B10 East, playoff hopes on line when Michigan-Ohio St. meet

But other times, Ohio State’s line has blocked the way a line with three new starters and two others playing different spots might be expected to play. Michigan’s only win in the last decade came in 2011.

This week, Ohio State’s offensive line will have to be at its best, because Michigan’s defensive front will require it.

Right now, both the Wolverines and the Buckeyes have an identical record of 10-1.

Wilson, along with senior receiver Corey Smith, both missed the Buckeyes’ close win over Michigan State last Saturday. I’m moving Wisconsin ahead of MI just because Wisconsin continues to play at the most consistent level in the conference. The game also helped decide the victor of the Big Ten for the next 11 years. “When you look back at this now, you know, it’s confounding, I guess”.

Many expected a physical, hard-fought game past year and Ohio State rolled to a 42-13 win in Ann Arbor.

“The spread can’t work in the Big Ten” was a thing people thought and said out loud until recently; MI teams under Lloyd and Hoke thought repeating that incredibly misguided opinion frequently enough would make it true and they then wouldn’t have to prepare for it (they were wrong).

Schembechler was an assistant to Hayes at Ohio State for five years before eventually taking over at MI.

Those beat Ohio State’s numbers of 121.3 and 159.5, respectively. For them, the upcoming game is not just about maintaining the better record but defeating the other team. We didn’t have an Elvis Grbac, a Tyrone Wheatley or an Amani Toomer. After the first television timeout, the Buckeyes led 7-5, in what was somewhat of a slow start for both teams. You want some early fodder on who’s going to win this matchup of titans you say? Of all the places to play in America, Columbus is one of the toughest venues, especially for a big game.

“Former Wolverine Dan Dierdorf: “[Bo] was the Tasmanian devil that came into town in a whirlwind of dust and we were left in his wake. “That allowed us to play loose”. In fact, MI has only given up 108.6 yards per game on the ground and 137.0 in the air.

Loving would go 3-5 from distance to end the game and get up to 19 points.

Penn State should be able to deal with this type of offense with linebackers Brandon Bell and Jason Cabinda available. Although Michigan hasn’t witnessed a first-round draft pick since 2008 (Jake Long), none of the metrics matter when you’re talking about Ohio State-Michigan.

“Our mindset is: we don’t care who you’ve played, who you’ve lost to or who you’ve beat – you guys haven’t played us yet”, said redshirt sophomore Jabrill Peppers, a candidate for several elite awards this season. “The defense was playing lights out, and then Shawn Springs slips and all of a sudden it was a 9-7 ballgame”. “You can see how he’s grown as a player, and as a leader”. So I just remember that. “We didn’t play the game emotionally, and that’s what that game is all about”. It was picking up an unbelievable amount of yards.

When Peppers started to play football as a kid, his older brother told him he was destined for greatness. His 1,458 all-purpose yards is second in the Big Ten.

“It’s not about what we could’ve done or what we should’ve done”, Frey said.

This year, there’s even more at stake when second-ranked Ohio State (10-1, 7-1 Big Ten) and No. 3 MI (10-1, 7-1) square off on Saturday at Ohio Stadium in Columbus (noon, ABC).

“My record against MI was not very good”. JCU topped Div. III power Mount Union to end the regular season and I don’t see them losing to the Wolverines.

BARKLEY A GO: Penn State running back Saquon Barkley, who was knocked from the Rutgers game after a helmet-to-helmet hit, spoke at length with reporters on Tuesday and will play after testing negative for a concussion.