The No. 2 Ohio State Buckeyes vs. the No. 5 Michigan Wolverines. College football doesn’t get much better than a classic rivalry with humongous national championship implications.
The teams did not play last season because of COVID-19-related scheduling. So the two teams have had extra time to build up some beef. According to ESPN’s College Football Playoff Predictor, the winner will have greater than a 70% chance to reach the College Football Playoff.
For Michigan to win it will have to snap an eight-game losing streak to the Buckeyes and find ways to stop an Ohio State offense that has scored 50 or more points six times this season. OSU quarterback C.J. Stroud is tied for fourth in the country with 36 passing touchdowns. He throws to receivers Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Garrett Wilson and Chris Olave, the only trio in the Big Ten to have multiple 100-yard receiving games.
The Wolverines’ defense, however, has been solid. They are 11th in total defense and are averaging 16.3 points per game this season.
On Saturday, someone might join players like Desmond Howard, Troy Smith, Tim Biakabutuka and Maurice Clarett, former Wolverines and Buckeyes who became school legends for their performances in this game.
Here are the best plays and moments from this year’s edition of The Game:
Big sack forces Ohio State field goal
What is there to say… he’s ELITE. #GoBlue // @aidanhutch97 https://t.co/oFMqMyCj6A
— Michigan Football (@UMichFootball) November 27, 2021
On the board 🙌@noahruggles#GoBucks pic.twitter.com/aWvVnn9OmX
— Ohio State Football (@OhioStateFB) November 27, 2021
Michigan gets tricky to score first
Nice start, No. 5 @UMichFootball.@AJHenning3 gets the scoring started with his first career TD in The Game 〽️. pic.twitter.com/G2sw1o7CVc
— Big Ten Network (@BigTenNetwork) November 27, 2021
LET’S GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
— Michigan Athletics 〽️ (@UMichAthletics) November 27, 2021
That moment when you put the Wolverines on the scoreboard first.
Michigan up 7-0. #GoBlue // @ajhenning3 pic.twitter.com/fVQSu9Ns63
— Michigan Football (@UMichFootball) November 27, 2021
A proposal and some pregame hype
We have a proposal on the field before the game pic.twitter.com/ZGOuYpP5f0
— Tom VanHaaren (@TomVH) November 27, 2021
We’ve been waiting for this one. 💥
Turn it up, @UMichFootball. pic.twitter.com/ZWdpM3RMng
— Michigan On BTN (@MichiganOnBTN) November 27, 2021
🔥 up the engines. #GoBucks pic.twitter.com/vwjmwOinEc
— Ohio State Football (@OhioStateFB) November 27, 2021
No more talking. #GoBlue pic.twitter.com/nBj5384uTR
— Michigan Football (@UMichFootball) November 27, 2021
GOOD ❌ORNING GA❌E DAY ‼️ pic.twitter.com/8oRMnblVTG
— Ohio State Football (@OhioStateFB) November 27, 2021
📍The Buckeyes have arrived. #GoBucks pic.twitter.com/GlM63xLiII
— Ohio State Football (@OhioStateFB) November 27, 2021
The Nature Boy is ready
.@TomBrady, From One GOAT To Another, GO BLUE! @UMichFootball pic.twitter.com/VeRCrsnRtJ
— Ric Flair® (@RicFlairNatrBoy) November 27, 2021