More than 1,800 days ago, Ohio State beat Michigan in Ann Arbor 56-27. Since then, the Buckeyes have yet to taste victory against their bitter rivals. This Saturday, Ohio State will host the Michigan Wolverines and attempt to stop “That Team Up North” from securing a fourth straight victory against them, a feat not accomplished since the early 1990s.
While the Wolverines are unranked ahead of their matchup against Ohio State for the first time since 2017, it is hard to simply guarantee the home team the victory. Going into “Rivalry Week” ranked No. 2 in the nation for the fourth time in a row, the Buckeyes look to finally pluck the thorn that has been in their side for the beginning of the decade.
Built for the battle
OSU vs. Michigan
Heading into Saturday’s matchup, the Buckeye’s defense ranks No. 2 in rushing yards allowed per game, holding opponents to 90.5 yards. When paired with Michigan’s run-first offensive scheme, a dream matchup is spelled out for Ohio State.
Starting running back Kalel Mullings and dual-threat quarterback Alex Orji highlight the running attack, with 832 and 228 rushing yards respectively. Despite their offensive gameplan this year, the Wolverines lay on the bottom half rushing yards by any team this season, with 1,756 total ground yardages.
Big Blue’s rushing yards also fall flat, as they are averaging only 4.5 yards per rush, placing them tied for 52nd place in the college football realm. For the Buckeyes, they shouldn’t have a tall task when it comes to stopping the Michigan run game. On top of their ability to hold opponents to low rushing yards, they rank No. 2 in opponent yards per rush allowed, at 2.7.
Again, you can never assume anything in the college football realm, especially it’s “The Game.” However, just looking at statistics, the Buckeyes should win the ground battle. In fact, the defense is the key to a Buckeye win come Saturday, as they will need to capitalize on a careless Wolverine offense.
The Wolverine’s defensive line isn’t anything to ignore. Ohio State’s offensive line must be able to handle the pass rush well, or else they risk star defensive end Josaiah Stewart commanding the field. Opening holes for TreVeyon Henderson and Quinshon Judkins is also crucial to whittle down a decent Michigan defense.
Force mistakes, win the margin
Whoever wins the turnover margin in any game will likely end up being the victor. Although Ohio State has fantastic defensive play this season, the turnover department has been lacking.
Averaging just under one-and-a-half takeaways a game, the Buckeyes rank middle of the pack in this statistic. They’re also somewhat generous when it comes to giving the ball away, averaging about 0.8. This all adds up together to make a lackluster 0.5 turnover margin, a sore thumb in the overall great Ohio State defense.
The Buckeyes can up this margin during “Rivalry Week.” The Wolverines are almost guaranteed to give the ball over at least once to Jim Knowles’ defense, totaling 1.5 giveaways a game, the 91st worst in CFB.
More than just a win
Ask anyone what game they look forward to in college football every year, Michigan vs. Ohio State will be at the top. A win for either team is always heavily celebrated, but a win this year means more for both teams than an addition to the left of their record.
Simply put, the Buckeyes need this victory. It is essential to the players, the coaches, the program, the fans and everyone in the Buckeye field of influence that Ohio State pulls out a win. 16 starters from last year’s Buckeye team stayed for another year, 11 of which were all eligible to be drafted.
The Buckeyes seek their first victory against a team who has embarrassed them since the beginning of this decade. A loss would not only interfere with goals for a National Championship, but it could also put head coach Ryan Day’s position in jeopardy.
A win against Michigan won’t influence the rankings, but it will influence everything else for the team. If Michigan strolls into Ohio Stadium and defeats them for a fourth consecutive win, the Buckeyes would need to do a whole lot of soul searching to figure out what is next.
Nevertheless, Ohio State are 21-point favorites against their unranked rivals, so expect a high-flying offensive show out in what will surely be an exciting matchup.
Wil Steigerwald is an editorial assistant at CityScene Media Group. Feedback welcome at feedback@cityscenemediagroup.com.
