Roundtable predictions for Michigan Football and Ohio State

Welp, here we are. The finish line is almost here. The final week of the regular season is upon us. What a roller coaster of a season it has been so far this year for Michigan football, with way more highs than lows.

The biggest game of Michigan’s season is here, the annual rivalry game against OSU (calling them “The” OSU is dumb) and the biggest game for Michigan football in the last three-four seasons at least.

And Michigan is at home. You couldn’t have asked for much better of a season from Michigan’s standpoint.

Sparty lost last week, getting absolutely destroyed 56-7 to OSU (in what was a completely predictable and expected game, at least from me personally), and now Michigan controls its own destiny to claim the Big East Division and go to the Big Ten championship.

We can fault, nitpick, and be negative all we want about this team, but the fact of the matter is, they have one loss, and control their own destiny. That’s literally all we could ask for from them this season. To even be in this position after being absolutely terrible last season is amazing.

Just like I did in the Penn State game (which at that particular time) was the most important game of the season to-date, the GBM staff members are giving their predictions for the rivalry game against OSU on November 27th.

Obviously, this game is way more important than that PSU game, as everything is riding on this game, so it’s a pretty stressful week for fans.

I hope Michigan football fans enjoyed their Thanksgiving, spending time with their loved ones and de-stress this week, because it gets crazy from here. Now, onto our predictions.

Sean O’Donnell

Michigan and Ohio State narrative has almost always been the best defense vs the best offense. This season it’s no different. The Buckeyes showcased against Michigan State how dominant they can be offensively and defensively.

Michigan on the other hand also showed how dominant their offense can be. While the Wolverines will be underdogs in this game I think they have the best chance out of any team under Harbaugh to win.

The key factors of the game will be can Michigan get to C.J. Stroud. Stroud really struggles when under pressure and the pocket collapsing. Michigan with two potential top 10 picks on their defensive line need to get to him before he can make a play.

Sticking with the defensive side of the ball, Macdonald is going to need to make adjustments all throughout the game. He struggled with that against Michigan State, and i’m sure he’s learned from it but Ohio State is a different kind of beast.

Back in the day defense won championships but now that simply is not true. While I am a die-hard Wolverine fan thick and through I don’t see the Wolverines pulling out a victory. Harbaugh has shown major improvement this season but I am just not sure if it’ll be enough to conquer the Buckeyes.

If the game goes how I expect it to go Michigan is going to lose somewhere around 48-35. Michigan can win this game though, we have the talent and the personal to do it, question is do we have the right coaching to do it.

Jared Dettmer

Until Michigan pulls off the unthinkable and beats OSU, I can’t bring myself to predict it. However, this team is uniquely positioned to take advantage of their weaknesses in a way they haven’t been able to in years past.

U-M needs to establish the run game and get to 200+ yards, control the ball, pressure CJ Stroud on defense, and come up with a turnover or two to have a chance.

I think this will be a contest similar to the 2016 and 2017 iterations of “The Game” but I still see the Wolverines falling. 38-28, OSU.

Cameron Stokes

For Michigan to beat OSU, the Wolverines will have to have a near perfect game. This can be done, but it’s going to take a gargantuan effort and every starter on the team will have to work together as one unit.

If Michigan wants to win this game, there’s a few things that need to happen.
First, Michigan has to get pressure on CJ Stroud. This has been talked about a lot, but it’s absolutely paramount to at least make him uncomfortable.

Aidan Hutchinson and David Ojabo will probably be double-teamed for the game, so getting more pressure from the interior of the defensive line will be key.

Any QB makes more mistakes when they’re pressured, and the same is true of Stroud. Second, Michigan has to stop OSU in the red zone. The Wolverines can get absolutely shredded for all I care in between the 20-yard lines but when OSU gets down inside the red zone, Michigan will have to have their best defense of the season down there and hold them to FGs.

Lastly, Michigan will need to put up some points themselves. This absolutely cannot be the game where Michigan’s offense is floundering and they have three-and outs left and right, and/or their offense stalls out inside the 20-yard line.

Josh Gattis needs to call his best plays inside the red zone on each and every possession Michigan has down there. The man is a Broyles Award semi finalist. He needs to act like one and not coach conservatively. I’m gonna go out on a limb here and predict Michigan wins.

Not necessarily because I think they will win (I pray they do). Mainly because at some point, Michigan is gonna catch OSU and all of the fans by surprise and win one of these games and I’m thinking this could be the one.

The key is if Michigan has the opportunity to win late in the game, they have to take advantage and ice the game.

Whether it be a late-game TD or a game-sealing defensive stop, this has plagued Michigan in the past when they’ve been close to winning against OSU.

The players have preached about this year being different. So have the coaches. Everything this year (besides the MSU game) has made me be a believer. Plus, I wanna enjoy my week. Keep it positive. I predict Michigan will win 42-38.

Chris Peterson

This 2021 team really feels like one of Harbaugh’s early teams. All along I felt like this was 2015 all over again. Until the wins at Wisconsin and Penn State.

This team is different. And it will make it a four quarter game. But, I don’t think I’ll believe a win over Ohio State, until I see it.

Michigan football will have a chance late but red zone issues haunt U-M again in a 34-27 loss.

Nick Popio

The main attraction to see in this war will be the Ohio State offense versus the Michigan defense. Michigan has to find a way to keep the Buckeyes from capitalizing on big plays and no none has been able to do that.

It pains me to say that I don’t see how the Wolverines can do it enough to outscore them. Ohio State beats Michigan again and moves on to the Big Ten championship by the score of 47-29.

Alex Hinton

OSU has averaged 60 points in the last two meetings against Michigan. While Michigan’s defense has improved under first year defensive coordinator Mike MacDonald, Ohio State will be toughest test for Michigan’s defense by far.

While CJ Stroud will be the best quarterback Michigan has faced, I’m more concerned about TreVeyon Henderson.

Michigan could not stop Kenneth Walker III and showed cracks in its run defense against both Penn State and Maryland. While I think Michigan will be a lot more competitive this year, it is hard to see them outscore Ohio State.

Ohio State 38 Michigan 31

Josh LaFond

This game is going to come down to whether or not Michigan can keep the Buckeyes between the 20’s. Making Ohio State drive the length of the field and settle for field goals.
Do that, and in addition have a dominate running attack that we’ve seen them have all year and the Wolverines have more than a punchers chance.
I never bet against Michigan and I never will. Call me a homer but who cares.
Michigan 38 Ohio State 34