UNIVERSITY PARK -- If college football fans were to play word association, the names Michigan and Penn State might prompt mention of two of the five winningest programs ever in Division I-A.

Or maybe they mean passionate fans who can fill up the two largest stadiums in all the land.

For the last five seasons put Michigan and Penn State together and what you've gotten is a series so one-sided, the word that comes to mind is domination.

This time around the winner may walk away with this coveted title: legitimate Big Ten contender.

Penn State, unranked in the last two games against Michigan, takes a No. 15 ranking into today's game against the 13th-ranked Wolverines, and will be looking to put the whammy on a series skid that dates back to 1997.

On a day of enough big-time matchups to keep a couch potato chained to a remote, Penn State-Michigan (3:30 ABC) has more than its share of compelling storylines to demand clicker time.

Let's start with historical drama. Can Penn State put the kibosh to Michigan's winning ways? Michigan has won five straight in the series by a combined score of
145-46 and 53-11 the past two games. Only the 1999 game was close. Michigan shut out Penn State in 1998 and 2001.

No other team has had such a run of prosperity against Penn State in coach Joe Paterno's 37 seasons.

"Why have they kicked our ears in?," Paterno said. "Because they have really kicked our ears in. They have been better physically and better coached. I think Lloyd Carr at Michigan might be the most underrated coach in the country. I think over the last four or five years Michigan has gotten about as much out of their material as anybody could get."

Penn State's offense has scored just one touchdown in the last two games against Michigan. The Nittany Lions suffered their first home shutout in the Paterno era 20-0 last season.

"It's a new year," said Michigan tight end Bennie Joppru. "We've got different teams this year and we're fighting for the championship right now. I don't think either team is really worried about some dang streak. I don't think it matters for either of us."

Well, not exactly.

Penn State players haven't shied away from talking about the importance of ending the streak that arrived before they did.

"I might not have been playing, but I either went to the game or saw them on TV," said wide receiver Tony Johnson of State College.

Players know that with the series taking a two-year hiatus until 2005 because of the Big Ten's rotating scheduling, this is the last chance for many of the current Nittany Lions to beat Michigan.

"A lot of people are telling me 'You're good but you haven't beat Michigan,'" said defensive tackle Anthony Adams, a Detroit native. "I hear that all the time."

"We know from the older guys that have been here," quarterback Zack Mills said. "No one on this team has beaten Michigan. We're well aware of that and coaches point it out to us as well. We're just going out there and hopefully we can end that and start a streak where we win five in a row."

Penn State appears to be better equipped to score against a Michigan defense that is 33rd in the country, allowing 20 points per game.

Penn State is 9-3 in the 12 games since Penn State last played Michigan. Paterno has opened up the offense with more shotgun, option and three-wide receiver sets and the Nittany Lions are averaging 37 points per game this season.

"Right now they're capable of blowing us out with the weapons they have on offense," Michigan defensive end Dan Rumishek said. "The rivalry hasn't lost anything over the last five years. If anything it's gotten better and better because we know they want to beat us really bad right now. When someone's gunning at you, you want to go back at them."

Both Michigan (4-1, 1-0 Big Ten) and Penn State (4-1, 1-1) are gunning to catch Ohio State and Iowa atop the Big Ten standings.

If they can get past the Wolverines, Penn State should be favored in every remaining game except for a trip in two weeks to Ohio State.

Michigan is coming off a bye week but so was Wisconsin last week when Penn State grabbed a 34-31 road victory.

The Nittany Lions came out of that game with Larry Johnson nursing a pulled hamstring and Mills playing through a sprained AC joint in his left (throwing) shoulder.

Both are expected to play, but Penn State's two most vital offensive weapons could be at less than full strength.

"This is going to be the biggest game that I've played in and the biggest game that a bunch of people have played in and the biggest game in this program in a couple of years," Mills said. "I think just adding all the nagging injuries that people are carrying in probably won't matter as much."

"It's something where if we can get him out of the game, it's only going to help us," Rumishek said of Mills. "But then again they have No. 12 (Michael Robinson) coming in, so I guess it's pick your poison."

Michigan is again stingy against the run (17th in the nation at 100 yards per game) but, like the Nittany Lions, has been exposed through the air. Illinois threw for 368 yards against Michigan in the Wolverines' 45-28 win Sept. 28.

Cornerback Marlin Jackson, a sophomore from Sharon, has three interceptions and is one of the best cover men in the nation.

He should provide a matchup worth watching against Penn State's go-to receiver Bryant Johnson. Penn State's secondary will have to contend with 6-3 Braylon Edwards, who has two straight 100-yard receiving games.

Michigan leads the Big Ten with 20 sacks, including five from its secondary. Mills said that the Wolverines are the best at mixing up pass coverages of any team Penn State has faced.

"They do a heck of a job disguising stuff and mixing in the nickel and dime (coverages)," Mills said. "They blitz a lot and are going to mix that in a lot, too."

By the end of the day, Penn State will have taken another step to prove it is back on the national stage or fallen back in the pack in the Big Ten.

"It's another opportunity to prove ourselves," Tony Johnson said.