COLUMBUS – Michigan running back Karan Higdon has followed his coach’s example from 32 years ago and predicted a win by the fourth-ranked Wolverines over No. 10 Ohio State in the 115th edition of their rivalry on Saturday.
(10) Ohio St. (10-1, 7-1) vs. (4) Michigan (10-1, 8-0)
Ohio Stadium; Columbus, Ohio
Sat., Nov. 24 (Noon/FOX)
The senior captain was responding to a question about whether he would follow in the footsteps of coach Jim Harbaugh in guaranteeing a victory.
Harbaugh famously guaranteed a win over Ohio State as a player in 1986, then backed it up by leading the Wolverines to a 26-24 win.
“Yeah, I do,” he said with a chuckle. “That’s how I feel. I believe firmly in my brothers and this team and this coaching staff and as a captain, I’ll take that stand. Why not?”
Michigan is favored by four points at Ohio Stadium, where they haven’t won since 2000, as the two teams meet to decide the championship in the Big Ten East, a trip to the conference title game and, possibly a berth in the College Football Playoff.
“We have a saying around here: The most prepared team will win the game,” Ohio State head coach Urban Meyer told reporters Monday. “It’s not who’s favored and who is not. I didn’t know that. And I don’t imagine our team really does, I guess. If they are, then they’re looking at the wrong stuff.”
Point spreads don’t decide winners but statistics are the best available tool for predicting a possible outcome and this game clearly matches up the nation’s best defense against one of its most high-powered offenses.
Michigan brings the nation’s No. 1 overall defense and a 10-game winning streak to Columbus while Ohio State has the nation’s No. 2-ranked offense in total yardage per game, averaging 541.8 yards.
Sophomore quarterback Dwayne Haskins is tied for first nationally with 36 touchdown passes and his 3,685 yards is already an Ohio State single-season record and is good for third best nationally.