For Michigan football to beat Ohio State, all hands need to be on deck. This ranges from players coming back from injury to everyone needing to play their best game.
Ohio State, while beatable, is an entirely different beast from any team Michigan football has played this year and will present new challenges the Wolverines have not seen in a long time.
Of all of the players on this team that could make an impact, there are three that will be the biggest. Their individual performances could very well dictate how the game turns out and will be major storylines as the game develops. Today, we’re going to break those three guys down.
1. Donovan Edwards
Of course, Michigan’s offense is going to run through Blake Corum, so long as he’s healthy. His impact is unparalleled. But Edwards’ status might be just as important to winning this game. After missing the past game and a half with a rumored hand injury, any limits on Edwards will be critical.
I don’t think it’s bold to say that Edwards has been one of, if not the greatest receiving threat for the Wolverines. He adds an element that nobody else on this offense can provide. Additionally, the ability to turn to such a good 2nd running back to lighten the load on Corum is invaluable.
Corum’s tanked through much of this year, but giving him 40 carries on a banged-up knee is not a plan Michigan can count on.
If Edwards plays, it will be a huge plus for Michigan. If he’s full-go as a receiver, it gets even better. Much of this team’s potential offensive success rides on those aspects.
Will Johnson
If you’re unfamiliar with Ohio State’s offense, they’re pretty good at passing the football. Quarterback CJ Stroud is a frontrunner for the Heisman Trophy and the #1 NFL draft pick.
Stroud is surrounded by five-star receivers who can make any catch. In remotely decent weather, the Buckeyes have been able to torch teams at will through the air.
This poses a huge challenge for the Wolverines’ secondary. Nobody will feel this challenge more than cornerback Will Johnson.
The five-star freshman has played up to his ranking so far this year but has never faced anything like the receivers at Ohio State. It’s also likely that Ryan Day will look to target the untested freshman, making this a true sink-or-swim game for Johnson.
If he can match the challenge, the defense will be in good shape. If he cannot, it’ll be a long day for the Wolverines.
3. J.J. McCarthy
The prodigal quarterback. The heralded savior of Michigan football. The quarterback who played out of his mind early in the season and unseated Cade McNamara, the only Michigan quarterback to beat Ohio State in the past decade.
The hype has been there for J.J. McCarthy. At times, he’s lived up to it. Other times, especially lately, he has not, drawing questions to the Michigan passing game.
Blake Corum cannot win a potential shootout all by himself. The passing attack needs to be there. It was there last year when the Wolverines needed it, and was critical to the offense’s success. McCarthy needs to find himself on Saturday if Michigan is to repeat that success.
The good news is McCarthy is fully capable of doing just that. The bad news is that we won’t know until Saturday if he will.
With so much on the line, a lot rides on McCarthy’s arm. If he’s on, Michigan’s offense will be on. If it’s not, the Michigan offense runs a major risk of running cold. His performance could very well dictate the result of the game.