"The Game" is now one day away. Michigan football is seeking a fourth-straight win over the Buckeyes, plus a boost to its playoff resume.
It's hard to say if Michigan will make the College Football Playoff with a win over Ohio State. But we know with a loss, the Wolverines are headed to the Citrus Bowl.
A win would mean an outside shot at the Big Ten title game, plus more bragging rights over Ohio State, which is looking to "restore order."
The Buckeyes are a 9.5-point favorite, although they have been favored in three of the last four seasons, and if Michigan is going to pull an upset, there is one thing the Wolverines have done all season that they can't afford to do against Ohio State.
Rorate a bunch of players on defense
We have discussed it a few times on this site, but the subsitution patterns on defense have been maddening at times.
Derrick Moore has been on the field barely more than 50 percent of the snaps. Rotating defensive linemen isn't anything new, but leaving Moore on the sidelines for an entire series can't happen on Saturday.
Outside of a breather, he should be on the field almost every play, just like Rayshaun Benny. As much as I love guys like Nate Marshall and Dom Nichols, and each has a bright future, they should see minimal time on the field.
The rotations haven't been limited to the D-line, though. Linebackers have been moved in and out. Some of that was due to injury, but even when healthy, too many players have seen the field on important drives, like against USC and Oklahoma.
Michigan can't afford to play a backup linebacker or cornerback unless it has to. It was smart to build depth, and it will pay off in the future, but for one week, Michigan football has to ditch its rotations on defense, or the Buckeyes will make them pay on Saturday.