Before I get started with this week's preview, congratulations are in order. Give some props to the Michigan basketball team for beating the number four-ranked UCLA Bruins Thursday night by a score of 55-52 at Madison Square Garden.
I could not believe my eyes and was ecstatic afterwards. Hey Sparties, still want to wait for basketball season? I can't wait for Feb. 10 at Crisler Arena when Michigan plays MSU.
On with the preview.
Michigan Wolverines (3-8, 2-5) at Ohio State Buckeyes (9-2, 6-1)
Noon, Saturday at Ohio Stadium
Line: Ohio State -20.5
Weather: High of 36 degrees with partly cloudy skies
Well, here it is, folks—the 105th meeting between the University of Michigan and Ohio State University.
The 20.5-point spread is the largest in the history of "The Game," and there's a good chance the Buckeyes will cover given how bad Michigan has been this season.
It all depends on which Michigan team shows up Saturday. Are we going to get the Wolverines from the Minnesota game that played solid football for four quarters, or the team that has bombed against the rest of the Big Ten?
How about the team that played against Purdue, where just the offense showed up and the defense decided to lay an egg? Or the teams that played good for one quarter of a game against Wisconsin and Illinois?
All I know is if the Wolverines and the 16 seniors on this team want to beat Ohio State for the first time since 2003, they better show up and hit on all cylinders for a full 60 minutes.
Michigan has never lost five straight against the Buckeyes, but this has been a season of dreadful firsts for the Wolverines, so if this is the year it happens, I won't be much surprised.
However, if Michigan should pull out the victory on Saturday, I will be elated and proceed to claim it the biggest upset in the history of the series.
It's going to be a giant uphill battle, though, and I don't see giving Michigan much of a chance.
Michigan Pass Offense vs. Ohio State Pass Defense
All Michigan fans can do is hope that Nick Sheridan brings his stallion and sword prepared to be knighted again instead of his usual white flag signaling surrender.
He's got the 13th-ranked pass defense in the country to deal with, which has 14 interceptions, led by Kurt Coleman's four and Malcolm Jenkins's three.
Jenkins also has eight pass breakups, so I would advise against throwing to his side of the field altogether.
Michigan's offensive line did pretty well against Northwestern last week. The Wildcats had a ton of sacks entering that game but only got one on the Wolverines.
I would normally feel all right about Michigan's ability to pick up the pass rush, but Steve Schilling might not play after spraining his knee in practice this week.
Ohio State has a decent pass rush, accumulating 21 sacks this season.
In order to compensate, Martavious Odoms, Darryl Stonum, and Kevin Koger are all going to have to step up their game and get open quicker.
Stonum has been having a rough time with routes, and Odoms has a propensity to drop the ball, being the freshmen that they are.
Marcus Freeman and James Laurinaitis will most likely get to Sheridan before he can even get to his second read, which takes long enough as it is.
Advantage: Ohio State
Michigan Rush Offense vs. Ohio State Rush Defense
Brandon Minor is back this week, and after Carlos Brown returned from oblivion last week, Michigan should have a solid one-two punch this week.
The offensive line is run blocking better and better each week, and Brown and Minor should have some good lanes to run through—although those lanes might get filled up by the nation's 26th-ranked run defense that only gives up 3.7 yards per carry.
The Buckeyes have an astonishing 54 tackles for loss, led by Freeman's 6.5 and Laurinaitis's 4.5.
Speed kills, though, and Minor and Brown have shown a lot of speed this season. Minor is bound to break a long run or two, while Brown almost did a couple times last week.
Advantage: Michigan (barely)
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