Reporters roundtable: Is Ohio State football ready for rivalry game with Michigan?
Editor's note: After each Ohio State football game, beat reporters Joey Kaufman and Bill Rabinowitz discuss the latest storylines and other key developments.
Michigan and Ohio State have been on a collision course all season and enter Saturday's game with 11-0 records, making for their first matchup of unbeatens since 2006.
Near upsets last weekend, though, threatened to lessen the stakes. While the Buckeyes held off Maryland for a 43-30 win in a back-and-forth fourth quarter, the Wolverines needed a field goal with nine seconds left to pull ahead of Illinois.
Kaufman: The leadup to this season’s clash with Michigan is a bit different for the Buckeyes. Before last fall’s meeting, they were coming off a 56-7 rout of Michigan State that marked one of their most dominant performances of the season. But it wasn’t a harbinger of success the following week as they were crushed in Ann Arbor. Which is to say that I don’t think Ohio State’s narrow win in College Park has much bearing on how they’ll perform on Thanksgiving weekend.
Rabinowitz: To strengthen that point, Ohio State's last trip to Maryland before Saturday came in 2018 when the Terrapins came within an errant pass of pulling off a stunning upset in a 52-51 overtime loss. The OSU defense's struggles in that game, and really throughout that season, left a feeling of almost doom heading into the 2018 Michigan game. Those fears were unfounded. The Buckeyes routed the Wolverines 62-39. So who knows? The Game is a separate entity. What adds to this year's intrigue is that neither team has been tested much. Saturday's games were the closest either has come to losing.
Kaufman: Both sides were also up against teams that don’t really reflect the upcoming matchup. Maryland is more potent through the air than Michigan, and Illinois is far more run-centered than Ohio State. The vulnerable part of the Buckeyes’ defense this season has been its secondary, which can be at risk of giving up big plays. Michigan quarterback J.J. McCarthy doesn’t stress teams with a lot of shots down the field. Once again, this game will be settled in the trenches, not the perimeter.
Rabinowitz: For an entire year, Ohio State has had its toughness questioned, particularly the linemen who got manhandled last year. Now the Buckeyes get a chance to prove that all their work in the last year has paid off. McCarthy is a good athlete and can make plays with his feet. But his accuracy has been an issue. Coach Jim Harbaugh said he had no update on the injury status of running backs Blake Corum and Donovan Edwards, so the status of both teams' top runners is obviously a major storyline. At least the Buckeyes have the comfort of knowing that if Miyan Williams and TreVeyon Henderson aren't healthy or effective, they can lean on freshman Dallan Hayden.
Kaufman: The emergence of Hayden is a big deal. Even as a freshman, he gives a lot of stability to the backfield. He’s shown ball security and an ability to run between the tackles, and though he hasn’t looked to be a home-run threat like a healthy Henderson, a consistent ability to pick up positive yards is a significant lift. When the Buckeyes have gone through lulls this season, it’s when they find themselves off schedule on drives by getting stuffed on early downs. That leads to some third-down situations that aren’t as favorable for a passing game.
Rabinowitz: Hayden might be just what this team needs from its running back right now. He hits the hole hard and is a responsible player. As much as Ohio State wants to show its mettle by running the ball, most of the damage will probably be done through the air. OSU's passing game had issues against Maryland. The Terps did a good job of preventing Buckeye receivers from getting separation consistently. Michigan doesn't have Aidan Hutchinson or David Ojabo this year, but the Wolverines' pass rush has been quite good again. No doubt that Michigan's priority is not allowing C.J. Stroud to have time in the pocket.
Kaufman: The player to watch on Michigan’s defensive line is Mike Morris, its sack leader. His 7.5 sacks are also second among all Big Ten players. But he is banged up and didn’t play against Illinois. If healthy, it’ll be a test for left tackle Paris Johnson, who hasn’t given up a sack.
Rabinowitz: Defensive tackle Mazi Smith can be a beast inside, and if Ohio State is going to run between the tackles, he's the guy the Buckeyes must be able to block. The injury factor is going to be a huge one in this game. If Corum and Edwards can't play at close to full strength, the Wolverines will have to rely on McCarthy. He's a five-star guy Harbaugh picked over incumbent Cade McNamara because of his potential. McCarthy has shown flashes but hasn't been consistent in the passing game. If the game becomes a passing duel, the Buckeyes have to like their chances. If it becomes a meat-grinder in the trenches, then Ohio State will have its chance to show that last year's debacle in Ann Arbor was an aberration.
Kaufman: The clash of styles adds another element to this year’s rivalry game, which has no shortage of storylines. Beyond the implications for a spot in the Big Ten championship game and College Football Playoff, the Buckeyes are looking to avoid their first losing streak to Michigan in more than two decades. The last time they dropped consecutive games to the Wolverines was at the end of the John Cooper era in 1999 and 2000. Neither of Ryan Day’s predecessors had much trouble in the series. Urban Meyer was unbeaten. Jim Tressel lost only once. A setback on Saturday would give Day a 1-2 record. That’s as much part of the stakes as anything.
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This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: The Ohio State vs Michigan storylines to know for 'The Game' in 2022
