Ohio State vs. Michigan: Scouting report, prediction
Michigan Wolverines 8-3 (5-3 Big Ten) vs. No. 8 Ohio State Buckeyes 9-2 (7-1)
Fast facts
When: Noon, Saturday.
Where: Michigan Stadium; Ann Arbor.
TV/radio: Fox (Channel 2 in Detroit); WWJ-AM 950, WTKA-AM (1050), MGoBlue.com.
Line: Buckeyes by 12.
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Injury report
Michigan: Out: WR Tarik Black (foot); DL Donovan Jeter (lower body). Questionable: QB Brandon Peters (concussion), CB Lavert Hill (concussion), QB Wilton Speight (neck), TE Nick Eubanks (head); DL Luiji Vilain (lower body), RB Ty Isaac (undisclosed), WR Nico Collins (leg).
Ohio State: Out: G Branden (leg). Questionable: LB Dante Booker (concussion). Probable: DB Jordan Fuller (leg).
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Scouting report
When Michigan has the ball: Plenty depends on who Michigan has standing under center Saturday. Brandon Peters was still in concussion protocol as of Wednesday and Wilton Speight had not received full-contact clearance. If neither can go, that means it'll be up to John O'Korn — who lost his spot to Peters a month ago — to pull off a huge upset. Regardless of the quarterback, though, Michigan's offensive line has to prove it can play well against a good team if the Wolverines want any hope. Ohio State ranks second in the Big Ten in tackles for loss (88) and has eight sacks over the past two weeks. Defensive linemen Nick Bosa, Tyquan Lewis and Sam Hubbard have combined to make 11 1/2 sacks this season and Ohio State has held six of its eight Big Ten foes to fewer than three yards per carry on the ground. Michigan will have to protect its quarterback and find a way to be better than the 1.57 yards per carry it generated last week at Wisconsin.
When Ohio State has the ball: This is, once again, one of the best offensive units in college football. Senior J.T. Barrett has thrown for 2,698 yards and 32 touchdowns. He has rushed for 605 yards and 8 scores. Running backs J.K. Dobbins and Mike Weber have combined to rush for 1,694 yards and 14 scores. Add it all up and OSU's offense ranks No. 4 nationally at 546.2 yards per game. The Buckeyes can beat teams at every level: In the power game, with the quarterback run and over the top. The only hitch has been Barrett's seven interceptions, but he's generally made up for his mistakes. The Buckeyes' version of a dud were 350- and 371-yard days against Oklahoma and Iowa, both losses. Turnovers have been their only real problem, as the Buckeyes turned it over five times in those losses to the Sooners and Hawkeyes.
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Know the foe
One more for Barrett: Believe it or not, Barrett will be out of eligibility after this season. Saturday will be Barrett's fourth start against Michigan, something rarely seen in this series (though Meyer's other top quarterback, Braxton Miller, did make three). Barrett's aerial numbers against Michigan have been up and down, but he has rushed for 353 yards and six touchdowns in this series. His feet have been the X-factor. Michigan has done a solid job of taking away the pass, but Barrett's ability to pick up first downs and make big plays with his feet has played a huge role in his 3-0 record against the Wolverines.
1-2-3 punch: This will be a three-headed rushing attack for the Buckeyes on Saturday. Barrett is flanked by Dobbins and Weber, a former Cass Tech standout. Dobbins has rushed for 1,089 yards on 149 carries (7.3 per attempt) as a freshman. Weber has come on lately after a slow start, picking up 270 of his 545 yards in the past two games. Dobbins is a lightning bolt, one of the quickest backs in the conference. Weber is no slouch either. It should be no surprise OSU leads the Big Ten with 26 rushes of 20 yards or more.
Covering the tight end: Iowa gave Ohio State fits earlier this month with its tight end pass attack. Michigan's best pass catching options? The tight ends. Plenty depends on the quarterback and how well he's protected, but there could be an opportunity for the Wolverines if they can establish a ground game. Iowa tight ends Noah Fant and T.J. Hockenson combined for nine catches, 125 yards and four TDs against OSU. Iowa also rushed for 243 yards in that game, making for a balanced offense. The hidden stat? Iowa allowed one sack and only three tackles for loss. For Michigan, it'll all start up front.
Two cents
Fix it: If there's any paint left on the walls inside Michigan's offensive line room, there shouldn't be. The Wolverines' front five has now watched two different starting quarterbacks leave games and head to the hospital. That's unacceptable. At some point, enough has to be enough. Say whatever you want about the quarterback situation in Ann Arbor, but until the offensive line can show an ability to keep a guy standing upright for more than two seconds at a time, nothing else will matter. It's gut check time for plenty of folks on this football team, but the offensive line comes first.
One recipe: Michigan has to play its best game of the season defensively and hope its offense can do something. That, in the end, appears to be the team's lone recipe for success Saturday. The Wolverines are going to have to hang in there longer than they did against Penn State and Wisconsin. This group has been very good all season, but it has to be lights out against the Buckeyes. No big plays, create turnovers whenever possible, no long drives. It's a lot to ask, but the Wolverines don't have much choice.
Prediction
If Peters were healthy and his offensive line showed an ability to keep him clean, I'd give Michigan a chance. But neither appear to be true. The Wolverines will no doubt empty their tank Saturday. They'll give Ohio State everything they have. They may even scare the Buckeyes. But there's not enough proven evidence in 2017 that suggests it'll be enough.
Pick: Ohio State 31, Michigan 10
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Contact Nick Baumgardner: nbaumgardn@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @NickBaumgardner.
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