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Ohio State football: 5 reasons Buckeyes will be better than Michigan in 2018

By Evan Whitmoyer

ANN ARBOR, MI - NOVEMBER 25: Urban Meyer head coach of the Ohio State Buckeyes and Jim Harbaugh head coach of the Michigan Wolverines shake hands after the game. Ohio State won 31 to 20 on November 25, 2017 at Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor, Michigan. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)
ANN ARBOR, MI - NOVEMBER 25: Urban Meyer head coach of the Ohio State Buckeyes and Jim Harbaugh head coach of the Michigan Wolverines shake hands after the game. Ohio State won 31 to 20 on November 25, 2017 at Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor, Michigan. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images) /
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ANN ARBOR, MI – NOVEMBER 25: J.K. Dobbins #2 of the Ohio State Buckeyes celebrates a touchdown second half against the Ohio State Buckeyes on November 25, 2017 at Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor, Michigan. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)
ANN ARBOR, MI – NOVEMBER 25: J.K. Dobbins #2 of the Ohio State Buckeyes celebrates a touchdown second half against the Ohio State Buckeyes on November 25, 2017 at Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor, Michigan. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images) /

2. Ohio State has better running backs

Ohio State has two running backs that would be starters on nearly every team in college football. J.K. Dobbins and Mike Weber are both stars that can be instant game changers each time they step on the field.

Dobbins is a Heisman contender, and he has the ability to be the best running back in the country if he can outperform Stanford’s Bryce Love this season. He finished last season with 1,403 rushing yards and seven rushing touchdowns. He averaged an impressive 7.2 yards per carry as well.

Weber dominated his freshman year until Dobbins emerged last season. He had 1,096 rushing yards and nine rushing touchdowns in 2016. As a backup last season, he still managed to rush for 626 yards and had 10 touchdowns as Ohio State’s more physical running back.

Both of these guys are incredibly impressive and should take some of the pressure off Haskins in the passing game. They will be difficult to stop for most defenses, and even Michigan’s defense gave up 157 rushing yards to them in last year’s game.

Michigan does have Karan Higdon, who finished with 994 rushing yards and 11 rushing touchdowns last season. Backup running back Chris Evans also had 685 rushing yards and six rushing touchdowns for the Wolverines.

Higdon and Evans are also a very talented running back duo, but Dobbins and Weber have a step up on both of them statistically. Like Patterson, Higdon and Evans are very good players, but Dobbins is an elite player that Michigan does not have a match for at running back.

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