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No. 4 Michigan will host No. 8 Wisconsin on Saturday at Michigan Stadium.

(Junfu Han | The Ann Arbor News)

ANN ARBOR -- The easiest question Chase Winovich faced on Monday was about time, space and place.

What were you doing in 2008?

"I would have been 13 years old and probably innnnn ... 8th grade? Maybe?" the Michigan defensive end responded.

Trying to figure out the question, the 21-year-old redshirt sophomore, asked, "Is that the last time we played (Wisconsin)?"

Actually, the last time Michigan faced the Badgers was 2010, a 48-28 loss in Ann Arbor.

Winovich was then filled in: 2008 is the last time Michigan beat a top-10 team.

"Wow, I hadn't really thought about that," Winovich said.

Indeed, this is the time, space and place the Wolverines find themselves in now. The program has lost 11 straight games to top-10 teams -- dating back to a 27-25 win over No. 9 Wisconsin on Sept. 27, 2008 -- and faces a problem of perception. Even though Michigan is currently ranked No. 4 in the nation, it still hasn't proven it can win a big-time Big Ten game.

This weekend offers opportunity. Wisconsin (4-0, 1-0 Big Ten), fresh off a royal beatdown of Michigan State, sits at No. 8 in the AP poll and is coming to Michigan Stadium on Saturday.

It's a big-time game.

"Last season was a good stepping stone, but obviously this year we've got to prove a lot more," senior offensive lineman Ben Braden said.

Michigan's winless streak vs. top-10 teams

Sept. 27, 2008 -- Michigan 27, No. 9 Wisconsin

Oct. 18, 2008 -- No. 3 Penn State 46, Michigan 17

Nov. 22, 2008 -- No. 10 Ohio State 42, Michigan 7

Nov. 21, 2009 -- No. 9 Ohio State 21, Michigan 10

Nov. 20, 2010 -- No. 6 Wisconsin 48, Michigan 28

Sept. 1, 2012 -- No. 2 Alabama 41, No. 8 Michigan 14

Nov. 24, 2012 -- No. 4 Ohio State 26, No. 20 Michigan 21

Nov. 30, 2013 -- No. 3 Ohio State 42, Michigan 41

Oct. 25, 2014 -- No. 8 Michigan State 35, Michigan 11

Nov. 29, 2014 -- No. 6 Ohio State 42, Michigan 28

Oct. 17, 2015 -- No. 7 Michigan State 27, No. 12 Michigan 23

Nov. 28, 2015 -- No. 8 Ohio State 42, No. 10 Michigan 13

The current roster only accounts for some of Michigan's 11 straight losses to top-10 teams. Last year they fell to No. 7 Michigan State (27-23) and No. 8 Ohio State (42-13). Since 2012, Six of the seven losses to top-10 teams have come against the Buckeyes and the Spartans. The lone outsider is No. 2 Alabama, which thumped U-M, 41-14, to open the 2012 season.

This is the clear next step for Michigan to take and make.

A year ago, it was simply beating a ranked opponent. The Wolverines had lost nine of 10 to top-25 teams in the prior three seasons before Jim Harbaugh's arrival and, before anyone could worry about returning the program to prominence, Michigan needed to at least compete with great teams again.

In the fourth game of 2015, the Wolverines rolled over No. 22 BYU, 31-0. Then they beat No. 13 Northwestern, 38-0.

With that, the natural progression of a rebuilding process was underway.

Now comes the next rung.

"All of our big games will definitely be statement games," Braden said. "We had a good year last year, a lot of guys were happy with it. But, at the same time, now this is our year to really make a statement."

Since the AP poll began in 1936, Michigan had never gone more than four seasons without a top-10 win until falling into the current streak of seven years. There were droughts from 1957 through 1960 and 1965 through 1968, but nothing like this. By comparison, from 1997 to 1999, U-M racked up eight wins against top-10 teams.

Some of Michigan players polled on Monday were a bit startled to learn that the winless streak dating back to the beginning of 2008. Khalid Hill, a senior fullback, paused and tried to do the math.

"I was in middle school," he said. "I think I was in sixth or seventh grade. So, yeah, it's been a long time."

He added: "That's kind of shocking to hear."

"I was still playing hockey at the time," said Braden, who didn't put on pads until his sophomore year at Rockford (Mich.) High School in 2009. "Football wasn't in my world yet."

Including his four years at Stanford (2007-10), Harbaugh is 2-4 overall against top-10 teams. His first Cardinal team stunned No. 2 USC in 2007. They posted a win over No. 7 Oregon two years later.

Asked Monday about the importance of his current program notching a marquee win, and taking that next step, Harbaugh refused to add any extra weight. He stayed between the lines, saying every game is a big game and every opponent is respected.

Not saying it and not knowing it are two different things, though.

Winovich, meanwhile, was asked if there's a belief that this program still needs to prove it can win a major matchup.

"I think the real perception is winning the Big Ten," he replied. "That is something that resonates with us. Beating a top-10 team, I mean, it would be great and we want to win this game, but the idea of, 'Oh, they're top 10, this game is way more significant,' I feel like shortchanges a lot of other teams that are just as capable of knocking us off."

That's all well and good, but, facing upcoming road games against Michigan State, Iowa and Ohio State, for Michigan to consider winning the Big Ten, it must first beat Wisconsin at home. They're unlikely to get one without the other.

The Wolverines, simply, must win a big game.

"It's a test and we welcome it," Braden said.