Michigan football: Three keys to winning against Ohio State There’s a lot to say about Michigan vs. Ohio State, but there are three main areas the Wolverines need to focus on during the game.
Β Β Michigan Wolverines The game – the greatest competition of all sports. Michigan, Ohio State, Wolverines, Buckeyes. It doesn’t get any better than that. The two bitter rivals will meet for the 19th time on Saturday. Michigan is the top seed for the second year in a row and the Wolverines lead the all-time series at 60-52-6. Michigan will be without coach Jim Harbaugh, who is serving his final game due to a three-game suspension handed down by the Big Ten. But Harbaugh had a chance to coach his team all week before the game. Offensive lineman Sherrone Moore will be the head coach again, and it will be the most important game of her career. Both teams enter the weekend 11-0 and the winner will represent the Big Ten East and claim the Big Ten Championship against Iowa in Indianapolis. Here are three keys to Michigan’s victory.
Β Β 1. Build none other than Marvin Harrison Jr. you were hit It cannot be denied that Marvin Harrison Jr. he is one of the best players, if not the best, in the country. He is projected to go in the first five picks next April in the NFL Draft and will be the first selection in Ohio State’s offense. He had 1,093 yards on the year, tied for second in the nation with 13 receiving touchdowns. Harrison doubled the team’s second-leading rusher (TE Cade Stover) with 534 receiving yards. To say Kyle McCord loves to throw the ball Harrison’s way is an understatement. There’s a good chance Harrison will be on the field Saturday, but there’s no chance he’ll shut it down. He averages nearly 100 yards per game, but has been in four games this season. Harrison rarely saw the Buckeyesand#039. violation Indiana: 2 receptions for 18 yards. Notre Dame: Had three receptions for 32 yards. Rutgers: 4 receptions for 25 yards and 2 touchdowns. Minnesota: 3 receptions for 30 yards and 1 score.Β
Β Β The offense was great and didn’t really need Harrison. In the other three games, the magic happened when Ohio State’s offense struggled or was late in the game. Michigan has to find a way to take Harrison out of the game or slow him down. Make sure McCord hits either the Stoverand route or the Egbuka route. Both are real targets, but Harrison. We should expect Will Johnson to step into Harrison’s role as Michigan plays man-to-man. According to PFF, Johnson allowed 48% of his passes to be caught. He has two PBUs and two interceptions this season. The sophomore’s role will be Saturday to mitigate Harrisond’s workload.
Β Β 2. Victory of the Red Zone Keeping Ohio State’s offense out of the red zone would be a nice day, but it might not be realistic. That’s why the Wolverines have to rely on one of the best red zone defenses in the country. Michigan leads the nation in allowing just six touchdowns in the red zone. 33.3% of the times a team reaches the 20-yard line, they score a touchdown. While the level of competition wasn’t great, it was still an impressive stat for Michigan. Buckeyes; The offense hasn’t been very good at scoring touchdowns in the red zone. Of 47 drives in the red zone, Ohio State scored 29 touchdowns (61.7%). Michigan and the defense will want to continue that trend this week, forcing the Buckeyes to score down the field.
Β Β We all know field goals don’t win games. Flipping the script on Michigan’s offense against Ohio State’s defense. Michigan gets 75 percent of the time in the red zone. The Wolverines have scored six points in 39 of their 52 games this season. Having a player like Blake Corum makes it easier for the Wolverines to get to the goal line. Players like Roman Wilson and Colston Loveland are big red zone targets for J.J. McCarthy. But Ohio State’s defense is very good in the red zone. The Buckeyes are right behind Michigan, allowing teams to score just 10 touchdowns, or 45.4% of the time. I have to think that no matter what the offense is planning, a better plan at that point will pay off big on Saturday. Michigan’s offense/defense has the edge on paper, but the Buckeyes use some tricks to score in the red zone.
Β Β 3. Push your passion into the pits How did the Wolverines beat the Buckeyes in back-to-back seasons? When capturing holes. Going back to 2021, Michigan has 297 yards and six touchdowns against Ohio State. And then in 2022, he ran for 252 yards and three touchdowns in Columbus, Michigan. Wolverine; The defense allowed 64 yards on the ground to Ohio State in 2021, but allowed 143 yards to the BuckeyesΒ in 2022. Rushing offense. Either way, Michigan’s offensive and defensive lines have been dominant, and that trend should continue Saturday. Michigan’s game hasn’t been as good as it has been the past two years, but the Wolverines seem to be clicking at the right time. The Wolverines rushed for 227 yards against Penn State and 150 yards against Maryland a week ago. Wolverine and #039; The push improved and running backs Blake Corum and Donovan Edwards started to step up and break some runs. .
Β Β The Buckeyes have a 21-yard defense that gives up 108.5 yards on the ground, and seeing how the last two seasons have gone, that’s a big problem. This week’s game at Michigan Ground is also important, but so will the Wolverines. Compared to the D line