Some of you might have heard: Ohio State plays a game (The Game) in Ann Arbor, Michigan, this Saturday.
#15 Michigan
Wolverines
It's the only monkey left clinging to Ryan Day's back after he silenced most of his doubters in the greatest run in college football history in 2024, which came after his fourth straight loss to Michigan.
Ohio State's spot in the College Football Playoff is secure. Hell, a first-round bye in that CFP might even be secured. The Buckeyes are likely playing for a spot in the Big Ten Championship Game still, but none of it matters. The stakes of The Game are that it's The Game. College football's ultimate crown healed the gaping wound left by that loss as a massive favorite at home to the Wolverines in 2024, but all the scars remain.
Everyone reading this knows how important a game this is. Let's dive in.
Reasons to Hate
When the NCAA slapped Michigan's wrist with punishments for its multi-year illegal advanced scouting scheme designed to steal opponents' signals, it felt like a slap in the face to college football fans. Especially Ohio State and Michigan State fans.
Especially Michigan State fans now. Michigan's primary penalty for the "overwhelming evidence" of their impermissible sign-stealing scheme under the operation of Connor Stalions was a fine (the largest fine in NCAA history, but still), show-causes for Stalions and former head coach Jim Harbaugh (neither of whom is likely to ever return to college football) and a three-game suspension against nothingburger opponents for Sherrone Moore.
Michigan State had a former coach provide a few thousand dollars in impermissible benefits to recruits on visits to the Spartans' campus. A gentle reminder that, in the NIL era, there are college football players making millions from program boosters, just indirectly through NIL collectives.
But the inducements didn't go through the proper channels, and Michigan State played players deemed ineligible by NCAA rules. The Spartans received three seasons of vacated wins and restrictions on their recruiting visits. I've always said the NCAA is a farce. Their power continues diminishing for a reason.
Ohio State missed its chance to cast righteous judgment upon its rival to the North in 2023 and 2024, in the wake of the Stalions scandal. It's time to right that wrong in 2025.
Fighting For a College Football Playoff Berth
Michigan has postseason ambitions on the line against the No. 1 Buckeyes, too.
The No. 15 Wolverines have clawed their way to a 9-2 record, with losses to current No. 8 Oklahoma and No. 19 USC. They've also had close calls in three separate one-score games, two on the road at Nebraska (30-27) and Northwestern (24-22) and one at home against Purdue (21-16).
The 15 attached to Michigan's name is from the AP Poll. The Wolverines landed at No. 18 in last week's College Football Playoff poll, and two teams in front of them, No. 15 USC and No. 16 Georgia Tech, lost this week. A 10-2 season that ends with a win over Ohio State more than likely puts them into the CFP. A loss, and they are on the outside looking in. In addition to a Big Ten title game berth, a win likely locks up a first-round bye in the CFP for the Buckeyes.
Postseason stakes aren't needed to put The Game under 2 million tons of pressure. But the outcome this year will directly impact what's next for both teams.
Stingy Defense
Michigan ranks 15th in yards per play defense (4.7) and 17th in total defense (302.5 yards allowed per game) in college football. Defensively, it's the strongest team Ohio State has seen since its Big Ten opener against Washington. The Wolverines might even be a tick better.
Defensive end Derrick Moore talked a bit of smack to the Buckeyes at Big Ten Media Days in July, but he's been the anchor of Michigan's defensive front this year. His 9.5 sacks lead the Wolverines and are second-most in the Big Ten, trailing only Minnesota defensive end Anthony Smith. He's added 28 tackles, three pass breakups and two forced fumbles.
Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images.
Linebacker Ernest Hausmann patrols behind Moore with a team-high 68 tackles, collecting 5.5 tackles for loss. With some punch added from 305-pound-plus defensive tackles Trey Pierce and Rayshaun Benny, Michigan is tied for 11th in rushing yards allowed per game (94) and 10th in yards allowed per carry (3).
Cornerback Jyaire Hill is the lockdown cover man for Michigan's secondary, allowing just 24 receptions for 210 yards on 45 targets, per Pro Football Focus. That's just 4.7 yards per target. He has 31 tackles and five PBUs. The Wolverines are 31st nationally with 6.3 yards allowed per pass attempt as a defense.
Bryce Underwood, Not the Best Freshman Ever
There have been flashes from five-star freshman Bryce Underwood at quarterback for Michigan this season, but he’s rarely strung together entire games of good play.
Among the Big Ten’s 17 qualified quarterbacks, Underwood is 13th in completion percentage at 62.2%. He is 9th in yards per pass attempt at 7.9. He’s thrown nine touchdowns with five interceptions.
Underwood struggled in Michigan’s scrape against the Boilermakers, tossing an interception and finishing 13-of-22 (59.1%) for 145 yards (6.6 yards per attempt) with no touchdowns. He's been better since, most recently going 16-of-23 (69.6%) for 215 yards and two touchdowns with no interceptions against Maryland.
Underwood has added 68 rushes for 322 yards (4.7 per carry) and five touchdowns on the ground, and removing the sacks he's taken, his numbers climb to 384 yards at a clip of 6.5 per carry.
Honestly, Underwood is what one expects a five-star freshman thrown into the fire of major college football to look like. There's good. There's bad. Not everyone can be Jeremiah Smith and set the world on fire immediately. But absolutely not the "Single best freshman ever in college football," as Barstool Sports founder Dave Portnoy called him earlier this fall.
"I think Bryce Underwood may be the single best freshman player ever in college football." @stoolpresidente is all in on the @UMichFootball QB pic.twitter.com/CGhARie06K
— Big Noon Kickoff (@BNKonFOX) September 6, 2025
Then again, The Game brings out incredible performances on both sides. Ohio State has defended mobile quarterbacks fantastically all season, thanks to the hyper-athletic linebacker tandem of Sonny Styles and Arvell Reese. Keep Underwood in the pocket and force him to make sense of the changing pictures in Matt Patricia's secondary.
On the receiving end, Michigan is led by another freshman, Andrew Marsh, who has 42 receptions for 641 yards and three touchdowns. He posted a breakout 189-yard performance at Northwestern two weeks ago.
Ground Game Normally Goes
Michigan offers one of the Big Ten's strongest rushing attacks, second in the conference for both yards per carry (5.6) and rushing yards per game (223.5). The Wolverines trail only Oregon in both instances.
The Wolverines feature a seasoned and rugged offensive line, but running back health is almost as concerning for them as receiver health is for Ohio State. Almost. Michigan is down starter and star Justice Haynes, an Alabama transfer who rushed for 857 yards and averaged 7.1 per carry in just seven games before suffering a foot injury that "probably" has him out the rest of the regular season.
Ohio native Jordan Marshall is only a baby step behind Haynes, collecting 871 yards with 6.1 per carry in 10 games. He's scored 10 touchdowns on the ground, as Haynes has, but missed the Wolverines' game against Maryland last weekend after being listed as a game-time decision. He's expected to play, but being 100 percent is another story. Junior Bryson Kuzdzal is UM's third running back.
Whoever is out there, if the Silver Bullets stop the run game and make the Maize and Blue one-dimensional, it will be a long day for Underwood and the home crowd in Ann Arbor.
