game news conference.

Only one was about the team the Trojans are facing.

That's par for the course in the buildup to Thursday's matchup of USC and Michigan. The hoopla surrounding the Trojans' pursuit of a potential national championship -- in their own backyard at that -- has managed to completely overshadow a Big Ten-champion, top-five Wolverines team that happens to be not so shabby itself.

"I think the media has definitely portrayed it as a one-sided event here," said Michigan guard Tony Pape. "They've kind of overlooked us."

It seems almost comical the idea of anyone overlooking a team from Michigan, the game's all-time winningest program, a team that plays in a stadium known as the Big House, wearing one of the game's most recognizable helmets and singing one of its most famous fight songs.

But that's exactly what's happened, not just here in Trojans country but all across the nation. Peruse any Internet message board or listen to talk radio and you can sense the masses lying in wait, ready to pounce with all the venom they can muster at the expected mess that will accompany a USC victory, one they hope will finally bring an end to this BCS travesty.

The fact that the Trojans first have to beat what is unquestionably the toughest team they've faced this season? Just a little speed bump, right?

Not exactly.

While it's true the Michigan team of late September/early October that lost to Oregon and Iowa probably wouldn't have much of a chance against the Trojans, the Michigan team of the last two months -- the one that won six games in a row, including three against top-10 teams, and produced the kind of balance on offense that drives defenses crazy -- cannot possibly be taken lightly.

Can it?

"This is the first time all year we've been underdogs," said Wolverines tight end Andy Mignery. "Anyone who's watched us the last six weeks know we've played some good football. But anytime you play the No. 1 team, they deserve that kind of respect, that's what we expect. And we're in L.A. Of course, the papers are going to be writing about them. That'd be like if we played a bowl game in Ypsilanti."

As some of the bowl results so far have shown, that Pac-10 schedule the Trojans mostly cruised through this season wasn't exactly filled with slouches. Yet there are ample reasons to believe the Wolverines represent an even bigger challenge.

Like USC, Michigan is loaded with speed and talent at the skill positions, its offensive line is dominant and its quarterback, John Navarre, runs the system to perfection. In fact, the Wolverines' coaching staff has spent time over the past couple years studying Trojans coordinator Norm Chow's offense, parts of which have been evident this season.

However, while USC remains more of a finesse offense, Michigan has clearly retained its traditional power running element. Suffice to say, the Trojans' vaunted run defense -- ranked second in the country (61.1 yards per game) -- has yet to face as complete a back as Heisman finalist Chris Perry or as powerful an offensive line.

"Not in the Pac-10, not like them," said USC defensive line coach Ed Orgeron. "It's hard to simulate Chris Perry in their offense. I feel like our defensive line has to be able to get in the backfield and try to bring him down, because when he gets in the open field, he turns it on."

If the Trojans aren't able to at least slow down Perry, they could be in real trouble, because their secondary has been susceptible to the passing game all year long. They rank 110th out of 117 teams nationally, allowing 276.7 yards per game through the air, and the combination of Navarre and receivers Braylon Edwards, Jason Avant and Steve Breaston is certainly capable of that kind of production.

Conversely, the Wolverines are hoping their physical defensive backs can do what few teams have the past two seasons: contain Trojans receivers Mike Williams and Keary Colbert. In one of the few semi-noteworthy comments leading up to this game, Michigan safety Marlin Jackson said the Trojans haven't faced a secondary of their caliber, to which USC's Williams said he agreed.

"They are very physical, they're fast and very athletic," said Williams. "[Jackson] is a big energy guy, and he's 100 percent right. We haven't seen a team like them."

Finally, the Wolverines' biggest advantage may be that they're more battle-tested. Unlike the Trojans' heavy dependence on freshmen and sophomores, Michigan's lineup is filled with seniors -- Navarre, Perry, Pape, et al. -- who've played in countless big games. They've also been in four games decided by a touchdown or less this season; USC lost to Cal in its only such occurrence.

Then again, the Trojans' sheer domination in their other 11 games -- all decided by 17 points or more -- is a major reason they're sitting atop the polls and seem to be regarded by a majority of the country as the nation's strongest team headed into their bowl game.

All of which leaves mighty Michigan as one of the most glamorous touchdown underdogs in recent memory.

"The most important thing is having the opportunity to prove what type of team we are against the best," said Wolverines coach Lloyd Carr. "We are a program with a lot of tradition and pride. Whenever you add that in as a motivator, your expectations are high."

Stewart Mandel covers college sports for SI.com.