Michigan vs. Ohio State: Why the Wolverines Are Destined to Win
The Michigan Wolverines have everything in front of them when they head into Ohio Stadium for an epic clash with the hated Ohio State Buckeyes this Saturday.카지노사이트
A loss, and Jim Harbaugh’s crew might have to worry about a free fall out of the 2017 College Football Playoff. A win, and the Wolverines get eternal bragging rights and get one step closer to winning the Big 10 and cementing a trip to the CFP.
Exactly how things go down is probably anyone’s guess, as the Wolverines boast one of the nation’s best overall defenses, but certainly has had a few hiccups on offense. Their most notable gaffe was a tough road loss to Iowa just a matter of weeks ago, when they had previously held a 9-0 undefeated run.
That’s no longer the case, however, which helps make Saturday’s Big 10 showdown without a doubt the biggest game of the year for both teams to this point.
Michigan vs. Ohio State Betting
The opening spread is in favor of the Buckeyes (-7), which is understandable since the game is in their own backyard and they come in as the hotter team. It probably doesn’t hurt than this series has been all Buckeyes lately, with Ohio State currently riding a four-game winning streak against Big Blue.
Vegas notes that, as well as Ohio State’s dynamic offense and equally impressive defense. The Buckeyes rank 5th in the nation in scoring, 8th in rushing and tied for 3rd in total defense. Needless to say, the Buckeyes look to be more balanced, more explosive and overall more dynamic than Michigan, who does boast the nation’s best defense (allowing just over 10 points per game), but ranks 11th in terms of offense.
Matchup
This is a very interesting matchup on paper – one that figures to be a classic offense vs. defense battle at first glance.바카라사이트
We can probably brace for a low-scoring affair, of course, as the Buckeyes steamroll opponents with an elite running game (8th in college football) and don’t have a very threatening attack through the air (67th in the nation). Facing Michigan’s elite top-ranked pass defense will only nullify the impact of J.T. Barrett and Ohio State’s passing attack even more.
The key could be on the ground, where Michigan’s resistance is still elite (10th), but Ohio State makes their living (8th).
Michigan could have even more issues on the other side, as quarterback Wilton Speight has been dealing with an injury and could be in doubt for this one. Per reports, both Speight and backup John O’Korn have practiced, but it’s unclear who will take the field versus the Buckeyes:
That uncertainty could be problematic, as O’Korn wasn’t great in his recent action and the Wolverines would undoubtedly be in far better shape with their usual starter under center.
Why Wolverines Win
A lot is admittedly working against the Wolverines in this huge Big 10 clash with the Buckeyes. Ohio State has arguably just as tenacious of a defense, yet will be in front of their home crowd and also sport a far more dynamic and explosive offense.
The key will 100% by Michigan’s defense. The Wolverines have a stout run defense that might truly be the best in college football when it’s on top of their game, but the real worry is that Michigan’s weak play of late on offense could work too much against them.
History in this matchup doesn’t favor the Wolverines, either, while Vegas is calling it against them, as well.
As ugly as it looks, ugliness might be the one thing the Wolverines can hang their hat on in this matchup. The Wolverines will be on the road as an underdog, they might be down to their backup quarterback and they don’t have an offense explosive enough to withstand a shootout.
However, the way they’ve played games for much of the year, they might be just gritty enough to bring the Buckeyes down to their level. As good as Ohio State’s running game is, the Wolverines aren’t too bad in that area, themselves (19th in the nation) and their recipe for a win will undoubtedly hang on their ability to grind out yardage on the ground and get big stops when they need them most on the other end.
Michigan has made a living on that kind of football in 2016 and running back De’Veon Smith is a big reason why. Smith stepped up hugely in a 10-point win over Indiana, carrying the Wolverines with 158 rushing yards and two scores.
For Michigan to escape with a win, two things need to happen: Smith needs to again dominate on the ground and Michigan’s elite defense needs to force the Buckeyes to go to the air. While J.T. Barrett is a dangerous dual threat who has the ability to make some plays through the air, his accuracy is forever in question and we maybe have seen last week in a tight 17-16 win over Michigan State just how much of a liability Ohio State’s passing game can really be.
Of course, there is always the ever existing x-factor that is Jabrill Peppers.
Peppers has suggested he’s saving his best yet for this Big 10 showdown, and if he’s right, it could be huge.
If Michigan’s defense shows up and plays up to their potential, the Buckeyes could easily end up getting overwhelmed and make some key mistakes. Smith and Michigan’s stout running game could then pick their spots and in the end close out a tight win.온라인카지노