GAME 12: OHIO STATE v MICHIGAN

GAME 12    OHIO STATE v MICHIGAN

November 26, 2016                            Ohio Stadium              Columbus, OH

Michigan Wolverines

Location: Ann Arbor, MI

Stadium: Michigan Stadium (109,901)

Coach: Jim Harbaugh (2^nd year): 20-4 at Michigan/78-31 overall, 13-3 v B1G, 0-1 v OSU

Series: Michigan 58, OSU 48, 6 ties

Last Meeting: 11/28/2015: OSU 42, Michigan 13

Last Michigan win: 11/26/2011: Michigan 40, OSU 34

Coach Meyer (5^th year): 60-5 at OSU/164-28 overall 39-4 v B1G, 4-1 v Michigan

2015 Michigan Wolverines (10-3)(6-2)                     2015 Ohio State Buckeyes (12-1)(7-1)

17        at Utah                        24                                42        at Virginia Tech          24

35        Oregon State                 7                                38        Hawaii                         0

28        UNLV                           7                                20        Northern Illinois          13

31        BYU                             0                                38        Western Michigan       12

28        at Maryland                  0                                34        at Indiana                    27

38        Northwestern                0                                49        Maryland                    28

23        Michigan State            27                                38        Penn State                   10

29        at Minnesota               26                                49        at Rutgers                      7

49        Rutgers                       16                                28        Minnesota                   14

48        at Indiana                    41 (2OT)                      28        at Illinois                       3

29        at Penn State               16                                14        Michigan State            17

13        Ohio State                   42                                42        at Michigan                 13

41        Florida                           7                                44        Notre Dame                28

            (Citrus Bowl)                                                               (Fiesta Bowl)

2016 Michigan Wolverines (10-1)(7-1)                     2016 Ohio State Buckeyes (10-1)(7-1)

63        Hawaii                           3                                77        Bowling Green              10

51        Central Florida             14                                48        Tulsa                              3

45        Colorado                     28                                45        at Oklahoma                 24

49        Penn State                   10

14        Wisconsin                      7                                58        Rutgers                          0

78        at Rutgers                     0                                 38        Indiana                          17

O15                                                                             30        at Wisconsin                23 (OT)

41        Illinois                           8                                 21        at Penn State               24

32        at Michigan State        23                                 24        Northwestern                20

59        Maryland                      3                                62        Nebraska                        3

13        at Iowa                        14                                62        at Maryland                   3

20        Indiana                        10                                17        at Michigan State         16

N26      at Ohio State                                                               Michigan

For the 113^th time, these two great rivals will do battle.  The Buckeyes have dominated the series in the 21^st Century, going 13-2, but this is a Michigan football program that has turned the corner under second-year coach Jim Harbaugh.

OHIO STATE DEFENSE v MICHIGAN OFFENSE: The Wolverines suffered the loss of their QB Wilton Speight a couple of weeks ago and he is “day-to-day” this week.  However, senior John O’Korn stepped in and did a fine job last week in their win over Indiana.  O’Korn went 7-of-16 for 59 yards in his first career start and carried the ball six times for 19 yards with a 30-yard run on a third-and-eight play.  For the season, O’Korn is 20-of-34 for 173 yards and two touchdowns.  Michigan’s rushing attack has been led all year by senior RB De’Veon Smith, who was named to the Doak Walker watch list and is coming off his career game, gaining 158 yards on 22 carries against Indiana.  Senior Henry Poggi lines up in the FB position when the Wolverines use the run formations and Ohio State’s defense will have to deal with him coming out of the backfield on flare routes, as he has hauled in six catches for 45 yards thus far.  Amara Darboah and Jake Butt are a deadly one-two combination in the passing game.  Darboah leads the team with 44 receptions for 758 yards and six scores, while Jake Butt may be the best tight end in the nation who can block and catch equally well.  He is second on the team with 38 receptions for 460 yards and four touchdowns.  Junior Ian Bunting will line up opposite Darboh along with Jehu Chesson with 29 receptions for 458 yards and two touchdowns.  The experienced Michigan offensive line is highlighted by four-tear starter Kyle Khalis at RG and senior Erik Magnuson next to him at RT, who is a candidate for the Outland Trophy.  Junior center Mason Cole, freshman Ben Bredeson, and senior LT Ben Braden round out the offensive line that has, for the most part, stayed healthy all year and has made progress by leaps and bounds from this time a year ago.

O’Korn is a more mobile QB than Speight and they may try to get him out of the pocket to take advantage of his legs and to give him a chance against Ohio State’s pass rush.  The Wolverines figure they have to be able to run Smith consistently to have a good chance of winning since O’Korn more than likely, will not be able to throw against the nation’s third-ranked passing defense that thrives on getting turnovers.

                                            RB De'Veon Smith

OHIO STATE OFFENSE v MICHIGAN DEFENSE: Ohio State’s offense was in high gear and seemed unstoppable until they hit the chill and the wind and an inspired Michigan State defense last week.  J.T. Barrett’s deep passing game is still a work in progress and Michigan has the secondary to make things even tougher.  Led by senior CB Jourdan Lewis, a Thorpe Award finalist, Michigan’s defense leads the nation in scoring defense, total defense, pass defense, third-down conversions, and tackles for loss.  Lewis himself has chipped in 19 tackles, two tackles for loss and two interceptions.  Seniors Delano Hill and Dymonte Thomas are back there at SS and FS respectively.  Thomas is fourth on the team in tackles with 59, while Hill comes into the game with 40 tackles, 3.5 TFLs and three interceptions.  Senior Channing Stribling holds down the other corner position and has chipped in four interceptions to go along with his 23 stops.  Michigan OLB Jabril Peppers is mentions by some as a Heisman candidate and is one of the most versatile players in college football.  Second on the team in tackles with 65, Peppers has also notched an astounding 16 TFLs and four sacks.  Peppers will also run plays on offense on the jet sweep, where he has notched 163 yards and return punts and kicks.  Seniors Ben  Gedeon and Mike McCray join Peppers in that LB unit.  Gedeon leads the team in tackles with 94 and McCray is right behind Peppers in tackles with 63.  Michigan’s defensive line is loaded, perhaps one of the premiere defensive lines in the country.  Seniors Ryan Glasgow (NT) and Chris Wormley (DE) lead the way up front.  Glasgow has 37 tackles, eight TFLs and three sacks, while Wormley is just behind him with 34 tackles.  Matthew Godin and the very versatile Taco Charlton line up at DT and the other DE spot respectively and have been a headache for offensive lines all year.  Charlton has 29 stops, eight TFLs and six sacks while Godin has chipped in 24 tackles, two TFLs and a sack.  Anyway you look at it, it’s a fearsome unit.

Ohio State’s offense will put this defense to the test.  Running the ball may be a bit easier than throwing, as the Wolverines have given up some chunk plays, at times, on the ground.  So, the running ability of Barrett and utilizing Curtis Samuel in both the run and pass game, will be key in sustaining momentum against this defense.

                                            LB Jabrill Peppers

SPECIAL TEAMS: Kenny Allen has done a good job handing both the punting and place kicking duties.  He averages 41.8 yards per punt with a long of 56.  Allen has hit on 14 out of his 18 field goal attempts with a long of 51.

SUMMARY: THE GAME this year figures to come down to what it does most every year, mistakes and good, sound defense.  Both defensive units are certainly up to the task, but Ohio State’s offense figures to be the tougher one to stop.  CBs Jourdan Lewis and Channing Stribling have been outstanding all year, but the safeties haven’t had the same success.  Michigan’s only chance for a victory has to be in limiting the “chunk” plays Ohio State’s offense can churn out.  Ohio State has used explosive, breakaway runs in many of their wins over Michigan this century.  Michigan’s offense, either with a banged-up Wilton Speight or the inexperienced John O’Korn, does not have the firepower to come out on top in a shootout.  Michigan will need to keep the score low to have a good chance.

                                           OHIO STATE 27, MICHIGAN 20