We are almost to Saturday. The Game. Michigan vs Ohio State with plenty on the line. Meaningful football in the month of November is exactly what both these programs want, and it’s what they are both going
to get at the Big House around 12:14 p.m. this Saturday.
Michigan head coach Sherrone Moore held his weekly news conference on Monday morning (check out the key quotes here), while Ohio State head coach Ryan Day met with the Columbus media on Tuesday. When asked about Michigan’s team and what stands out, Day went down the roster, beginning with the offense.
“Talent — talent all over the field,” Day said. “It starts on offense with the quarterback (Bryce Underwood) — he’s a dangerous player. The running back, (Jordan) Marshall, is a very good player as well, runs downhill, he’s physical. Offensive line and tight ends are good. (Andrew) Marsh and (Donaven) McCulley are very good as well.”
Michigan’s offense needs to play its best game of football all season long in order to have a shot at upsetting the Buckeyes. Led by first-year coordinator Matt Patricia, they have the No. 1 total defense in the country, allowing a minuscule 206.6 yards per game. They also boast the nation’s No. 1 scoring defense (7.64 points per game allowed) the No. 1 pass defense (126.6 yards per game) and the No. 2 rush defense (80.0 yards per game).
There are very few flaws across the board as it pertains to the Buckeye defense, which gives Day and his team confidence in being able to beat any opponent in their way, including Michigan.
“When you watch the way we’ve played this season, it’s been in preparation for this time of year and this game,” Day said of his defense. “It’s important that we put a good plan together that these guys can play fast on the field and understand situational football and try to take away what they do best and play great defense. In a game like this, field position becomes critical, everything becomes critical … it gives everybody confidence when you have a defense that’s playing well.”
Going back to the Michigan side of things, Day also gave some high praise to two of the Wolverines’ edge rushers, calling them some of the best players at their position in all of college football.
“On defense, same thing. You see (Derrick) Moore and (Jaishawn) Barham off the edge — these guys are two of the best pass rushers in the country,” Day said. “And certainly in the backend, they’ve created a lot of turnovers. Special teams is very good. Again, what you’d expect in this type of a team. Talent in all three phases, well-coached. We gotta make sure that we’re preparing at a high level this week and be at our best.”
Those guys will also have to play at a high level on Saturday, as the Ohio State offensive line has given up just six sacks to quarterback Julian Sayin all season long (No. 3 in the country). But three of those have come in the last three games alone, including two at Purdue, so it’s not impossible by any means for Wink Martindale’s group of pass rushers to get after Sayin and make him uncomfortable in the pocket. We saw what happened last season when the defensive line wreaked havoc, and Michigan has the talent (and depth) to be able to pull that off again.
Michigan vs Ohio State kicks off at 12:14 p.m. on FOX.
