High-flying Buckeyes set to visit Big House
ANN ARBOR, MICH. >> Ohio State is two wins away from having a shot at winning a second national championship in five seasons and a third title this century. Michigan is in the way. Maybe.
The Buckeyes, ranked No. 1 in the College Football Playoff and No. 2 in The Associated Press poll, have won seven straight and 14 of 15 against the Wolverines in a dominating stretch that has taken a lot of suspense out of the series.
Ohio State is about a double-digit favorite to win Saturday at the Big House where it is expected to set a school record with an eighth straight win in a rivalry that started in 1897.
The Buckeyes (11-0,
8-0 Big Ten) have already clinched a spot in the conference championship game with first-year coach Ryan Day and will face No.
9 Minnesota or No. 13 Wisconsin next week in Indianapolis.
Make no mistake, they will take No. 10 Michigan
(9-2, 6-2, No. 13 CFP) seriously because no one wearing scarlet and gray wants to give a desperate rival any satisfaction.
The Wolverines, meanwhile, acknowledge it gives them an added incentive to have an opportunity to spoil Ohio State’s season.
“This is something that is not only important to them, but important to us,” Michigan tight end Nick Eubanks said.
The outcome is certainly important for Jim Harbaugh, who is winless in The Game as a coach after having some success in the series as a quarterback more than three decades ago.
Harbaugh is not in danger of losing his job if he falls to 0-5 against Ohio State, but a victory would without a doubt give him and college football’s winningest program a muchneeded boost.
A loss to close the regular season would define another year as something short of great even if the Wolverines win their bowl game to have a fourth 10win season under Harbaugh.
Here are some things to watch when Michigan meets Ohio State for the
102nd straight season and
116th time overall:
SIGN OF TIMES
Both teams are thankful to have transfers at quarterback, both of whom didn’t have to sit out a year after getting a waiver from the NCAA.
Justin Fields spent his freshman season at Georgia in 2018. He has been spectacular this season at Ohio State, throwing 33 touchdowns with only one interception and running for 10 scores. Fields seemed to avoid a scare in last week’s win over then-No. 9 Penn State, going down on a play in the fourth quarter and getting up slowly.
“For sure any time you see your starting quarterback on the ground, it’s not a good feeling,” Day said. “He was able to shake it off, run off the field. We expect him to be fine.”
Shea Patterson was at Mississippi for his first two seasons before starting every game — and winning every one at home — as a junior and senior with the Wolverines. He became the first in school history to throw four-plus touchdown passes in two straight games over the last two weeks.