This years’ rivalry between the Maize and Blue and the Buckeyes looks to be a doozy as both teams are vying for a national title. Michigan’s program has now resurfaced out of the rut it had been in for the past 20 years after it garnered it’s last title in 1997. Jim Harbaugh has his team playing well now in all 3 phases and they have become a juggernaut in the Big Ten.
This process took him about 4 years to establish heading into the 2018 season. That season they dominated their opponents in conference but got shellacked by the Buckeyes in Columbus, losing 62-39. That loss coupled with the one at home in 2019 to Ohio State got people questioning whether he was the right man for the job. However, no one really ever appreciates how difficult it is to get a program into the top 5. It’s a culture change that must take place over continuous winning seasons where the mindset of players coming in is to dominate their opponent.
Michigan accomplished this last year winning at home versus Ohio State 42-27 to advance to the playoffs. The playoff is a whole other level of football and strategy that can eat well-meaning teams alive. This year’s Maize and Blue squad looks to have more offensive fire power with dual threat JJ McCarthy leading the team at QB and tailback Blake Corum running like a mad man through the line of scrimmage. In my opinion I think he deserves to be in the top two for the Heisman and Saturday’s game will go a long way for him to win it if Michigan can create holes for him.
The Buckeyes come in with looks to be the dominant team on paper. At times they do dominate their opponents and then at other times they just kind of paw at them until the 2nd half when they seem to turn it up. This is not unlike 98% of teams but just rare for a team as loaded as they are to be so sluggish.
Ohio State’s quarterback, CJ Stroud, had a very efficient game versus Penn State and was able to connect on some key 3rd down conversions that helped seal the victory. Stroud and WR Marvin Harrison Jr. have really established a big connection in the absence of their star WR Jaxon Smith-Njigba who has been out with a leg injury most of the season. Harrison and Stroud are clearly playing catch on an NFL level and most teams can’t match up. The teams that can matchup are outschemed by Ryan Day to create windows for Harrison based on the coverage. CJ Stroud can put the ball into those windows as well as anyone in college football.
Michigan has overachieved this season with new DC Jesse Minter and had only 4 returning starters coming back off last season’s playoff team. The Michigan Defense is #1 in only giving up 3.9 yards per play for the season. Ohio State ranks 5th in this category. Michigan’s Defense however has not faced anywhere near a balanced attack on Offense as Ohio States’, which ranks #1 in yards per play at 7.3 on the season.
A player to watch out for is JT Tuimoloau, DE for Ohio State, who can dominate offensive tackles and make QBs wish the clock was at 0:00 so they can finally rest. Make no mistake the atmosphere of the Horseshoe is like laying siege to a castle and will be difficult to overcome as always for Michigan.
In the end, we think it’s all too difficult for Michigan to keep pace with Ohio State and see the Buckeyes covering the 7.5 point spread for the win.
