Michigan vs Ohio State prediction, game preview, how to watch. Week 13, Saturday, November 26
Michigan vs Ohio State Prediction Game Preview
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Michigan vs Ohio State How To Watch
Date: Saturday, November 26
Game Time: 12:00 ET
Venue: Ohio Stadium, Columbus, OH
How To Watch: FOX
Record: Michigan (11-0), Ohio State (11-0)
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Why Michigan Will Win
Even for Ohio State, the injuries at the skill spots are a problem.
CJ Stroud is still being CJ Stroud, but the other stars in the backfield – Miyan Williams and TreVeyon Henderson – are trying to battle through leg problems, WR Jaxon Smith-Njigba hasn’t been right all year, and last week it almost took its toll.
Again, it’s Ohio State so it all turned out fine in a 43-30 win over Maryland, but the 401 yards were alarmingly low at a point in the season when everything is supposed to be humming.
Now the Buckeye offense has to deal with the No. 1 defense in college football.
The Wolverine run defense is allowing fewer than three yards per carry, the pass D hasn’t allowed anyone to get to 270 yards, and it’s got enough of a presence in the backfield and is strong enough on third downs to keep the Buckeyes from clicking.
On the other side, Michigan’s offensive style should be a big, big problem for a team that hasn’t exactly dealt with a slew of killer running games.
With or without Blake Corum carrying the ball, the Michigan O line should be able to blast away as the game goes on – the 168 rushing yards against Illinois was a better performance than it might seem – turnovers aren’t an issue with just six spread out over the first 11 games, and …
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Why Ohio State Will Win
Rutgers, Nebraska, Iowa, Indiana, Colorado State, UConn, and Hawaii.
Michigan has faced seven of the 35 least-productive offenses in college football, and Michigan State isn’t far off. Penn State and its 37th-best offense is the most talented it faced all year, and Maryland is as close as it’s been to dealing with a dangerous passing attack.
It’s Michigan. Like Ohio State it has options if Corum can’t go on his injured leg, but no … it’s not Ohio State. The high-end star power isn’t there among the backups to step in and shine like Dallan Hayden did last week for the Buckeyes against Maryland with 146 rushing yards and three scores.
But the offensive line really is that good. It’s going to pound away, and Ohio State’s run defense will have its rough moments. However, it’s asking a lot for the Michigan passing attack to come through when needed.
JJ McCarthy has been fine, but against a slew of mediocre teams over the last four games – not including Illinois – he hasn’t been able to hit 60% of his passes.
What worked against the Nebraska’s and Michigan State’s of the world won’t fly against the Buckeyes.
This is a pressure-leads-to-breaking Michigan offense. Eventually the pounding takes over and the points and yards come in the second half. That didn’t work against the great Illinois defense last week – it didn’t help that Corum got hurt – and there’s going to be a big, big problem if the Buckeyes get up early.
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What’s Going To Happen
Ohio State is already amazing, but it takes on a whole other level when it has a score to settle.
The 2020 team didn’t sort of focused all year on winning the national title, and it always wants to beat Michigan, but there was another theme. That team wanted Clemson after the pain and suffering in the College Football Playoff the season before, and it came out rocking with a 49-28 win in the semifinal.
This might be a national title-level team, but to know anything about this program is to get that the last year has been all about getting Michigan out of its head.
Michigan is very, very good, though – it isn’t going to get pushed around.
Ohio State will get up fast, the Wolverines will fight back and make it interesting, and then Stroud and company will kick it in and exorcise the demon early in the fourth quarter.
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Michigan vs Ohio State Prediction, Line
Ohio State 30, Michigan 20
Line: Ohio State -7.5, o/u: 57.5
ATS Confidence out of 5: 2
Michigan vs Ohio State Must See Rating (out of 5): 5
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