Michigan Football: 3 Reasons Wolverines will beat Ohio State
By Josh LaFond
With only one more sunrise before game day, anticipation has reached a fever pitch. Will Michigan football end its 9-game losing streak to the nemesis south of the border?
For the first time in years, it really feels like there’s a genuine level of confidence among Michigan football fans that there’s really a shot at beating Ohio State.
The current money line doesn’t share the same confidence with the Buckeyes being a 7.5-point favorite according to WynnBet leading up to The Game.
But speaking for all of us here at GBMWolverine, well, we think differently.
With a defense, that (scheme-wise) is one of the four or five teams in the nation constructed from the top down to beat Ohio State, an offense that can grind the clock and assert their will, and a team with veteran leaders who are hell-bent on beating the Buckeyes and cementing their legacy in lore — Michigan football has a REAL SHOT.
The Wolverines definitely have a chance in this game. In fact, more than a chance. This might just be “the year” that they finally do it.
Here are the three reasons why they will finally win The Game.
1. The Defense was Built to Stop Ohio State
The things that have given Michigan fits in past matchups against Ohio State; running almost strictly 0-coverage (meaning all eligible receivers are covered and the rest of the defense is blitzing), lack of push in the interior defensive line, and giving up explosive plays. Those are all in the past.
It would appear as though the Wolverine defense was designed and coached to counteract those weaknesses specifically.
We’ve seen improvement in not giving up explosive plays. In fact, Michigan ranks among the best in the nation at not allowing plays over 20 yards.
The interior defensive line — something that was a glaring issue in the 2019 and 2018 games is much improved. However, most of all, the change in philosophy overall on defense has the Wolverines feeling great about themselves.
Gone are the days of Buckeye skill players running crossing routes to death. This defensive scheme isn’t anything close to what has been coached here previously in the Harbaugh era. This defense is unlike anything else in college football right now.
It is built with NFL principles and designed to stop offenses like Ohio State, keeping everything in front of them and making the opposing quarterback make NFL level throws to beat them through the air. C.J. Stroud and the Buckeye offense will rack up yards and drive the field, but once they get inside the 20-yard line, it’s going to be a hard row to hoe.
Michigan’s defense looks as though it was almost created specifically with this game in mind.