Here's what our old pal Pete Fiutak (AKA BadgerFan) from our original board at College Footbal News had to say about this game:
You know that "It Just Means More" motto that TCDS - That Conference Down South - likes to use, as if its fans live and breathe college football more than everyone else?
Yeah, that’s basically true, but when it comes to Ohio State vs Michigan, nope.
No fans in any rivalry - not Yankees vs Red Sox, not Bears vs Packers, not Alabama vs Auburn or Duke vs North Carolina or Coke vs Pepsi - are as twisted as Michigan and Ohio State die-hards when it comes to this one game.
But yeah, the nation that is Ohio State football needs this win. Its souls will not be able to rest unless this abominable wrong is made right again.
And it means even more than that this time. (By the way, assuming Indiana beats Purdue, Ohio State is, of course, in the Big Ten Championship with a win, and Michigan is in with a win and a Washington win over Oregon.)
Ohio State is in the College Football Playoff. Anything that happens between now and then is just for show, but if 9-2 Michigan pulls this off, all of a sudden, it’ll be a hard argument to keep TTUN out of the 12-team tournament.
Why Ohio State Will Win
It's the way better team.
Two years ago, yeah, Michigan was loaded. Blowing off how the sausage was made, the team won the national title for a reason. Last year's Wolverine team wasn't even close to as talented or as good as those Buckeyes, and it's the same this time around. If Ohio State plays its B- game, and Michigan plays its A+ game, Ohio State wins. Forgetting all the Xs, Os, schemes, and other aspects of this, this is all about Ohio State getting out of its own head and, to go full Belichick, do its job.They can't get caught up in the atmosphere, the crowd, and the 10,000-ton weight on the program's shoulders.
If at all humanly possible, treat this like it's just another game, because, in harsh reality, with what should be the real goal of a national championship, this doesn't really matter. (In fact, just like last year, it's actually a better deal to somehow not have to play in the Big Ten Championship, especially if you're the 5 or 6 this time around.)Turnovers haven't been a problem all year, but there will be one, maybe two, against Michigan.
The defense hasn't allowed more than 16 points in any game, and it'll give up a few scores. There will be things to deal with, and there might be a screaming "it's happening again" moment or two. There can't, and won't, be any semblance of panic.
Just let the talent win this. However ...
Why Michigan Will Win
Michigan is deeeeeeep in Ohio State's kitchen, and it's cooking pancakes and bacon.
Last year's Buckeye team was way better than the Wolverines. If you remember, the Wolverines had zero ability to complete a forward pass all year, and ...Michigan 13, Ohio State 10. The Wolverines are playing with Big House money here. Of course they're supposed to get rocked, but Ohio State hasn't dealt with the slightest bit of adversity all season. There hasn't been any drama since August, when Arch had the ball down seven with one final drive to try tying it up.
Okay, that's all fine, but how can the Wolverines execute this? It's been a bit lost in the fog of the season, but back in September, Washington was able to hang around with the Buckeyes deep into the second half. Ohio State eventually pulled away late and won 24-6, but Washington stayed in it even though it couldn't do anything on third downs and couldn't run a lick. It bent but didn't do a lot of breaking. It took sacks, it lived to fight another drive, and all of a sudden, it was only 14-6 in the fourth quarter.
Michigan has the run defense to hold up just fine on one side, and Bryce Underwood will have to keep the chains moving with his legs and not take any big chances on the other. The offensive line should get the ground game going, and the defensive front needs to get to Julian Sayin, who hasn't been so much as breathed on all year, and ...Look, I'm a national college football writer guy. I don't care about your rivalry, or your feelings, or anything other than what it means for a team as good as Ohio State to win a national title, and ....
OF COURSE THIS MEANS EVERYTHING.
A second straight national championship is obviously more important overall, but that's for next month. Ohio State has to beat Michigan, and it's not going to act or play like it. That's a good thing.This Ohio State team is on a crazy even keel. It doesn't seem to be disrupted or distracted by anything. It knows what it is, it knows what it can do, and it's about win because it'll block and tackle better.
There won't be anything spectacular about this. The Buckeyes won't jump out to a 21-0 lead in the first ten minutes - that team in Maize and Blue is pretty good, too - but they'll be methodically solid, the defense will hold up time and again, and after the emotion chills out, Ohio State will win another football game.
Ohio State 31, Michigan 13
