COLUMBUS — Narrow wins by Ohio State and Michigan preserved the enormity of their annual showdown.
Both teams struggled with middling Big Ten teams on Saturday but prevailed, setting up another edition of The Game with plenty at stake.
The Big Ten East title and a spot in the conference championship game hang in the balance when the No. 10 Buckeyes and No. 4 Wolverines clash at Ohio Stadium (Noon/FOX).
The Buckeyes (10-1, 7-1 Big Ten East) clinched a share of the division title by defeating Maryland 52-51 in overtime Saturday.
Quarterback Dwayne Haskins, who threw for 405 yards and three touchdowns plus rushed for a career-best 59 yards and three more touchdowns, was named Big Ten Co-offensive Player of the Week for the fifth time this season.
The junior, from Potomac, Md., directed three different game-tying touchdown drives in the fourth quarter when he was 11 of 15 for 118 yards and two touchdowns while also rushing for another in the fourth quarter alone. He also scored the game-winning touchdown in overtime.
With a 31-20 victory over Indiana on Saturday, Michigan (10-1, 8-0 Big Ten East) earned at least a share of a division championship for the first time since divisions were added in 2011.
The winner will face Northwestern in the Big Ten Championship Game Saturday, Dec. 1, at Indianapolis’ Lucas Oil Stadium (8:00 p.m./FOX).