It's finally here. We've waited all year for this one. The Game. For the 118th time since 1897, the Ohio State Buckeyes and Michigan Wolverines are ready to write the latest chapter in their ancient and epic feud. If you're a Buckeye or Wolverine, it's like Christmas before Christmas!
From Fielding Yost to Jim Harbaugh, and from John Wilce to Ryan Day, Ohio State and Michigan have created some of the greatest memories in college football history when they've squared off against each other. There are just too many to name here. But today's game might just end up looking like one of the most beloved chapters of the rivalry, when two of the greatest and most recognizable College Football Hall of Famers were pitted against each other in Woody Hayes and Bo Schembechler.
Those games were bitter battles. Jarring, savage, bone-crunching games that symbolize what the Ohio State/Michigan rivalry is all about. In the Woody vs. Bo days, the Buckeyes and Wolverines didn't hold anything back. They went at each other with absolutely everything they had. They tossed everything at each other including the kitchen sink! It was power against power, will vs. will, and strength vs. strength. The games during the "Ten Year War" (1969-1978) weren't high octane, stylish, finesse games like you might see today. They were slobberknockers that were often settled in the final seconds, and the Big Ten Championship, and sometimes a shot at the National Championship, frequently hung in the balance.
The stakes are just as high today as they were back then. For just the fourth time in the rivalry's history and the first time since 2006, Ohio State and Michigan come into today's game undefeated and ranked in the Top 5, with everything at stake. What's it going to take for the Buckeyes to avenge last year's loss to the Wolverines in Ann Arbor? Let's find out, with a look at the Keys to Victory.
Shut down the Wolverine ground game
Blake Corum or no Blake Corum, this will go a long way toward determining the outcome of this game. Everything swings on the outcome of this matchup. If Blake Corum, or whoever the Michigan running back is, can do well against the Ohio State defense, that will give Wolverine quarterback JJ McCarthy and his other backs and receivers many more offensive opportunities to burn the Buckeyes. A high-functioning and successful ground attack naturally opens up the passing game. And even though the Ohio State defense is vastly improved under first-year defensive coordinator Jim Knowles, they still occasionally get gashed for big pass plays, and are sometimes spotty at stopping the run. If Ohio State slows down or shuts down the Wolverine ground game, that will force Michigan to resort to the passing game. And they would not be comfortable if they're forced to pass the football.
Use the ground game to keep Michigan honest
Michigan has a ferocious pass rush. And this is without their two star players who were drafted last year in Aidan Hutchinson and David Ojabo! One of the key ways to negate that? get the running game going!
CJ Stroud will still probably have to pick up plenty of blitzes, correctly read disguised defensive looks (which Michigan defensive coordinator Jesse Minter is great at), and deal with pressure. But a serviceable to good running game will keep the Wolverine pass rush at bay. It will also force the corners and safeties to come up in run support, which will leave the back end of the Michigan defense exposed, which is where Marvin Harrison Jr., Emeka Egbuka, Cade Stover, and just maybe Jaxon Smith-Njigba can do the most damage. The only question is: Who will start at running back today? I personally would go with Dallan Hayden, but it's anybody's guess. Either way, Ohio State HAS to be able to run the football decently well.
Keep CJ Stroud upright and clean
In the same way that Blake Corum is the heart of the Wolverine offense, CJ Stroud is the heart of the Ohio State offensive attack. When he's given time to throw, he completes almost 71 percent of his passes. But when he's pressured considerably? He completes only 44 percent. Some quarterbacks are great at improvising and making plays on the run. CJ Stroud is most definitely not one of them, unfortunately.
Ohio State's offensive line is one of the best in the nation at pass protection and keeping Stroud safe, as the Buckeyes have only given up seven sacks all season. But they'll be facing a Wolverine defensive front that's gotten home and sacked the quarterback 31 times in the past 11 games. To give you an idea of how dominant that is, last year's Michigan defensive line racked up 34 sacks over the entire 14 game season with Hutchinson and Ojabo leading the charge. This year's defensive front for Michigan is right up there with the best of them, and Ohio State definitely has their work cut out for them!
Don't let the moment get too big
I know Coach Day and the Buckeyes work on preparing for The Game 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year. They always do something to prepare to battle and beat the Wolverines every day. It matters that much. It's that big, and they know what's at stake. But I'm sure preparing in the environment of the Woody Hayes Athletic Center, and actually playing against Michigan in the biggest college football game in America are two entirely different environments.
The Buckeyes lost a big one last year in Ann Arbor. They've had a year to lick their wounds, figure out what went wrong, and get to work on preparing for today. Today is the culmination of all that preparation. And even for the veteran Buckeyes who have played in this game before, I'm sure they'll be jacked up. The adrenaline will be flowing. If anyone told you they're not at least a little nervous or on edge, don't believe them.
But if the Buckeyes control their nerves, play inspired, emotional, hard-hitting, clean football? They will come away with the win today!
Prediction: Ohio State 24, Michigan 21
If you aren't fired up enough already, check out this pregame hype video. If that doesn't get you jacked up enough to run through a wall, you don't have a pulse! GO BUCKS!
Sources: Buckeyes Now on FanNation, Cleveland Plain Dealer, Wolverines Wire at USA Today, Ohio State Football on YouTube
Picture Credit: wpadmin.nitrobetting.eu
Channel: FOX, noon
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