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What to Watch For: No. 8 Ohio State
It may only be one game, but
its implications are anything
but ordinary.
And it isn’t just because
it’s ‘The Game.’ A Big Ten
championship berth may not be
on the line, but for the Michigan
football team (5-3 Big Ten, 8-3
overall), a date with No. 8 Ohio
State (7-1, 9-2) could change the
perception of its 2017 season.
With a win, the Wolverines
would finish the regular season
with a 9-3 record, which would
be respectable — maybe even
celebrated
—
considering
their strength of schedule and
mass of injuries. With a loss,
Michigan would drop to 8-4 —
its worst record in three years
under coach Jim Harbaugh
— and lose any sign of marked
progress from the past two
seasons.
Here’s what to watch for
when the Wolverines face the
Buckeyes on Saturday:
How will Michigan respond
to
O’Korn
under
center
again?
After
three
weeks
with
Brandon Peters as the signal
caller,
the
Wolverines
developed a solid rhythm with
the
redshirt
freshman.
His
injury has brought that flow to
a swift conclusion.
Michigan
coach
Jim
Harbaugh said Monday that
Peters had been placed in
concussion protocol, but there
is no clear indication that he
will be cleared to suit up. In
recent weeks, Harbaugh has
also teased a possible return
from
quarterback
Wilton
Speight, but the redshirt junior
is
still
practicing
without
contact so that prospect seems
unlikely.
That leaves fifth-year senior
quarterback
John
O’Korn.
When he makes his return to the
starting lineup, Michigan will
have to make adjustments. He
played for the first time since
his benching in relief against
Wisconsin, and the results left
much to be desired. He finished
2-for-8 with a measly 19 yards
in just over a quarter on the
field.
The Wolverines will need
much better from him in order
to stand a chance against Ohio
State.
Can the Wolverines’ run
game return to its dominant
ways?
In recent weeks, Michigan’s
offense has also been sparked by
a surge from its running backs
unit. Between junior Karan
Higdon,
sophomore
Chris
Evans and fifth-year senior Ty
Isaac, each rusher has enjoyed
assertive performances.
First, it was the duo of
Higdon and Isaac who gained
over 100 yards apiece against
Rutgers. Then, it was the pair
of Evans and Higdon, who both
almost hit 200 yards against
Minnesota. And when it was
up to Evans to do it on his own
— after injuries to Higdon and
Isaac — he was still almost
able to reach 100 yards against
Maryland.
But against the Badgers —
the top-ranked rushing defense
in the nation — the Wolverines
didn’t fare so well. They gained
just 58 yards on 37 carries, a
stark contrast from their earlier
ways. Ohio State isn’t far off, as
it is ranked No. 12 in rushing
defense with an average of 114
yards allowed per game and
3.16 yards allowed per play.
With O’Korn still working
his way back into the rotation,
Michigan will need to rely on
its ground game, which means
the Wolverines can’t afford to
slip up in that regard again.
Can
the
Wolverines’
defense stop a trio of talented
rushers?
Michigan’s
defense
is
no
stranger
to
facing
talented
rushers. But while it took
on the challenges of Penn
State’s
Saquon
Barkley
and
Wisconsin’s Jonathan Taylor
on
two
separate
occasions,
Michigan was torched by both,
as Barkley gained 108 yards and
Taylor gained 132.
Now, the Wolverines will
have to brace themselves for
Ohio
State’s
three-headed
monster of running backs J.K.
Dobbins and Mike Weber and
quarterback J.T. Barrett all at
once.
Dobbins
leads
the
pack,
averaging 99 yards per game and
scoring six total touchdowns.
Weber drops off in yards with
an average of 60.6, but has
reached the end zone the most
with 12 scores. Barrett, on
top of his impressive passing
abilities,
averages
55
yards
per game and has scored eight
rushing touchdowns.
Michigan’s rushing defense,
which used to be the best unit
in the country, has fallen back
to No. 15. The Wolverines will
have their hands full Saturday.
Can Michigan break the
streak?
It
may
be
the
biggest
game of their season, but the
Wolverines haven’t been able to
find success in recent years. In
the past 13 years, Michigan has
won ‘The Game’ only once.
The last time the Wolverines
topped the Buckeyes was in
2011, when Michigan pulled out
a 40-34 win in Ann Arbor. None
of the current Wolverines have
ever beaten Ohio State.
They
acknowledged
that
shortcoming on Monday, as
Michigan has a bevy of fifth-
year seniors who have yet to
secure an elusive win over its
biggest rivals. One of them,
senior defensive tackle Maurice
Hurst, has said that this is
a “one-game season” for the
Wolverines because of how
much they want this victory.
Whether or not they can pull
it off is an entirely different
question.
SAM MOUSIGIAN/Daily
Fifth-year senior defensive tackle Maurice Hurst only has one more chance to beat the Buckeyes on Saturday, as is the case for many of his fellow Wolverines.
The Wolverines have much to gain and the Buckeyes have much to lose
BETELHEM ASHAME
Managing Sports Editor