The Game returns: Ohio State vs. Michigan in another high-stakes classic originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
There are rivalries, and then there is The Game. Ohio State vs. Michigan stands unmatched in tradition, intensity, and national weight. This season’s edition might be one of the most compelling in recent years, with No. 1 Ohio State heading to Ann Arbor to face No. 15 Michigan in a meeting dripping with College Football Playoff implications.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementMichigan has won the last four matchups, flipping the momentum of a rivalry Ohio State once controlled. But the Buckeyes enter undefeated and boasting the nation’s top-ranked defense, allowing a staggering 8.4 points per game, a historic pace in modern football. Combine that with an offense scoring 34.7 points per game (19th nationally), and you have a team built for a championship push.
Michigan has taken a different, but familiar, path: physical football, complementary defense, and situational toughness. The Wolverines average 29.3 points per game (44th nationally) and feature a defense allowing 17.9 points per game, the 13th-best mark in the country. Those numbers, plus home-field advantage, give them a real shot to play spoiler and propel themselves back into Big Ten title conversation.
With Michigan leading the all-time series 59–51–6, history is never far from the moment. But this rivalry is always about now, about toughness, execution, and who handles the weight of the moment better.
“The Game” rarely disappoints, and with Ohio State chasing perfection and Michigan defending a streak, expect an emotional, punishing, playoff-caliber battle in Ann Arbor.
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