Go ahead and ask 100 Big Ten football fans who is going to win the conference this season. Of the 100, 45 or so will probably say the Ohio State Buckeyes. Another 45 will say the Michigan Wolverines. That's how tight things are in the Big Ten this year, and a ton will almost surely be on the line when these two arch rivals hook up at the Horseshoe to end the regular season.
Don't miss the action from Ohio Stadium on Saturday, November 26, 2016.
College Football Odds at BookMaker.eu
Michigan Wolverines +3
Ohio State Buckeyes -3
Odds Analysis
Ohio State has been the dominant team in this series for a number of years. The Wolverines haven't been favored in this game since 2004, and they only have one SU win since that point, an upset at the Big House in 2011.
This year though, the argument could certainly be made for Michigan to be considered the better of these two teams, and there's a good chance Big Blue will be favored by the time November rolls around. As it stands in the preseason with the College Football Game of the Year Odds, OSU is getting the nod by a field goal, though with the value of home field advantage being slightly higher in college than in the NFL, this almost insinuates that Michigan is the better of the two teams.
Why It's Important
For one, it's Ohio State/Michigan. It's the best rivalry in the Midwest. It's that Ohio school against "That Team Up North." If these teams each had seven losses coming into this game, it would still be a national spectacle, and fans from around the country would watch.
But there's no way that's happening this year. In fact, there's a respectable chance that both of these teams are 11-0 coming into this game, a dream scenario for the Big Ten. If that's the case, the winner will win the Big Ten East and move on to the Big Ten Championship Game with a guaranteed spot in the CFP on the line from there. The loser will still likely be a Top 5 team and will have a case to get into the playoff as well, but there's certainly no guarantee, especially since no non-conference winner have ever made the de facto Final Four.
Why Ohio State Will Beat Michigan
Because Ohio State seemingly always beats Michigan! And because Urban Meyer hardly ever loses these rivalry games.
If you want to really breakdown the Buckeyes though, the key is going to be athleticism on defense. You might scoff at the idea that this unit can be anywhere near as good as last year's team which held foes to 15.1 points per game, but there are names you're going to want to remember that you might not know yet. Tyquan Lewis and Sam Hubbard are surely NFL prospects, while Raekwon McMillan is an All-American linebacker in the making. Throw in a secondary which was deep as could be last year in spite of the fact that it was gutted by the NFL just a few months ago, and you've got the makings of another unit which could be a nightmare for Big Blue to try to figure out.
Why Michigan Will Beat Ohio State
Jim Harbaugh seems like he finally has his type of quarterback under center. John O'Korn is an athletic guy, but he can still sling the ball all over the field. His arm isn't quite as good as that of Jake Rudock from last year, but he can use his legs to get out of some trouble if he gets into it, and that might be crucial in this game.
But really, it's all about experience for this Michigan offense. The Wolverines put up just 364 yards of offense and 13 points last year against the Buckeyes, including scoring just three in the second half. Ten of the 11 men from that unit are back in the maize and blue.
THE X-FACTOR
There aren't many tight ends who can change the game in college football, but Jake Butt is one of them. He's almost sure to be a first round pick in the NFL Draft next year, and he could be the difference maker in this one. The Wolverines just didn't get him involved enough last year in this game, and as a result, the linebackers were really allowed to roam free to get after Rudock. With O'Korn being able to move around a little more, Butt should be able to get into some spaces and have a big impact on this game.
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