Last Call: Questions, players to watch and predictions for Ohio State University’s 120th rivalry game with Michigan

6 – 5 (4-4)

Nov. 30, 2024 – 12:00 p.m

Ohio Stadium

Columbus, OH

Ohio State’s season won’t end today, but it will be at least partially determined by what happens today when the Buckeyes take on Michigan in the 120th edition of The Game. Having lost this game each of the last three years, winning today’s game is the most important goal of the season for the Buckeyes, although they have ambitions to also win a Big Ten championship and a national championship.

That raises the stakes on all questions surrounding Ohio State’s entry into today’s game. That means the Buckeyes need their best players to play their best today. And while the records suggest that Ohio State should handily defeat its rival, the records are being thrown out the window in this rivalry, opening the door for whatever can happen when the Scarlet and Gray take on the Maize this afternoon at Ohio Stadium and Blues compete.

With that in mind, we analyze the key pregame questions, pick our top players to watch from the Buckeyes, and make some predictions about what we’ll see in the Shoe on Saturday in our final Last Call of the regular season.

Questions

Can Ohio State establish the run?

The Buckeyes struggled to run the ball in their first game without Seth McLaughlin, averaging less than four yards per carry against Indiana – a number that would have dropped to just 2.7 yards per carry by the end of the game if one TreVeyon Henderson’s 39-yard run took off. Indiana has the best run defense in the country, but running the ball doesn’t get much easier this week as the Wolverines come into the game allowing just 94 rushing yards per game.

The team that won the fast-paced battle has won every edition of The Game since 2000 but one, so the Buckeyes will have to have some success moving the chains on the floor. Despite the historical trend, I don’t necessarily think Ohio State is needs To overtake Michigan and win this game – the Buckeyes should have a huge advantage over the Wolverines in the passing game – but Ohio State is vulnerable to surprises if it can’t run the ball effectively in crucial situations.

–Dan Hope

RELATED Mic Check: Running the ball and stopping the run mean everything in the game

What kind of game plan does Jim Knowles come up with?

In Knowles’ first season as defensive coordinator, he was aggressive as he challenged Michigan quarterback JJ McCarthy to beat the Ohio State defense with the deep ball. McCarthy was successful thanks to some good throws but also some poor execution from the Buckeyes. In Knowles’ second season, he seemed to ease the pressure against the Wolverines and allow his players to compete head-to-head against the Wolverines. Will Knowles be aggressive, conservative or a mix of both?

– Chase Brown

Does the weather affect the game?

The weather conditions at the Shoe will certainly be the harshest Ohio State has faced this season. The temperature is expected to be 26 degrees Fahrenheit and winds of 10 to 20 miles per hour will make it feel even colder. Such temperatures and winds could put additional emphasis on physical football and the establishment of the run and give the game an interesting kick.

– Andy Anders

If the score becomes lopsided, how hard does Ohio State try to increase it?

If you thought people were up in arms over Ryan Day and Will Howard’s decision to score a touchdown late against Indiana, I can only imagine what Day will do to the scoreboard when the Buckeyes are in the second half pull away. While I can’t imagine them ever wanting to put their foot down, I wonder if they might pull a few starters if they’re way up front, considering they have a big matchup with Oregon next week and you never know if Michigan will try to take a few cheap shots if it gets out of hand.

– Garrick Hodge

Players to keep an eye on

Jack Sawyer

Fresh off a top-five win over Indiana, Sawyer seemed to want nothing to do with talking about the win over the Hoosiers. For him, everything immediately shifted to Michigan. The kid from Columbus came back for another year, in part to win this game. How does he fare if he beats the Wolverines for the last time?

– Garrick Hodge

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Jeremiah Smith

After a quiet game against Indiana last week and a snub from the list of Biletnikoff Award finalists earlier this week, Smith is certainly eager to remind everyone of his spectacular talent. With Will Johnson not expected to play, I don’t think Michigan has anyone in the secondary who can consistently fill in for him. Chris Olave (two touchdowns and a blocked punt) and Garrett Wilson (118 yards and a touchdown) both had spectacular performances in The Game as Ohio State freshmen; I expect Smith will follow their lead the day after his 19th birthday.

–Dan Hope

TreVeyon Henderson

As Dan mentioned above, the running plays win the game. This season, the Buckeyes have relied on Quinshon Judkins to run between the tackles and record hard-fought 2-, 3-, and 4-yard carries. While Ohio State uses Judkins on the boom, Henderson is on the zoom, and with Mason Graham and Kenneth Grant on the interior defensive line for Michigan, I think we’ll see a similar script on Saturday. Look for Henderson to break off a few chunk runs in the Horseshoe – maybe even one where he makes a house call.

– Chase Brown

Caleb Downs

The best players make big plays in big games, and Downs is one of the best defensive players in all of college football. Fresh off a 79-yard punt return touchdown that was Ohio State’s first in more than a decade against the Hoosiers, you can expect the instinctive, physical and athletic freak to be in and around the box quite often , as stopping the run is the key to a dominant Buckeye defensive effort.

– Andy Anders

Predictions

Michigan passes less than 100 yards

With tight end Colston Loveland trending toward retirement, Michigan is expected to be without a single pass-catcher with at least 240 receiving yards by Saturday. The Wolverines rank 128th nationally in passing yards per game and are tied for 132nd in passing yards per attempt, out of 134 FBS schools. Meanwhile, Ohio State is No. 4 in passing yards allowed per game and is tied for No. 9 in passing yards allowed per attempt.

– Andy Anders

Ohio State scores on its first possession

Ohio State has scored a touchdown on its first possession in four of 11 games this season. Although the odds are stacked against Ohio State, I believe the Buckeyes will come out of the gates with their blood already boiling to prove that they are both the more talented and physical team in this year’s edition of The Game.

– Chase Brown

Ohio State throws a shutout in the second half

Slow starts have been a recurring trend for Ohio State’s defense in recent weeks, so I wouldn’t be surprised if Michigan scores a few early points, leading to another round of Twitter sackings for Jim Knowles in the first quarter. However, strong finishing has also been a consistent trend for Ohio State’s No. 1 defense, and I think the Buckeyes maintained their dominance in the third and fourth quarters by holding the Wolverines to zero points after halftime.

–Dan Hope

Ryan Day says something fiery in postgame interview

Day isn’t typically a person who gets too high or too low after a post-game win. The only exception was last year’s Notre Dame game, where he defended his team’s toughness. The Michigan game has troubled him both personally and professionally for the past three years, particularly in light of the Michigan sign-stealing scandal. If Ohio State can break the losing cycle, I think you’ll see the emotions pour out of Day.

– Garrick Hodge