How does Ohio State football's 2022 schedule compare to Michigan's prior to 'The Game?'
"The Game" is here.
Ohio State will host Michigan Saturday afternoon in a battle of two undefeated teams at the top of the Big Ten East.
How did the Buckeyes and the Wolverines get to this point?
According to ESPN's Football Power Index, Ohio State has the No. 55 strength of schedule in the country, while Michigan is at No. 73.
Here's a look at how Ohio State and Michigan — No. 2 and No. 3, respectively, according to the latest College Football Playoff rankings — both got to this point prior to its battle for a spot in the Big Ten championship game and, possibly, the Playoff.
Sept. 3
No. 8 Michigan 51, Colorado State 7 — Coming off a 31-11 loss to Georgia in the CFP semifinal, Michigan opened the season with 440 yards of offense and 51 points against Colorado State, scoring four rushing touchdowns by four different players. The Wolverines also added 11 tackles-for-loss and seven sacks.
No. 2 Ohio State 21, No. 5 Notre Dame 10 — While C.J. Stroud and the Ohio State offense scored only 21 points with 395 yards of offense, the new-look Buckeye defense shut Notre Dame's offense down. Ohio State limited the Fighting Irish to 10 points, 12 first downs and 253 total yards with the help of a two-sack performance from linebacker Tommy Eichenberg.
Sept. 10
No. 4 Michigan 56, Hawaii 10 — After putting up 51 points against Colorado State, Michigan exploded for 56 points including five rushing touchdowns by five different players and three passing touchdowns from quarterback J.J. McCarthy. The Wolverines pass defense added seven pass deflections, allowing 253 yards of offense.
No. 3 Ohio State 45, Arkansas State 12 — With Jaxon Smith-Njigba unavailable, Marvin Harrison Jr. stepped up, retaining three of Stroud's four touchdown passes against Arkansas State, leading the team with 187 yards on seven catches. The Buckeyes recorded 12 tackles-for-loss, limiting the Red Wolves to 53 rushing yards on 34 carries.
Sept. 17
No. 4 Michigan 59, UConn 0 — With the help of five touchdowns by running back Blake Corum, Michigan scored 59 points, setting the school record for most points scored in a three-game span with 166. UConn's offense could not move the ball at all against the Wolverines, recording 110 total yards and six first downs.
No. 3 Ohio State 77, Toledo 21 — Ohio State's offense put on a clinic against Toledo. Stroud threw five of the team's six passing touchdowns with 367 yards passing on 22 completions, while running back Dallan Hayden paced a Buckeyes run game that recorded 281 yards and five touchdowns from five different players.
Sept. 24
No. 4 Michigan 34, Maryland 27 — Michigan's first taste of adversity came against Maryland in the Big Ten opener when the Terrapins cut the Wolverines' lead to a single score with 45 seconds left after a Billy Edwards Jr. touchdown pass to CJ Dippre and a two-point conversion. The Wolverines secured a victory with a botched on-side kick attempt. Michigan allowed 397 yards, including 269 passing yards. Corum added a career high 243 rushing yards, becoming the first Michigan running back to rush for more than 200 yards since Karan Higdon in 2017.
No. 3 Ohio State 52, Wisconsin 21 — Ohio State's success on offense continues, recording seven touchdowns with 281 passing yards and 258 rushing yards. Both TreVeyon Henderson and Miyan Williams broke 100 yards rushing, while tight end Cade Stover recorded two touchdown receptions. While Wisconsin's offense recorded 296 yards and three touchdowns, it only recorded 11 first downs.
Oct. 1
No. 4 Michigan 27, Iowa 14 — Michigan scored two field goals and two touchdowns in its first five possessions to keep Iowa at arm's length, allowing a Spencer Petras passing touchdown and a Kaleb Johnson rushing touchdown in the fourth quarter. The Wolverines recorded 327 yards and 24 touchdowns against Iowa's highly-ranked defense, including 133 yards from Corum.
No. 3 Ohio State 49, Rutgers 10 — With Henderson unavailable, Williams was the centerpiece of Ohio State's offense, recording five of the team's seven touchdowns along with 189 rushing yards on 21 carries. Linebacker Steele Chambers recorded two of Ohio State's six tackles-for-loss against an offense that averaged 3.3 yards per play.
Oct. 8
No. 4 Michigan 31, Indiana 10 — In the midst of running backs coach Mike Hart's medical emergency, collapsing on the sideline in the first quarter, Michigan outscored Indiana 21-0 in the second half, cruising to a 21-point victory. While McCarthy had 304 passing yards and three touchdowns and Corum added 124 rushing yards and a score, Michigan's defense had seven sacks by seven different players with 10 tackles-for-loss.
No. 3 Ohio State 49, Michigan State 20 — In Ohio State's first road game of the 2022 season, Stroud threw six touchdowns, completing 21 of his 26 pass attempts for 361 yards along with an interception. Michael Hall Jr. was a force in the middle of Ohio State's defensive line, finishing with 2.5 sacks against an offense that recorded seven rushing yards on 20 carries.
Oct. 15
No. 5 Michigan 41, No. 10 Penn State 17 — Corum and Donovan Edwards ran all over Penn State's defense, combining for 339 rushing yards and four touchdowns, including back-to-back touchdown runs of at least 60 yards to help the Wolverines to a 24-point victory against the only ranked opponent they have seen all season. Michigan limited Penn State to one offensive touchdown — scoring a touchdown on a McCarthy interception — and one field goal.
Ohio State off week
Oct. 22
Michigan off week
No. 2 Ohio State 54, Iowa 10 — Facing Iowa's top-10 defense, Ohio State scored five touchdowns — four of which came from Stroud in the passing game. Eichenberg recorded an interception and returned it for a touchdown, while safety Tanner McCalister recorded two interceptions against a Hawkeye defense that recorded 158 yards of offense and eight first downs.
Oct. 29
No. 4 Michigan 29, Michigan State 7 — Michigan got redemption for its 2020 and 2021 losses to Michigan State with 177 rushing yards from Corum and five field goals by kicker Jake Moody. After the game, social media posts showed an altercation between Michigan State players and Michigan defensive back Ja'Den McBurrows in the Michigan Stadium tunnel, which was investigated and led to the suspension of eight Spartan players.
No. 2 Ohio State 44, No. 13 Penn State 31 — J.T. Tuimoloau proved to be the star of the show against Penn State, recording six tackles, three tackles-for-loss, two sacks, two interceptions — one of which was returned for a touchdown — and a pass breakup that led to an interception. Three rushing touchdowns, including two by Henderson, and a 185-yard day for Harrison led to the Buckeyes' second ranked win of the 2022 season.
Nov. 5
No. 4 Michigan 52, Rutgers 17 — Trailing 17-14 at halftime, Michigan regrouped, outscoring Rutgers 38-0 in the second half to earn the 35-point victory. Edwards and Corum each recorded more than 100 yards rushing for the second time, while McCarthy added two passing touchdowns. Michigan's defense allowed 180 yards and five first downs to the Scarlet Knights' offense.
No. 2 Ohio State 21, Northwestern 7 — Ohio State struggled on the road against Northwestern. In heavy rain and high winds, the Buckeyes recorded only 283 yards of offense and 13 first downs, scoring three rushing touchdowns, including two by Williams. Stroud finished with 76 passing yards, completing 10 of his 26 pass attempts, while adding 79 rushing yards.
Nov. 12
No. 3 Michigan 34, Nebraska 3 — Nebraska's offense could only muster eight first downs and 146 yards of offense against Michigan's defense, allowing no touchdowns for the second time in 2022. Corum added 162 yards rushing.
No. 2 Ohio State 56, Indiana 14 — Ohio State regrouped against Indiana as Stroud thew five touchdown passes against the Hoosiers defense. But after a first half where Williams recorded 147 yards and a touchdown on 15 carries, he was carted off with a leg injury. Hayden took over, recording 102 yards and a touchdown on 19 carries. Eichenberg recorded three tackles-for-loss, while safety Lathan Ransom emerged with 1.5 sacks, one pass breakup and a blocked punt.
Nov. 19
No. 3 Michigan 19, Illinois 17 — Michigan broke free from Illinois with nine seconds left, securing the two-point victory with a 35-yard field goal by Moody. Corum recorded 108 yards and a touchdown in the first half before leaving for the majority of the second with an apparent knee injury. Illinois running back Chase Brown recorded 140 yards and two touchdowns against the Wolverines' defense.
No. 2 Ohio State 43, Maryland 30 —Trailing Maryland by three at halftime, Ohio State found its momentum, but secured a victory late with a Noah Ruggles field goal and a strip sack by defensive end Zach Harrison which Chambers secured in the endzone. Hayden led the way for the Buckeyes with 146 rushing yards and three touchdowns on 27 carries.
Nov. 26
No. 2 Ohio State vs. No. 3 Michigan, Columbus, Ohio, noon, FOX
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This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Comparing Michigan and Ohio State football's 2022 schedules
