Ohio State Buckeyes

Michigan will try to snap Ohio State’s streak in The Game

Published Nov. 21, 2018 10:15 p.m. ET

No. 4 Michigan (10-1, 8-0 Big Ten, No. 4 CFP) at No. 10 Ohio State (10-1, 7-1, No. 10 CFP), noon EST (Fox).

Line: Michigan by 2.

Series record: Michigan leads 58-49-6.

WHAT'S AT STAKE?

The Game is as critically important as ever, with the Big Ten East title and more hanging in the balance. A win for Michigan followed by a defeat of Northwestern in the conference championship game likely puts the Wolverines in the College Football Playoff. A win for Ohio State over its hated rival will help salve last month's unexpected loss to Purdue and at least keep the Buckeyes in the playoff conversation if they go on to win the Big Ten. Ohio State has won the last six meetings and Jim Harbaugh hasn't been able to beat the Buckeyes in first three seasons at Michigan.

KEY MATCHUP

Ohio State QB Dwayne Haskins Jr. vs. Michigan's defense. Haskins entered last year's game in the third quarter after J.T. Barrett was injured and drove the Buckeyes 60 yards for the go-ahead touchdown and an eventual 31-20 win. As the Ohio State starter this season, Haskins is in the process of breaking most of the school's single-season passing records. Michigan has the best defense in the country.

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Michigan: QB Shea Patterson. The Ole Miss transfer has given Michigan stability at quarterback, piling up 2,177 passing yards with 18 touchdowns and just four interceptions.

Ohio State: RB J.K. Dobbins. He and fellow tailback Mike Weber have had a couple of good games since the Buckeyes figured out how to get their running game unglued after it got stuck in the middle of the season.

FACTS & FIGURES

The status of Michigan DE Chase Winovich, injured in Saturday's game against Indiana, is uncertain. ... Injured Ohio State players Weber, OL Thayer Munford and LB Baron Browning all should be available. ... The longest winning streak in the series was nine by Michigan from 1901-09. ... Michigan hasn't beaten Ohio State in Columbus since 2000, which is also the last year that The Game drew fewer than 100,000 spectators. ... Since 2012 at least one of the teams has come into the game ranked in the top 10. ... The 2016 game played in Columbus was a double-overtime 30-27 win by the Buckeyes that sent them to the playoff.