COLUMBUS – The Buckeyes remained No. 2 in the latest college football rankings, behind Georgia and ahead of this week’s opponent, third-ranked Michigan.
Washington moved ahead of Florida State, coming in fourth.
(2) OHIO STATE (11-0, 8-0) at (3) Michigan (11-0, 8-0); Michigan Stadium, Ann Arbor MI
Sat., Nov. 25 (Noon/FOX)
Both Ohio State and Michigan are national title contenders, but the interest in that matchup this weekend has been stoked by the Wolverines’ sign-stealing scandal that led to coach Jim Harbaugh’s suspension.
Head coach Ryan Day has reminded his players to keep their heads in a game that’s always packed with drama and competitive spirit.
“You have to play with emotion. You can’t let emotion play with you,” he said during his weekly press conference Tuesday. “I think that’s important. You have to have your emotions in check which isn’t easy in a game like this cause, as we all know — the magnitude of it all.”
The key to the game is whether Michigan’s defense, after looking mortal against Maryland, can slow down an offense that has its big playmakers back and scored at least 35 points in three straight games.
The Wolverines narrowly escaped Maryland last week and are still dealing with the fallout of the sign-stealing scandal, including the firing of an assistant coach and Harbaugh’s sideline suspension.
The winner represents the East in the Big Ten championship game and is all but assured a spot in the College Football Playoff if it beats Iowa as a heavy favorite next week.
Westward expansion
This season marks the end of an era in many ways for the Big Ten, which adds four teams next season as the College Football Playoff expands from four teams to 12.
The Big Ten welcomes Southern California, UCLA, Oregon and Washington to the fold in 2024. That includes two teams that are still in this season’s playoff race and another that’s a traditional power.
Schedule update
The Buckeyes have Ohio State made a change to next season’s schedule and will now open at home against the University of Akron on Aug. 31 instead of Southern Mississippi.
The Buckeyes are now scheduled to play one non-conference game against an Ohio school for each of the next four seasons.