It doesn't get any bigger than Michigan vs. Ohio State.
If there is one thing that fans of the Wolverines and Buckeyes can agree on, it's that "The Game" is the best rivalry in sports.
It doesn't need some fancy title. Just the biggest game in the sport. That's what it is.
Michigan football has won it in each of the past four seasons, with last year's 13-10 upset being the most shocking. Ohio State seems determined to end Michigan's reign of terror. Will it finally happen? The Buckeyes have the team to do it, while a battered and bruised Michigan squad will be led by freshman quarterback Bryce Underwood, one of six freshman or redshirt freshmen starting on offense.
Yet, Michigan passed for 62 yards and two interceptions and won. You just never know. Ohio State is a heavy favorite. We looked at some of the key questions earlier this week, but here are five predictions (plus a score) for Michigan vs. Ohio State.
Michigan wins the rushing battle
Every year, the team that wins the rushing battle wins "The Game." At some point, that will no longer be true. Regardless, with Jordan Marshall back in the lineup, the Wolverines will run the ball well.
Ohio State's defense is elite. Matt Patricia comes from the Bill Belichick coaching tree, and he will try to make Michigan beat the Buckeyes by throwing.
Michigan won't be as successful as usual. The Wolverines won't rush for 200, but they will run for more than Ohio State. Barely.
Marshall, the Cincinnati, Ohio State kid, will rush for 100 yards.
Bryce Underwood plays well but not perfect
Last week was one of Bryce Underwood's better games. The Washington game was still the best in my book. That's the Underwood we need to see on Saturday.
The problem is that Michigan hasn't faced a defensive line like Ohio State's. Caden Curry has nine sacks and leads the Big Ten in tackles for loss (13.5). Arvell Reese might be a top-5 pick.
The Wolverines' offensive tackles are better run blockers than pass blockers right now. That will make it more difficult for Bryce, who will have a good game (250 total yards, at least one TD pass), but the pressure will also force him into at least one interception.
Derrick Moore has multiple sacks
Michigan football is also the best defense Ohio State has faced. The Wolverines are currently the highest-ranked team on Ohio State's schedule with Texas being one spot behind U-M. So this is a challenge for the Buckeyes.
Derrick Moore, for his part, with nine sacks, has been as good a pass rusher as there is in the Big Ten. He's got four multi-sack games, while barely playing over 50 percent of the snaps.
Moore will play more on Saturday. He will get at least two sacks, although Michigan football might need three, like Aidan Hutchinson in 2021, to get the win.
Both of Ohio State's receivers eat
You could convince me that Jeremiah Smith or Caleb Downs is the best player in college football. There is some question about whether Smith will play or not. He was held in check, for the most part, last season, but did have a touchdown reception.
Ohio State will force feed him and Carnell Tate on Saturday. At least it should, along with the tight end. The Buckeyes will run it better with Bo Jackson than they did last season, that will force Michigan to put devote more resources to the run game, something the Wolverines didn't have to do last season thanks to Kenneth Grant and Mason Graham, among others.
At some point, Smith will make a big catch, like a 30-40 yarder. He'll have 100 yards or close, and have a touchdown reception, maybe two. He's a dude and you can only corral those guys for so long.
I wouldn't be shocked if Smith and Tate each went off for 100 yards.
Zvada doesn't miss
It would be ideal if Michigan didn't use Zvada outside of kickoffs and extra points, sort of like in 2021. That's the kind of game Michigan needs. It needs to be nearly perfect, especially in the red zone.
If the Wolverines are inside the 20, they need a touchdown. This isn't a field-goal game. Michigan's offense, which is top-30 in yards per play, ranks outside the top 100 in red-zone scoring.
So there will be chances for Zvada to kick and unlike some other games this season, he won't miss.
Ohio State vs. Michigan score prediction
The Buckeyes won't dominate this game. It will come down to the fourth quarter. Julian Sayin is a big-time quarterback, though. He'll have the Ohio State offense clicking. Michigan's defense will make some plays. The running game will shorten the game.
Much like "The Game" in 2017, Michigan will have a great plan. The Wolverines will have a shot in the fourth quarter, but a turnover, maybe a Caleb Downs interception, allows Ohio State to seal the win, 30-20.