Michigan Football: 3 Keys for Wolverines against Ohio State

Dominate the time of possession battle

Your grandfather has probably told you something similar as mine has for years: “if you win the time of possession battle, you win the game”.

While that hasn’t held true with most modern-day offenses that, like Ohio State, which likes to fly up and down the field and score in the blink of an eye, it’s definitely going to be true [at least] for Michigan football.

If the Wolverines can dominate the time of possession battle as they did against Ohio State last year and the way they’ve done so against the previous eleven opponents this season, it certainly inspires hope for Michigan fans in a positive outcome.

Michigan needs to stay ahead of the chains — get positive yardage on first and second down so that on third down it’s not an obvious passing situation. They need to have long methodical drives in the same way we saw them do it in The Game last year, and cap off those drives with 6 points, not 3.

If the Wolverines can dominate the time of possession battle and end those long drives in touchdowns you not only frustrate a high-flying Buckeye offense, but you make them play from behind. And if you’re a Buckeye fan, the last thing you want in this game is to watch them have to play from behind in a game where all the pressure in the world is on Ohio State.