Each week, AnnArbor.com will have a chat with a beat writer/radio personality from the team Michigan is facing to get a feel for what's going on in Kalamazoo, South Bend or Champaign.

First up is Graham Couch, the Western Michigan beat writer for the Kalamazoo Gazette. For even more coverage of the Broncos, check out the Gazette's Broncos page and Couch's blog, Broncos Insider. Thanks to Graham for the time.

Question: With everything that has gone on at Michigan, has that been a distraction to Western Michigan at all?

Graham Couch: "That's an interesting question. They are claiming no and that their focus is on themselves and all that jazz. But it was something that was addressed in Tuesday's presser quite a bit and they were asked about it and asked about the 20 hours a week. They certainly were willing to deal with the issue that Michigan had its allegations against them. But I don't think it's been a huge distraction because the media circus that's over there and everything that's gone on over there really hasn't come over here. Practices aren't any different. Outside out of their senior quarterback and a couple other seniors asked those types of questions and the coach being asked that stuff, it really isn't something most of the guys are dealing with on a daily basis. Now, how much SportsCenter or ESPN those guys are watching, I don't know, but I don't think it's a huge distraction."

Q: Looking on the field, what do you think Western really needs to do to compete and win this game?

GC: "Two things. Offensively, they have to get a little bit of a push. They've got a pretty experienced offensive line and real strength at running back. They've got to be able to run the football a little bit to sustain drives. They've got a young receiving corps and a lot made of (quarterback Tim) Hiller. But really, the strength of this offense is this line and this running game. In the MAC, that'll be a tremendous strength. The question is, can they do it against a Big Ten defensive line? That's offensively, to sustain drives and keep their breath and not throw too much if they turn the ball over.

"Defensively, not letting 20-yard plays become 60-yard plays. Forcing Michigan's young and unproven quarterbacks to really drive the team and put the ball in the air and make more plays. If the team only needs two or three plays to score because of the 60-yard play, that lets them off the hook and it's a young Western defense. So you don't know what will happen if there's a couple 20-yard runs, if their heads will drop. That's really a question. When big plays happen, and a few will happen, make sure they aren't really big plays is the key on that side of the ball."

Q: Following on that, what's your biggest concern? What's the 'This could get ugly because...'"

GC: "Defensively, you just don't know how those guys will react to the situation. A lot of them have played quite a bit, but not in these sort of roles, where they are being required to make plays. I think defensively there's enough talent that they are not going to get steamrolled. It would have to be a combination of turnovers offensively and some problems on defense. That's the thing. In 2006, they went down to Indiana and had a horrible first half and lost, 39-20, and that Indiana team wasn't any better, talent-wise, than that Western Michigan team, but Western Michigan had young receivers at the time, similar to this. Probably not quite as talented but similar in youth. Those guys were in the wrong spots and almost every interception thrown by a quarterback that day was on the receiver. That sort of thing happens when a receiver is anxious, a little bit nervous, and cuts a route short, does something like that. Turnovers, in any situation but especially like that, you're against that kind of crowd, that kind of atmosphere, can be the downfall."

Q: Last question, what's the attitude in Kalamazoo toward this game right now?

GC: "It's a big deal to people. Every year, this is not like Western Michigan doesn't play these games, they went to Nebraska last year and I don't think you're going to see a more rabid fan base than that. But, this is Michigan. This is Michigan football. It's one of the premier programs in state. There's a sense that Western has a chance, I think. But there's also a sense that if they pull it off, it'll be the biggest win in program history. So that's kind of an interesting dynamic because usually when you think the best win in program history, you think you're really facing a program really at the top of its game right now. But Michigan's name carries so much weight. I think people around here think Western's got a chance. I think their concern is on defense, even from the layman fans, guys like Louis Delmas and E.J. Biggers and Londen Fryar were so well known and played back there for so long, that people don't really know these guys so there's a little lack of trust there but there's an 'In Tim Hiller We Trust' mentality that they'll be OK."

TIM HILLER DISCUSSING THE MICHIGAN GAME: