The former Michigan State player, now current Duck Derrick Harmon made his comments known about Michigan
Michigan will get arguably its toughest test of the season this Saturday when it welcomes in the Oregon Ducks , the No. 1 team in the country. On paper, it doesn’t look like it should be a close game, as Oregon is currently favored by about 15 points.
However, road games in the Big Ten can cause problems for even the best of teams against any caliber of opponent. Look at Ohio State ’s struggles against Purdue in 2018, or even Michigan’s loss to Iowa back in 2016. The one thing that can be a great equalizer is crowd noise, and Michigan will look to rely on it to make things challenging for Oregon this weekend.
Despite it being the largest stadium in the country, Michigan Stadium has gotten a reputation for not being all that intimidating of an environment. Some cite the bowl design of the stadium, which doesn’t trap sound, while others simply believe the fans aren’t loud enough. However, Michigan Stadium’s environment has certainly played a factor in big games in recent years, such as wins over Ohio State in 2021 and 2023, as well as this year’s victory over USC.
One player that doesn’t seem to be too afraid of Michigan Stadium’s environment is Oregon defensive lineman Derrick Harmon, who happens to be a Detroit native and played at Michigan State from 2021-23. On Wednesday, he was asked about his perception of Michigan, as well as his past experiences at Michigan Stadium.
“Don’t like (Michigan), I’m gonna leave it there, I don’t like them,” he said of the Wolverines.
Harmon didn’t seem to be impressed by the crowd noise either, when asked what it’s like to play in front of 100,000 people.
“Surprisingly, it’s not that loud,” Harmon said. “When I’m on the field it’s not loud for me. To me, it’s not loud.”
When Harmon, a defensive player, is on the field, the crowd is generally supposed to be quieter for the opposing offense. But he doesn’t seem to be intimidated by the environment either way.
On Saturday, Michigan’s defense could greatly benefit from having its 12th man affect the game. Oregon is led by Dillon Gabriel on offense, one of the best and most experienced quarterbacks in the country. The Ducks also boast tremendous skill players like Jordan James, Tez Johnson and Evan Stewart. Add in the fact Michigan’s defense hasn’t been too impressive in recent weeks, particularly against strong passing attacks, and Saturday’s game has the chance to turn ugly if the Wolverines come out slow.
Crowd noise will need to play a factor to disrupt the flow of Oregon’s offense, and to silence those like Harmon who question the impact the Big House can have.