MICHIGAN vs OHIO ST
When: 11/26/2016 12:00 PM

TV: Noon ET, ABC.
LINE: Ohio State -6.5
PREDICTION: Michigan 23, Ohio State 21

COLUMBUS, Ohio — The Ohio State-Michigan game is big enough by itself to be considered one of the greatest rivalries in college football.

No matter what the records are, the annual border battle is intense for the players and fans. Bragging rights are a big deal, particularly in Ohio. This game means everything to the players.

This year, there’s even more at stake when second-ranked Ohio State (10-1, 7-1 Big Ten) and No. 3 Michigan (10-1, 7-1) square off on Saturday at Ohio Stadium in Columbus (noon, ABC).

The two teams are playing for a share of the Big Ten East Division title, the right to go to the conference championship game in Indianapolis next month and an anticipated berth in the College Football Playoff.

“It’s officially rivalry week,” Ohio State coach Urban Meyer declared after last Saturday’s narrow escape at Michigan State with a 17-16 victory. “Our eyes are forward. Let’s go.”

Without a doubt, this is the most important game of the season in college football. ESPN’s College GameDay is expanding to five hours from three during rivalry Saturday.

“It’s going to be intense. The game of the century,” Ohio State defensive end Jalyn Holmes said after the Buckeyes survived at Michigan State when the Spartans failed on a go-ahead two-point conversion attempt with less than five minutes remaining.

A win over Michigan doesn’t necessarily guarantee Ohio State a berth in the Big Ten championship or a playoff berth. If Ohio State takes down Michigan and Penn State beats Michigan State on Saturday in State College, Pa., the Nittany Lions go to Lucas Oil Stadium to likely face Wisconsin, based on a head-to-head win over the Buckeyes last month.

All the Buckeyes can do is win and then hope Michigan State pulls off the upset. Even if Ohio State beats Michigan and doesn’t get to Indianapolis, there’s still a strong possibility of landing a spot in the four-team national playoff.

Asked about the postseason possibilities, Meyer dodged the question in his only media availability of the week. As an Ohio native who grew up watching this game, he recognizes the history and importance of Michigan-Ohio State.

“I hope that our two tackles’ ankles are completely healed,” Meyer responded. “And we have to have a great Tuesday practice.”

For the Wolverines, the formula is much simpler. Win and they’re in Indianapolis for the first time since the Big Ten begin playing its championship game in 2011. Michigan hasn’t won a conference title since 2004.

“I feel like we’re ready to go to battle, in a football kind of way,” Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh said. “And I’m ready to lead them.”

Ohio State has dominated the series in recent years, winning 11 of the last 12 meetings. The only Michigan victory came in 2011 after Jim Tressel resigned as Ohio State coach in the wake of a scandal and Luke Fickell took over for one year before Meyer arrived.

In Harbaugh’s first year in 2015, the Wolverines didn’t fare so well, losing 42-13 at home to the Buckeyes. Harbaugh’s arrival has definitely injected some extra pizazz into the game, if it needed any more. The Meyer-Harbaugh coaching matchup is reminiscent of the Woody Hayes-Bo Schembechler era when the series was in its heyday in the 1970s.

Saturday’s clash will be the biggest in the series since the epic 2006 game when the teams entered as Nos. 1 and 2 in the country. Ohio State, led by Heisman Trophy winner Troy Smith, came away with a 42-39 victory in Columbus. The Buckeyes have not lost to the Wolverines in Columbus since 2000.

“I’ve never been in a top-five Michigan game,” Holmes said. “But we could either both be in the top five or we could both be 0-11. It’s still going to be intense.”

The teams appear to match up evenly. Both defenses are dominant and the two offenses are balanced. They rank No. 1 and 2 in the Big Ten in scoring offense and defense, and also in total offense and defense.

“When you face an elite defense like this, you need everything you’ve got,” Meyer said.

Michigan has more experience at the outside skill positions on offense and also has at its disposal the multitalented Jabrill Peppers, who plays defensive back but also returns kicks and takes some snaps on offense.

Ohio State is led by J.T. Barrett at quarterback. He could be the difference-maker in this game because of his ability to run and pass with a school-record 99 career touchdowns accounted for. Two years ago, he was in the process of leading the Buckeyes to a win over the Wolverines when he suffered a broken ankle at the start of the fourth quarter.

Michigan, meanwhile, had John O’Korn make his first start of the season at quarterback in last week’s win over Indiana after Wilton Speight, who started all year, suffered a shoulder injury in the Wolverines’ loss at Iowa. Harbaugh won’t say which one will start Saturday, only that Speight is day to day.

The quarterback situation adds some intrigue to a game that needs no more hype.

“It’s No. 2 vs. No. 3. We’ve never been in this position before. This is unreal,” Michigan offensive lineman Erik Magnuson said. “A lot different than in the past when it was like ‘hopefully, we can pull out a big upset. … Now now.”

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Ohio State at Virginia Tech
When: 8:00 PM ET, Monday, September 7, 2015
Where: Lane Stadium, Blacksburg, Virginia
TV: 8 p.m. ET, ESPN. LINE: Ohio State -14
PREDICTION: Ohio State 26, Virginia Tech 24
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Oddsmakers currently have the Buckeyes listed as 14-point favorites versus the Hokies, while the game’s total is sitting at 54.

Senior quarterback Michael Brewer is striving to be more consistent this season after throwing 15 interceptions to go with 2,692 yards and 18 touchdowns last season. Senior running back J.C. Coleman (533 yards in 2014) won the starting gig and injury-prone junior Trey Edmunds will also get some work, while sophomore receiver Isaiah Ford (56 receptions, six touchdowns) and sophomore tight end Bucky Hodges (45 catches, seven touchdowns) are solid targets. The top player on the defense is junior cornerback Kendall Fuller (eight career interceptions), who is on his way to becoming the fourth brother in his family to be selected in the NFL Draft and each of them (Vincent, Corey, Kyle) also starred at Virginia Tech.

Last time out for Virginia Tech, they were a 33-17 winner as they battled Cincinnati on the road. Virginia Tech covered in the match as a 2-point underdog, while 50 combined points moved the game UNDER for totals bettors.

Team record: 7-6 SU,6-7 ATS
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of Virginia Tech’s last 8 games
Virginia Tech is 1-5 ATS in its last 6 games at home
Virginia Tech is 2-4 SU in its last 6 games at home

There are no questions at running back with title game MVP Ezekiel Elliott back for his junior campaign. Elliott rushed for 696 yards and eight touchdowns in the Buckeyes’ final three contests last season and totaled 1,878 rushing yards – second in school history behind Eddie George’s 1,927 in 1995 – and 18 rushing touchdowns. The defense absorbs a hit for the opener due to the suspension of 2014 Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year Joey Bosa (a junior end who had 13.5 sacks in 2014) but still has plenty of talent in senior defensive tackle Adolphus Washington (10.5 tackles for losses), senior weak-side linebacker Joshua Perry (team-best 124 tackles), sophomore strong-side linebacker Darron Lee (7.5 sacks) and sophomore cornerback Eli Apple (three interceptions).

Ohio State won its last outing, a 42-20 result against Oregon on January 12. Ohio State covered in that game as a 6-point underdog, while the 62 combined points took the game UNDER the total.

Team record: 14-1 SU,10-5 ATS
Current Streak: won 13 straight games.
Ohio State is 9-4 ATS in its last 13 games
Ohio State is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games
The total has gone OVER in 12 of Ohio State’s last 14 games
Ohio State is 5-2 ATS in its last 7 games on the road

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Wisconsin at Ohio State
When: 8:17 PM ET, Saturday, December 6, 2014
Where: Lucas Oil Stadium, Indianapolis, Indiana
TV: 8:17 p.m. ET, FOX.
LINE: Wisconsin -4
PREDICTION: Wisconsin 28, Ohio State 24
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Oddsmakers currently have the Badgers listed as 3½-point favorites versus the Buckeyes, while the game’s total is sitting at 55.

Head coach Urban Meyer’s lone loss in 25 games as a Big Ten coach came in last season’s title game against Michigan State, and his resolve during a tough week has his team pointed in the right direction. “We believe in a very, extremely close team that leans on each other in tough times and someone usually steps up and makes a tremendous play or says something,” said Meyer, whose team learned on Sunday that defensive lineman Kosta Karageorge had been found dead of a gunshot wound to the head. Meanwhile, Jones – a sophomore who stands 6-foot-5 and weighs 250 pounds – gives the Buckeyes plenty of athleticism at quarterback, having averaged 7.8 yards per carry on 43 rushes in his career.

Ohio State was a 42-28 winner in its last match at home against Michigan. They failed to cover the 21.5-point spread as favorites, while the total score of 70 sent OVER bettors to the payout window.

Team record: 11-1 SU,7-5 ATS
Current Streak: won 10 straight games.
Ohio State is 2-4 ATS in its last 6 games
Ohio State is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games
The total has gone OVER in 10 of Ohio State’s last 11 games
Ohio State is 6-1 ATS in its last 7 games when playing Wisconsin

Gordon and the Big Ten’s top defense gain the bulk of the headlines, but quarterback Joel Stave has quietly picked up his game after sitting out four games to start the season due to throwing issues. Stave, who threw for 2,494 yards and 22 touchdowns in 2013, completed just 48 percent of his passes and had three TDs versus three interceptions through his first four games but has a 66.7 percent completion rate with four TDs and one pick over the last four. “He is seeing the field very, very well,” Andersen said after Stave threw for 215 yards and a pair of scores – including the clincher with 4:41 left – against the Golden Gophers.

Wisconsin won its last outing, a 34-24 result against Golden Gophers on November 29. Wisconsin failed to cover in that game as a -16-point favorite, while the 58 combined points took the game OVER the total.

Wisconsin:
Team record: 10-2 SU,5-7 ATS
Current Streak: won 7 straight games.
Wisconsin is 4-2 ATS in its last 6 games
Wisconsin is 5-10 ATS in its last 15 games
Wisconsin is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games
Wisconsin is 1-6 ATS in its last 7 games when playing Ohio State

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Wichita St. vs Ohio St.
When: 7:05 PM ET, Saturday, March 30, 2013
Where: Staples Center, Los Angeles, California
TV: 7:05 p.m. ET, CBS.
PREDICTION: Wichita State 69, Ohio State 66

Oddsmakers currently have the Buckeyes listed as 6½-point favorites versus the Shockers, while the game’s total is sitting at 133.

Carl Hall dominated the undersized Explorers inside, hitting his first five shots and scoring 14 of his 16 points inside the paint. The Shockers recorded 40 points in the paint against La Salle and took 43 shots inside, the most such attempts for a team in this tournament. Wichita State’s tournament opponents – Pittsburgh, Gonzaga and La Salle – each entered their games with the Shockers shooting at least 45 percent, but the teams combined to shoot 35.5 percent against the Missouri Valley Conference’s top-ranked field-goal percentage defense.

Wichita State was a 72-58 winner in its last match at home against La Salle. They covered the 4.5-point spread as favorites.

Team record: 29-8 SU, 19-14-1 ATS

Unlike the play that left Craft open for a 3-pointer against the Cyclones, the pivotal moment in the win Thursday came when Arizona overcommitted to the Buckeyes’ point guard. “It was similar to the play we ran last game,” Ross said. “We like to get the (big men) on a pick-and-roll. It so happened they messed up the switch there and I was able to knock down the shot.” Perhaps one of the biggest turnarounds the team has made lately is beyond the arc. In three NCAA Tournament games, Ohio State is a combined 23-for-46 (50 percent) from the 3-point line after shooting 35.9 percent over its first 33 contests.

Ohio State was a 73-70 winner in their most recent outing at home against Arizona. They failed to cover the 3.5-point spread as favorites.

Team record: 29-7 SU, 20-14 ATS

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