COLUMBUS- The stakes for this year’s version of The Game could hardly be higher.
The Buckeyes and Michigan Wolverines are ranked second and third in the latest College Football Playoff rankings.
The winner will play for the Big Ten championship the following week and have a clear path to the College Football Playoff.
The loser could see their national championship hopes ruined.
(2) OHIO STATE (11-0, 8-0) vs. (3) Michigan (11-0, 8-0); Ohio Stadium, Columbus OH; Nov. 26 (Noon/Fox)
The Buckeyes are favored by a touchdown over their rivals from “that state up north.”
Ohio State’s high-flying offense is averaging 46.5 points per game, tying it with Tennessee for the most in the nation.
Michigan will counter with the nation’s best defense, which is holding opponents to about 12 points per game.
Buckeye quarterback C.J. Stroud has thrown for nearly 3,000 yards and his 35 touchdowns tie him with Houston’s Clayton Tune for most in the country though he was less than sharp last week as the Buckeyes struggled with Maryland.
The Michigan defense has been stellar but allowed Illinois’ Chase Brown run for 140 yards and two touchdowns as the Wolverines needed a late field goal to stay undefeated.
The Buckeyes went to Ann Arbor as No. 2 last year and were routed by No. 5 Michigan 42-27, which snapped an eight-game skid in the rivalry game and advanced to the playoff.
The top four in the CFP rankings remained the same for the third straight week, but the teams chasing changed order after Tennessee lost to South Carolina last Saturday night.
LSU has moved up to fifth and Southern California is sixth behind Georgia, Ohio State, Michigan and TCU.