The stakes in "The Game" haven’t been this heavy in years.
For Michigan, a fifth straight win over Ohio State would be a massive statement and give the Wolverines a legitimate case for a College Football Playoff berth.
On the other side, Ryan Day enters with an 81-10 record and a national title, yet the Michigan problem hangs over everything. At 1-4 against the Wolverines, this matchup represents more than a path to the postseason. Another loss would raise questions that no record or championship can quiet.
We asked FOX Sports college football writers to weigh in: What has to happen for Michigan to pull the upset, and how pivotal is this game for Day’s legacy in Ohio State history?
1. What needs to happen for Michigan to pull off an upset over Ohio State and secure a fifth straight win in the rivalry? If they do, would the Wolverines deserve a spot in the College Football Playoff?
RJ Young: I’m sure Michael is going to hit on this like Bryce Underwood dropping back to throw a 9-route to Andrew Marsh — or like his phenomenal profile of Underwood you can read here — but it’s the best known statistic in the modern era of this rivalry: the team that rushes the ball best wins. And that team has won this game, ahem, "The Game," 23 times in a row. What that usually means is both teams spend 28 minutes of the game trying to prove to the millions watching that they are, without question, the toughest, most physical team on the field.
For Michigan, that’s always going to be the formula for beating Ohio State, because they’ve never shown any interest in another. The Wolverines have as many 3,000-yard passers as Cerberus has heads, and they like it that way. They just don’t care to move the ball through the air and would prefer
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