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.Game Information
Michigan Wolverines v Ohio State Buckeyes
Saturday, November 26th on ABC (American Time/Date)
9:00 AM PST - 11:00 AM CST - 12:00 PM EST - 5:00 PM UTC
Ohio Stadium, Columbus, Ohio
Match Preview
The Game is almost here. One of the fiercest rivalries in all of the sports in exsitence is set to take place again this Saturday – and what a match-up it will be! The Wolverines and the Buckeyes are both coming into this game with a 10-1 record and the winner will likely be heading to the College Football Playoff.
There is a little more at stake for Michigan in this game. To start, they have been Ohio State’s punching bag for most of the 21st century. They’ve lost 13 out of 15 to the Buckeyes since 2001 and will be looking to restore some respectability to their program and to this legendary rivalry. If they win, they will play for the Big Ten championship and a playoff spot in the CFP. If they lose, they’ll be out of the playoff, out of the conference championship game, and will extend their losing streak to five straight seasons against the Buckeyes.
Ohio State will need help if they want a shot to win the conference championship, but all they need to do is win this game to be practically guaranteed an entry into the CFP.
This could very well be the game of the year in college football. The greatest rivalry. The biggest stakes. Two outstanding head coaches. Two of the top-ranked teams in all of the land. This is what college football in November is all about!
Michigan Wolverines
Michigan's Coach, Jim Harbaugh has the Wolverines positioned right where he wants them – in contention for a conference title and a playoff berth. But more importantly, he’ll have his team poised to take down their archrival. Last year, the Buckeyes stomped on their hopes of being competitive once again by beating the Wolverines 42-13 in Ann Arbor. It was a massacre by OSU quarterback J.T. Barrett and running back Ezekiel Elliott. Harbaugh and the Michigan defense will certainly not want to repeat that affair.
There is a question mark on offense for Michigan. The Junior quarterback, Wilton Speight has been suffering from a shoulder injury and Harbaugh has not determined whether or not Speight will start this game. If he doesn’t start, the Wolverines will be left with Senior, John O’Korn to lead the team. O’Korn hasn’t seen much playing time this year and if he gets the start, he’ll be thrown into what is most likely the most hostile environment he’s ever seen as a quarterback.
Speight has been a good game manager this season and doesn’t turn the ball over often – only throwing four interceptions all season long. The rest of his statistics aren’t stellar, but he’s been a solid quarterback, completing over 62% of his passes and throwing for 15 touchdowns. If he’s cleared to start, the Wolverines will be in a much better position against a very good Ohio State pass defense.
Michigan has a committee of running backs, led by De’Veon Smith who has compiled 750 yards and 10 touchdowns on the ground. In the passing game, there are three good targets for the Wolverines quarterbacks in Darboh, Butt, and Chesson. They have combined for over 1600 yards and 12 touchdowns through the air.
The Michigan defense is what sets this team apart from most of the NCAA FBS division. They’re ranked the No. 1 defense in both yards and points allowed, giving up just over 245 yards per game and only 10.9 points. They’ll need another good performance from their defense if they want to slow down the very balanced Buckeyes offense. If the defense can hold and the Wolverines can prove their ability to handle the hostile environment in Columbus, they’ll have their chance to beat their rival and head for a conference title – and the playoffs.
Ohio State Buckeyes
The Buckeyes lost a ton of talent to the NFL draft this past spring, but they have managed to remain in the upper echelons of the college football rankings and are in a position to make it back to the playoff for the second time in three years. The offense has been a little inconsistent this season, so this game will mostly depend on which offense shows up on Saturday.
J.T. Barrett has had another productive year at quarterback, although he hasn’t quite regained the explosiveness he had during his freshman season. Still, he has managed to throw for 24 touchdowns this season with only four interceptions, while completing over 63% of his passes for over 2300 yards. He has added over 720 yards rushing and eight touchdowns on the ground. As with most of their games, the key to winning lies with Barrett.
He’s not alone, however. Barrett will have a lot of help from freshman running back Mike Weber, who has over 1000 yards rushing and eight touchdowns this season. He’s averaging 6.3 yards per carry and is coming off of a strong performance against Michigan State last week.
Weber is joined by junior Curtis Samuel, who has been one of the more versatile and explosive players this season in college football. Samuel has racked up 790 yards receiving and seven touchdowns, plus another 650 yards rushing and seven more touchdowns. He lines up at both receiver and in the backfield, he has the quickness and agility to make defensive players miss, and he has the speed to take it to the house on any given play. He’s averaging 7.7 yards per carry and has a long run of 74 yards for a score – and also has a long catch this year of 79 yards and a touchdown.
The Buckeyes have one of the best defenses in the country. They force turnovers and can score – and have managed to return six interceptions for touchdowns so far this season, which is the best in the nation. They are tied for the lead for the most interceptions in the Power 5 conferences. They have a young, but a very good secondary that takes advantage of the pressure on quarterbacks from the defensive line. There has been a bit of weakness stopping the run in recent weeks, but the defense is still third-best in the country in scoring, giving up only 13 points per game.
Ohio State will have the advantage of playing The Game in their home stadium this year. It’ll be loud and it'll be exciting. And it may become an instant classic – especially if they end up in the playoff again after a tough loss to Penn State just a few weeks ago.
Michigan Wolverines v Ohio State Buckeyes Stats
| Team Stats | Michigan | Ohio State |
|---|---|---|
| Points Per Game | 42.3 | 43.8 |
| Points Allowed | 10.9 | 13.0 |
| Total Yards Per Game | 451.1 | 493.1 |
| Rushing Yards | 235.3 | 263.1 |
| Passing Yards | 215.8 | 230.0 |
| Yards Allowed Per Game | 245.6 | 279.8 |
| Rush Yards Allowed | 108.6 | 120.3 |
| Pass Yards Allowed | 137.0 | 159.5 |
Interesting Facts
All-time series record: Michigan leads 58-48-6
Betting Lines
| Team | Spread |
|---|---|
| Michigan Wolverines | +7.5 |
| Ohio State Buckeyes | -7.5 |
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