It’s just about time for The Game. The game that both Michigan and Ohio State fans look forward to all season. The game that turns a cold November Saturday into a battle for bragging rights and glory. The game that defines legacies and decides seasons.
For the No. 15 Wolverines, everything is on the line. Entering the rivalry matchup with a 9-2 overall record, Michigan is not only fighting to protect its four-year winning streak, but to keep its College Football Playoff hopes alive.
In contrast, the No. 1 Buckeyes are headed to Ann Arbor with a comfortable cushion. Boasting an unsullied 11-0 overall record with a playoff spot essentially clinched, Ohio State doesn’t necessarily need this win to extend its season. But that doesn’t lower the stakes. The chance to end their four-year drought and reclaim the rivalry makes this game feel just as urgent for the Buckeyes.
The tension is palpable and the pressure is on. Here’s what to watch for on Saturday:
Can Michigan contain Ohio State’s passing game?
The Buckeyes currently have the second-best passing offense in the Big Ten. Averaging 270.1 yards per game in the air, they are armed with several elite receivers and quarterback Julian Sayin, who is completing 79.4% of his passes. Not only is that the best completion rate in the nation, but it would break the NCAA single-season completion percentage record previously held by now-NFL quarterback Bo Nix.
“It’s potent, man,” Wolverines coach Sherrone Moore said Monday. “It’s one of the best in the country, the best team in the country. The receivers are elite. Four, Jeremiah (Smith) is elite. Carnell Tate is elite. They got Brandon Inniss, he’s elite. … They’ve got elite players everywhere on the field from a skill position standpoint.”
The numbers back up Moore’s statement. Smith is one of the best receivers in the conference and has emerged as Sayin’s top target, leading Ohio State with 69 receptions for 902 yards. Tate follows behind him with 39 catches for 711 yards, showcasing his playmaking abilities over the top of the defense. Add Inniss into the mix, and the Buckeyes evidently possess a dangerous receiving corps.
That depth presents a significant test for the Wolverines’ defense. Sure, their run defense is ranked third in the conference, allowing opponents an average of just 94 yards per game, but their pass defense is a different story. Opponents are currently averaging 208.5 passing yards per game against Michigan. An accurate passer like Sayin could easily capitalize on that to alter the course of the game.
That’s why containing Sayin and his wideouts will be key for the Wolverines. If Michigan can disrupt the Buckeyes’ signal caller’s rhythm and limit explosive plays, the Wolverines could tilt the matchup in their favor. If not, Ohio State’s aerial attack has the power to set the tone from the first drive.
Michigan’s offensive line versus Ohio State’s defense
There’s a big question hanging over the heads of the Wolverines’ offensive line: Can its redshirt freshmen hold their own against the best defense in the country?
Three of Michigan’s front five are currently freshmen. Andrew Sprague earned the starting right tackle job at the end of fall camp, while Blake Frazier and Jake Guarnera gained their starting roles after injuries at the left tackle and right guard positions, respectively. They’ve had ample time to gel throughout the season and have fueled a successful run game. But they haven’t yet faced a defense of this caliber.
Since 2001, whichever team has dominated the run game has come away with the rivalry win. Naturally, this puts added pressure on sophomore running back Jordan Marshall, the Wolverines’ go-to run option, who currently ranks fifth in the conference for total rushing yards.
“It’s humbling, all the greats playing this game,” Marshall said Tuesday. “… It usually comes down to our room and how we perform, and that’s without the ball and with the ball. For me, it’s, ‘How do I put myself in the position to help this team win every single snap?’ I’m just beyond humble and excited to go out there and go against my state, where I’m from, and give those boys work.”
While Marshall is acutely aware of the weight of these expectations, it isn’t just his to bear. The outcome of The Game could very well come down to how effectively the O-line can open lanes for him. The Buckeyes’ defense hasn’t let many teams do that. Ohio State boasts the No. 1 total defense in the country, surrendering just nine touchdowns all year. Buckeyes players like defensive end Caden Curry and linebackers Arvell Reese and Sonny Styles will force the Wolverines’ front five to prove they can force an elite unit off the ball.
But it’s not just about the run game. Even if Michigan’s offensive line manages to open up lanes, that’s only part of the battle. Keeping freshman quarterback Bryce Underwood upright will be crucial. A clean pocket gives Underwood the chance to settle in and unlock the passing game. Constant pressure, however, risks throwing the entire offense off script.
The Wolverines’ young offensive line is looking at their toughest test yet, and the stakes couldn’t be higher. If they can create space on the ground and keep the pocket intact, Michigan’s offense has a chance to find a rhythm. If they can’t, three-and-outs could become an all-too-familiar pattern.
Is Michigan’s youth ready for The Game?
Everyone says The Game is different. Ask any veteran, and they’ll tell you that there’s no real way to explain or describe what it’s like to run out onto the field during your first rivalry game. And for the Wolverines, many of their key players will be doing just that.
“This game is like its own game,” graduate fullback Max Bredeson said Tuesday. “It’s like its own little season. Whatever it is coming into it, it’s its own thing, its own animal. You never have to look in the past of what’s happened. It’s all about what we’ve got right now, and it’s all about when the ball’s kicked off.”
What Michigan has “right now” is youth. Several of the Wolverines’ most important pieces — players like Underwood, freshman wide receiver Andrew Marsh and multiple starting offensive linemen — will be stepping into the rivalry for the first time. It’s a game where records don’t matter, where players clash violently and where experience is an advantage.
The question is whether Michigan’s fresh faces are ready for the emotion and physicality that surrounds The Game.
“(Underwood) knows what it means,” Marshall said. “… That’s the reason why he came here, and that has to be a reason why everybody comes to Michigan, is to play in this game. He knows what it means. He doesn’t need me to give him a rah rah speech, or anybody else to give him rah rah speech. He knows what this means.”
Marshall’s words underscore Michigan’s belief in all its freshmen. On both sides of the ball, the Wolverines’ youth this season have made plays and responded in key moments. Playing with a poise beyond their years, they’ve shouldered significant responsibility from the start of the season. Saturday will put their experience to the test.
The Game will demand that they play like veterans because rivalry games don’t wait for players to grow into the moment. Michigan’s youngsters will simply have to adjust on the fly, and their ability might very well dictate who emerges victorious Saturday.
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Saturday, all the buildup, all the questions and all the pressure come down to 60 defining minutes out on the gridiron. The Buckeyes have the momentum, the Wolverines have everything to lose, but whichever team can seize the moment will write the next chapter of The Game.
