Keys to the Game: Michigan vs. Air Force

Fitzgerald Toussaint returns to the Michigan backfield Saturday. (US Presswire)

MICHIGAN WILL WIN IF: It can stick to the script it used so often in 2011. That wasn't nearly as possible against Alabama last week, as sending Denard Robinson loose in the run game might have ended his life. This week, though, the Wolverines are faced with a defense far more forgiving than Alabama's. Air Force allowed nearly 28 points per game on defense last season and let Idaho State score 21 last week. Which means Denard Robinson and Fitzgerald Toussaint will have a pretty easy time of it this weekend.

The biggest question for the Wolverines will be how the defense stands up to Air Force's rushing attack. Air Force rushed for 484 yards last week, and the Wolverines front seven wore down as the game went on against Alabama. Air Force's offensive line is not the same as Alabama's, but it's still efficient, and cut block after cut block begins to take a toll after a while.

AIR FORCE WILL WIN IF: Well, honestly, odds are Air Force won't win. If it wants to have a chance, though, it will be up to the offense to keep Michigan's defense on the field as long as possible. Connor Dietz and Cody Getz will have to lead the Falcons on long, deliberate drives in hopes of keeping the score as low as possible.

The Falcons just do not have a defense that can keep the Michigan offense off the scoreboard often enough for the Air Force offense to keep up.

X-FACTOR: Fitzgerald Toussaint -- Odds are that Michigan still wouldn't have been able to beat Alabama even if Toussaint hadn't been forced to sit the game out, but he certainly could have made life easier on Denard Robinson. With Robinson having to take a beating last week, you can expect Toussaint to make up for lost time with a lot of carries this Saturday.