Michigan Football: Ohio State vs. Michigan Is the Biggest Game for UM Since 2006

When the college football schedule comes out every year, Michigan players, coaches, and fans always circle the last game of the season.

Ohio State.

For the past three seasons, this game has not meant much for the Wolverines. A Rich Rodriguez-lead Michigan team was constantly out-played and outcoached. The series has been lopsided as of late, to say the least. The Wolverines have not beaten the Buckeyes since 2003.

But this year is different.

Brady Hoke has the Michigan Wolverines rejuvenated and playing with a sense of pride. Greg Matteson’s defense is the most improved in the nation.

Anyone who says that coaches do not have a large impact on their team, see Exhibit A: Michigan.

Michigan’s defense from 2010 gave up 35.2 points per game and was tied with Tulsa for 110th in Total Defense.

In 2011, Michigan is 16th in Total Defense and is only allowing 15.5 points per game (fifth among FBS teams). They are also second in the country with 16 fumble recoveries. 

The most amazing part about this turnaround is that it has been accomplished with virtually the same personnel.

Michigan's offense has been playing well. Denard Robinson looked much more comfortable in a 45-17 win over No. 16 Nebraska. In order for Denard to be successful, he must continue to make plays with his feet. Al Borges must call plays that allow Denard to go through his progression quickly.

If he can’t find an open target, Denard can then do what he does best— run. This will force Ohio State to keep extra defenders in the box to "spy" Robinson which opens up the opportunity for a deep pass.

In their game against Nebraska, Ohio State struggled with Taylor Martinez (specifically in the second half). Like Robinson, he is a dual-threat quarterback and passed for 191 yards and rushed for another 102. Expect Borges to try and confuse the Ohio State defense with multiple-option looks and eventually take a few shots downfield. 

A BCS at-large bid could be a realistic possibility for Michigan if they can win this game. The BCS has historically selected two teams from the Big Ten, and a win over Ohio State would put Michigan right in the mix.

Forget all of the numbers. It boils down to this: When asked about the magnitude of the showdown against Ohio State next Saturday, Brady Hoke had a simple response:

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“It is the greatest rivalry in college sports.”

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The hatred between these two teams cannot be overstated. Hoke refers to them as “that team from Ohio.” There is a clock in the Big House specifically used each year to count down the minutes until this matchup. 

For Michigan, this showdown with Ohio State is more than just a game. A win would solidify the first double-digit winning season since 2006. It would end an eight-year losing streak against “that school from Ohio.”

Perhaps most importantly, it would fully restore pride back in Ann Arbor.

This is a must win for the Wolverines, and come Saturday, they will be ready to play.

Prediction: Michigan 35 Ohio State 28