Michigan Football: 5 things Wolverines must do to beat Ohio State

Michigan has to survive the first quarter

A lot of times, you hear talk about how the road team just needs to weather the storm and things like that. Well, that’s exactly what Michigan football must do against Ohio State.

After losing 62-39 a year ago, a game in which Michigan fell behind early and couldn’t recover, that same thing can’t happen again. The Wolverines have to survive the first quarter and get into their heads that they can win.

In both of their losses this season, Michigan has fallen behind 21-0 and even last Saturday in Indiana, Michigan started slowly.

The good news is that the game is at the Big House, where the Wolverines have been a much better team. They haven’t lost at home since Ohio State in 2017 and that should help.

Michigan carries a lot of momentum into this game and possibly more motivation. Ohio State is already going to the Big Ten title game. Their playoff hopes would take a hit with a loss but UM definitely has more at stake.

Their entire season and the legacies for many players and coaches depend on the outcome of this game. Ohio State can still win championships even with a loss.

If the Buckeyes start fast, it might not matter, but if it’s a four-quarter game, that extra motivation could make a difference. The Wolverines need to get to the fourth quarter with a chance to win. That’s the goal and hanging around early on is key.