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“The Game” is here. Ohio State and Michigan meet again Saturday, this time at Michigan Stadium and in front of a national audience on FOX beginning at noon. The Buckeyes (10-1, 8-0 B1G), winners of nine straight games, are seeking a trip to Indianapolis for the Big Ten title game for a fifth-consecutive year. Michigan heads into the rivalry matchup with a 10-1 record overall and 7-1 in B1G play.

This is the 117th meeting between the two schools and the most games vs. another opponent for each. Michigan leads 58-51-6 in wins, a record that does not include a vacated Ohio State win in 2010. Ohio State has won eight consecutive in this series and 16 of the last 19 dating to 2000.

These two super powers are renewing this greatest rivalry in sports for the first time since 2019 after the 2020 game was cancelled because of the Covid-19 pandemic.

No. 2 Ohio State at No. 6 Michigan • Saturday, Nov. 27 • When: Noon • Where: Michigan Stadium

• TV: FOX •  Radio: 97.1 The Fan

QUICK HITTERS

• Since 2000, the Buckeyes are 16-3 against the Wolverines with eight consecutive wins.
• The Ohio State/Michigan game has been decided by one score 40 times. Each team owns 20 wins in those games.
• These two teams have played in the regular season finale every year since 1935 except twice: in 1942 Ohio State defeated Iowa Pre-Flight to cap a 9-1 season that featured the school’s first Associated Press national title, and in 2020 the game was canceled due to COVID-19.
• Ohio State’s Ryan Day is 33-3 as a head coach and his teams have had win streaks of 16 games, seven games and a current nine-game streak.
• Day’s teams are 23-0 in Big Ten Conference games plus they are 2-0 in Big Ten championship games.
• Ohio State has won 26 consecutive Big Ten Conference games (13 on the road; 13 at Ohio Stadium), the second-longest streak in Big Ten history. Ohio State owns the longest: 30 by the 2012-15 teams.
• Ohio State has also won 13 consecutive true road games dating to the 2018 loss at Purdue.
• The Buckeyes have won 12 consecutive road games against ranked opponents.
• Ohio State also has a current streak of 21 consecutive wins over ranked Big Ten opponents.
• Ohio State scored TDs on 15 of its last 19 possessions against Purdue and the first half vs. Michigan State.
• Ohio State’s defense has allowed just three rushing touchdowns in its nine-game winning streak.

THE MOST — OF ANY SCHOOL 

• Ohio State will be playing at a College GameDay site for the 52nd time, most of any program in the country. The Buckeyes are
  36-15 all-time in “GameDay” games.
• The Buckeyes have also hosted College GameDay more than any other program in the country, with 21 previous stops in Columbus.
• Last week, GameDay was in Columbus as the Buckeyes defeated Michigan State, 56-7.
• Though not held in consecutive weeks, Ohio State is the only school to play in three consecutive College GameDay games in the same season. In 1996, GameDay was at Ohio State’s games against Notre Dame (29-16 win), Penn State (38-7 win) and Iowa (38-26 win).
• And in 2020, GameDay was on hand for Ohio State games vs. Penn State (a 38-25 win), vs. Clemson (a 49-28 win at the Sugar Bowl at the College Football Playoff) and vs. Alabama (a 52-24 loss at the CFP National Championship Game).

NOTES TO KNOW

BOTH SIDES OF THE BALL

• Ohio State and Michigan are two of five teams nationally that rank in the top 20 nationally in both scoring offense and scoring defense.
• The Buckeyes boast the nation’s No. 1 scoring offense (47.2 points per game) and have the No. 16 scoring defense (19.0 points/game).
• Michigan ranks seventh in scoring defense (16.3 points/game) and 15th on offense (36.9 points/game).
• The other three teams that have top 20 units on both sides of the ball are Alabama, Georgia and Cincinnati.

C.J.’S BIG DAY

• Ohio State’s C.J. Stroud is this week’s Walter Camp National Player of the Week on offense, the Maxwell Award Player of the Week, the Big Ten’s offensive player of the week and, for the seventh time, its freshman of the week.
• Stroud had a career day last Saturday against Michigan State, completing 32 of 35 passes for 432 and six touchdown passes, which tied Ohio State’s single-game record.
• And he did it all while playing just the first half and one series of the second half.
• Stroud threw for the sixth-most passing yards (432) in a single game in Ohio State history while his 91.4 completion percentage was the third-best ever for an Ohio State quarterback in a game.
• His six TD passes tied three other players – Justin Fields (2020 vs. Clemson), Dwayne Haskins (2018 vs. Michigan) and Dave Wilson (Illinois, 1981 vs. Ohio State) – for the most TD passes for a Big Ten quarterback against an AP top 10-ranked team.
• Stroud’s 3,468 passing yards is the second-most in a single season at Ohio State, behind only the 4,831 that Dwayne Haskins threw for in 2018.

OLAVE BREAKS TD RECORD

• Chris Olave caught two more touchdown passes Saturday and now has 35 career TD receptions to break the 23-year-old school record held by David Boston.
• Olave’s first two TD passes, delivered by Dwayne Haskins, came as a freshman in 2018 against Michigan.
• His TDs have come in 2018 (3), 2019 (12), 2020 (7) and 2021 (13).
• The Ohio State single season TD record – 17 by Terry Glenn in 1995 – is in reach.
• A couple Wolverines hold the Big Ten records for single season (19, Desmond Howard in 1991) and career (39, Braylon Edwards from 2001-04) TD receptions.

TREVEYON’S TOUCHDOWNS

• TreVeyon Henderson has scored at least one touchdown in nine of 11 games.
• He ranks T6th nationally with 17 TDs scored and needs just two more to set an Ohio State freshman record.
• Henderson also ranks 21st nationally with 99.2 yards per game and ninth overall with a yards per carry average of 7.3.

NO. 1 IN DEFENSIVE TDs

• Ohio State remains No. 1 nationally with six defensive touchdowns (tied with Nevada).
• The defense has four “pick-6s”: Cam Martinez, 61 vs. Tulsa; Ronnie Hickman 41 vs. Akron; Denzel Burke, 23 vs. Rutgers; and Craig Young, 70 vs. Maryland.
• Garrett has a 32-yard fumble return TD vs. Minnesota and Jerron Cage added a 57- yard fumble return vs. Penn State.

BY THE NUMBERS

4

C.J. Stroud has more five-touchdown passing games in his career – 4 – against Big Ten Conference teams than any other Buckeye, with Dwayne Haskins next on the list with three.

10-10

Ohio State and Michigan have split the last 20 games played in Ann Arbor. Michigan won eight of 10 games between 1981-99 and Ohio State has won eight of the 10 games since, from 2001-19.

8

Ohio State wide receiver Chris Olave has caught a touchdown pass in eight consecutive games, all Buckeye wins, and ranks second in the nation with 13 TD receptions. His 35 career TDs: first at Ohio State!

24

The Buckeyes and Wolverines will be meeting for the 24th time, and the third consecutive game, with both teams ranked in the Associated Press Top 10. Ohio State leads in those meetings, 12-9-2.

SCOUTING THE WOLVERINES

THE STAKES

• The Big Ten East will be decided Saturday in Ann Arbor. Ohio State is seeking a trip to Indianapolis for the Big Ten title game for a fifth consecutive year and for the seventh time. Michigan is seeking its first championship game appearance.

BUCKEYE/WOLVERINE TIES

• Ohio State linebackers coach Al Washington held the same position at Michigan in 2018.
• Ohio State secondary coach Matt Barnes was a defensive analyst at Michigan in 2015.
• Ohio State QC coach Joe Bolden was a four-year letterman and a two-year starting LB for Michigan from 2012-15.
• Michigan OL coach Ed Warinner was Ohio State’s OC/OL coach from 2012-16.
• According to the Bentley Historical Library, the archives of the University of Michigan and the Michigan Athletic Department, Washington and Warinner are among seven individuals to have coached in a full-time capacity at both Ohio State and Michigan.
• Most notable is Bo Schembechler, assistant at Ohio State from 1958-63 and Michigan head coach from 1969-89.
• The other four: Greg Mattison; Chuck Stobart; George Little; and Steve Farrell.

THE SERIES

• While Michigan owns a 58-51-6 lead in all games played, the series shifts to Ohio State’s favor in the Big Ten era (since 1918) with a 51-46-4 record.
• Since 2000, the Buckeyes are 16-3 against the Wolverines with eight consecutive wins.
• Ohio State is 24-31-4 all-time in games played in Ann Arbor.
• The Ohio State/Michigan game has been decided by one score 40 times. Each team owns 20 wins in those games.
• Since 1951, Woody Hayes’ first season as Ohio State’s head coach, the Buckeyes lead the series 39-27-2.
• These two teams have played in the regular season finale every year since 1935 except twice: in 1942 Ohio State defeated Iowa Pre-Flight to cap a 9-1 season that featured the school’s first Associated Press national title, and in 2020 the game was canceled due to COVID-19.
• Michigan has a Big Ten-best 42 conference titles; Ohio State is second with 39.

THE WOLVERINES

• Michigan is 10-1 this season with its only loss coming on Oct. 30 at Michigan State, 37-33.
• The Wolverines boast one of the nation’s best defenses with numerous Top 10 rankings including in total (306.6), passing yards allowed (178.4) and scoring (16.3) defense.
• Leading that unit are a pair of defensive ends, Aidan Hutchinson and David Ojabo, who have combined for 19.0 sacks and 21.5 tackles for loss.
• Linebacker Josh Ross leads the team with 80 tackles while also contributing 7.5 tackles for loss and two passes defended.
• Michigan’s offense centers on the 1-2 combination of RBs Hassan Haskins (1,063 yards, 13 TD) and Blake Corum (778 yards, 10 TD).
• Quarterback Cade McNamara has completed 64.2 percent of his paaes for 2,142 yards and 14 touchdowns against just two interceptions.

COURTESY OSU ATHLETIC COMMUNICATIONS