As both Ohio State and Michigan are off to undefeated starts, many folks around the country are already looking ahead to Saturday, Nov. 26 when the Buckeyes host the Wolverines.
But in addition to that matchup being one of the best rivalries in all of sports, this year’s version of The Game may have a little bit more at stake than previous seasons. There’s the possibility a berth in the Big Ten championship game could be on the line as well as a potential spot in the four-team College Football Playoff.
Rutgers head coach and former Ohio State co-defensive coordinator Chris Ash provided a bit of an early preview for the contest between the Buckeyes and Wolverines on Tuesday when speaking on the Big Ten coaches weekly teleconference.
The Scarlet Knights are the only team in the country to play both Ohio State and Michigan so far this season. Rutgers lost those two games by a combined score of 136-0, and Ash said both the Buckeyes and Wolverines have similar personnel.
“Well, they’re both very good. I’ll start there,” he said when asked to compare the Big Ten East powers. “They’re both good up front on both sides of the ball, they both get good quarterback play, they’ve both got good skill players on the outsides. I think there are a lot of similarities in their overall talent up and down the roster.”
Ash went on to add there are differences in Ohio State and Michigan when it comes to scheme, particularly on offense. The Buckeyes run a spread offense while the Wolverines give you more of a pro-style look. But defensively, there are some similarities.
“They’re probably more similar on defense than they are on offense,” he said. “Both have done a great job at recruiting, developing players and getting them to play extremely hard.”
Consider this an appetizer for The Game. It will have to hold you over for six more Saturdays.
