Ohio State Football vs. Michigan: Preview, prediction, live stream

It remains to be seen if Ohio State football can get back into the College Football Playoff Top-4, but the Buckeyes aren’t focused on that right now.

Instead, Ohio State and head coach Urban Meyer will try to avoid the upset when they take on arch-rival Michigan. “The Game” last year had added importance, as the Buckeyes (9-2, 7-1 Big Ten) and Wolverines (8-3, 5-3 Big Ten) were both in the Top-3 of the rankings. Michigan, though, has dropped three league games and is no longer in the thick of things.

Meyer and Ohio State enter having won five consecutive games with the Wolverines, including 12 of the last 13. Ohio State has clinched a spot opposite Wisconsin in the Big Ten Championship next weekend in Indianapolis.

Here’s how to watch Ohio State at Michigan this Saturday:

Date: Saturday, Nov. 25
Time: Noon ET
Location: Ann Arbor, Mich.
Venue: Michigan Stadium
TV: ABC
Live Stream: WatchESPN

Keys to Victory

For Ohio State, it all comes down to which J.T. Barrett shows up. If Barrett, who has directed big-time wins over Illinois and Michigan State the last two weeks makes the trip to Ann Arbor, the Wolverines will be in trouble. Barrett and Ohio State have scored 100 points the last two games since that 55-24 loss at Iowa.

The game with the Hawkeyes was also the last road contest for the Buckeyes, who were completely embarrassed that night. Ohio State comes in averaging almost 45 points per game and over 545 yards of total offense, with Michigan allowing just 17 points and 261 yards.

The Wolverines, though, will need to find more offense after posting just 10 points last week in a loss to Wisconsin. They come into the contest averaging 26 points and 360 yards.

Prediction

Meyer’s road record is incredible and it would be hard to imagine him losing a second game in a rival stadium. But these kinds of games seems to always provide the unexpected.

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For Michigan, this is their national championship, Big Ten title and all of that rolled into one. Jim Harbaugh and his staff will likely have something special in store, but can they sustain success?

We know with Barrett, the Ohio State offense can post points in a hurry. But is he fully recovered from that disaster in Kinnick?

Prediction: Ohio State 27, Michigan 21