Welcome to the Game Day Skull Session for That Team Up North.
It's time for Ohio State to dump Michigan so hard that it sends the Wolverines into another 20 years of irrelevancy in The Game and college football writ large.
Before we dive into the Skully, I have to show you a video that involves a spot being good. I think you'll appreciate the clip.
Reminder: The spot was good. pic.twitter.com/ZbnRZXvFVq
— Eleven Warriors (@11W) November 25, 2022
Let's have a good Saturday, shall we?
MORE THAN A GAME. Make no mistake, the battle between Ohio State and Michigan, two undefeated rivals – two heated rivals, at that – will live up to its billing on Saturday.
This is the most important edition of The Game since the 2006 season when both teams entered the final week of the regular season a perfect 11-0 – the Buckeyes ranked No. 1 and the Wolverines ranked No. 2. Ohio State and Michigan met as the second- and third-ranked teams in America in 2016, but a Big Ten title wasn’t on the line for the Buckeyes that year because they had lost to Penn State earlier in the season.
In both of those instances, Ohio State beat Michigan. The first was a 42-39 win for the Buckeyes in what many consider “The Game of the Century” in college football, while the second was a 30-27 walk-off victory courtesy of Curtis Samuel in double overtime.
On Saturday, the Buckeyes will emerge as the victors over their most-hated rivals as the 2006 and 2016 teams did before them.
Offensively, Ohio State will prove that not even the top-ranked total defense in the nation can stop the team with a Heisman Trophy frontrunner in C.J. Stroud and Biletnikoff semifinalist in Marvin Harrison Jr. Not to mention the contributions of Emeka Egbuka, Julian Fleming, Xavier Johnson, TreVeyon Henderson, Miyan Williams and Dallan Hayden. The Buckeyes have too many weapons to be denied in this one.
As for the defense, Michigan brings one of the best rushing attacks in the country to Columbus, but Ohio State has built an impressive resume of stopping the run this season under Jim (Him) Knowles, allowing only 3.1 yards per carry and seven touchdowns in 2022. With the Buckeyes working hard to stop the run, the Wolverines will need to rely on J.J. McCarthy to execute his throws consistently, which I simply don't see happening, especially with pass rushers like J.T. Tuimoloau, Zach Harrison and Mike Hall Jr. coming after him.
Ohio State is at home. It is motivated. It is a more talented team overall. Because of those things, I expect the Buckeyes to rise to the occasion in The Game.
Prediction: Ohio State 34, Michigan 24
TODAY'S MENU. It's rivalry week in college football, but the other rivalries across the sport are so tragically uncool this season that Ohio State vs. Michigan might be the only game that anybody watches, including the fans of other teams.
But in case you want to know what's happening around the college football landscape on Saturday and will still have the presence of mind to turn the channel after riding the high of an Ohio State win, here is the full schedule of games:
| Matchup | Time (ET) | TV/Mobile |
|---|---|---|
| Georgia Tech at 1 Georgia | 12:00pm | ESPN |
| South Carolina at 8 Clemson | 12:00pm | ABC |
| New Mexico State at Liberty | 12:00pm | ESPN+ |
| West Virginia at Oklahoma State | 12:00pm | ESPN2 |
| Rutgers at Maryland | 12:00pm | BTN |
| Coastal Carolina at James Madison | 12:00pm | ESPNU |
| Georgia State at Marshall | 12:00pm | ESPN+ |
| Old Dominion at South Alabama | 12:00pm | ESPN+ |
| WKU at Florida Atlantic | 12:00pm | CBSSN |
| 3 Michigan at 2 Ohio State | 12:00pm | FOX |
| Army at UMass | 12:00pm | ESPN+ |
| Kent State at Buffalo | 1:00pm | ESPN+ |
| East Carolina at Temple | 1:00pm | ESPN+ |
| Akron at NIU | 1:30pm | ESPN3 |
| Rice at North Texas | 2:00pm | ESPN+ |
| 25 Louisville at Kentucky | 3:00pm | SECN |
| UAB at Louisiana Tech | 3:30pm | CBSSN |
| Auburn at 7 Alabama | 3:30pm | CBS |
| Wake Forest at Duke | 3:30pm | ACCN |
| Hawaii at San Jose State | 3:30pm | Spectrum |
| Memphis at SMU | 3:30pm | ESPN2 |
| Troy at Arkansas State | 3:30pm | ESPNU |
| UTEP at UTSA | 3:30pm | Stadium |
| Illinois at Northwestern | 3:30pm | BTN |
| Minnesota at Wisconsin | 3:30pm | ESPN |
| Purdue at Indiana | 3:30pm | BTN |
| 9 Oregon at 21 Oregon State | 3:30pm | ABC |
| 14 Utah at Colorado | 4:00pm | P12N |
| Michigan State at 11 Penn State | 4:00pm | FS1 |
| Iowa State at 4 TCU | 4:00pm | FOX |
| Louisiana at Texas State | 5:00pm | ESPN+ |
| Southern Miss at ULM | 5:00pm | ESPN+ |
| Nevada at UNLV | 6:00pm | SSSEN/MWN |
| Appalachian State at Georgia Southern | 6:00pm | ESPN+ |
| Middle Tennessee at FIU | 6:00pm | ESPN3 |
| 5 LSU at Texas A&M | 7:00pm | ESPN |
| 22 UCF at USF | 7:00pm | ESPN2 |
| 15 Notre Dame at 6 USC | 7:30pm | ABC |
| 10 Tennessee at Vanderbilt | 7:30pm | SECN |
| Oklahoma at Texas Tech | 7:30pm | FS1 |
| Tulsa at Houston | 7:30pm | ESPNU |
| Syracuse at Boston College | 7:30pm | RSN/ESPN3 |
| Kansas at 12 Kansas State | 8:00pm | FOX |
| Pitt at Miami (FL) | 8:00pm | ACCN |
| Air Force at San Diego State | 9:00pm | CBSSN |
| 13 Washington at Washington State | 10:30pm | ESPN |
| BYU at Stanford | 11:00pm | FS1 |
MY PICKS. Listen, I want to make some picks here, but I can't focus on any other games this week than The Game. As I said above, it's rivalry week in college football, but the only rivalry with any substance is Ohio State vs. Michigan, so let's pick it.
- No. 2 Ohio State (-8) vs. No. 3 Michigan: The Buckeyes win and cover because that's what great teams do. Ohio State is a great team, and the Wolverines don't have what it takes to beat their rival two years in a row.
We're going all in.
BACK TO THE BUCKEYES. I have a handful of things to discuss in this section regarding The World Famous Ohio State Buckeyes that vary from uniforms to Kamryn Babb and A.J. Emig, the son of the football program's sports information director Jerry Emig.
First, Jason Priestas posted a photo on his Twitter Thursday of the Ohio State vs. Michigan matchup from 1954. The Buckeyes won The Game, 21-7, in Columbus that year, which sent them to the Rose Bowl, where they defeated Southern California, 20-7, and later claimed an AP Poll national championship.
But Jason didn't talk about any of that. He was focused on something far more important: The look of the uniforms.
Scarlet jerseys vs blue jerseys in The Game, 1954.
— Jason Priestas (@priestas) November 25, 2022
Bring this back. pic.twitter.com/nF9Q1v1SFq
Bring. This. Back. The 1954 uniform matchup between Ohio State and Michigan was *mwah* chef's kiss. The scarlet and gray clashed with the maize and blue. The Buckeyes and Wolverines need to wear their home uniforms during a future meeting of The Game. It would be beautiful.
Second, Babb has been the talk of the town since he caught his first-career pass and touchdown against Indiana two weeks ago – and, yes, that was only two weeks ago, even though it feels like 10 years have passed since then. The Ohio State receiver has his story told from a new perspective on Big Ten Network's "The Journey" this week:
"This is my calling, to be a motivation for others."
— Big Ten Network (@BigTenNetwork) November 24, 2022
That's what Kamryn Babb (@kamm_o) told Ryan Day about not wanting to give up after his ACL tear. @BTNJourney shares the @OhioStateFB captain's inspiring story.
@AutoOwnersIns pic.twitter.com/sX6sylJwzW
"He means so much to everybody."
— Big Ten Network (@BigTenNetwork) November 25, 2022
Not many players are voted team captain without playing. @OhioStateFB has picked Kamryn Babb (@kamm_o) twice.@BTNJourney x @AutoOwnersIns pic.twitter.com/6Hd3WlCGYN
He had four ACL tears, but never gave up.
— Big Ten Network (@BigTenNetwork) November 25, 2022
Six years after his last catch, as a junior in high school, Kamryn Babb got his opportunity a couple weeks ago. @BTNJourney spotlights the 2x @OhioStateFB captain's emotional and inspiring first career TD.
@AutoOwnersIns pic.twitter.com/h8ZesZybR4
Third and finally, A.J. Emig celebrated his 20th birthday on Thursday. Back in 2017, the Big Ten Network featured the son of Jerry Emig and told the story of his life with Down syndrome. It is definitely worth the watch.
Happy 20th birthday to A.J. Emig.@BTNJourney featured the son of @OhioStateFB SID Jerry Emig back in 2017. pic.twitter.com/EZHTM6fmeZ
— Ohio State on BTN (@OhioStateOnBTN) November 25, 2022
That's it for me today, folks. The Song of the Day has never been more of a lock than it was for me today – make sure to click that play button and sing along. Maybe come back and play it after the game once Ohio State walks away with the W.
See you on Victory Monday, Buckeye Nation.
SONG OF THE DAY. “We Don't Give a Damn for the Whole State of Michigan” by The Best Damn Band in the Land. This is a 10-minute version. Have fun.
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