What they're saying ahead of Michigan's high-stakes showdown with Ohio State

No. 5 Michigan Wolverines football is set to host No. 2 Ohio State Saturday afternoon with a berth to the Big Ten championship game hanging in the balance.

Here’s a look around the country at what they’re saying ahead of the next chapter of the greatest rivalry in all of sports.

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Bob Wojnowski, The Detroit News: Wojo: Jim Harbaugh revived Wolverines, now driven to reinvigorate Buckeye rivalry

The lopsidedness began long before Jim Harbaugh arrived, but he’s the face of it now, determined to reignite the competitiveness. Michigan has another shot, even a legitimate one. It’s arguably the most impressive achievement of Harbaugh’s tenure, clawing from misery back to contention. When No. 2 Ohio State (10-1) and No. 5 Michigan (10-1) collide in the Big House on Saturday, every conceivable prize will be on the line, including a possible Big Ten title and playoff berth.

Michigan hasn’t won the Big Ten since 2004. Ohio State has won it four straight seasons and totes a 25-game winning streak against conference foes. If it’s possible to reverse the course of a rivalry in one afternoon, this would be it.

To change the ending, Harbaugh knew he had to change the beginning. He ramped up the rivalry rhetoric, recharged himself and completely shuffled his coaching staff. It was reactive but felt proactive. After Michigan’s COVID-affected 2-4 season, his contract was slashed and the heat rose, and he made an unabashed vow. At Big Ten media days in the summer, he said the goal was to beat Ohio State and win the championship, “And we’re going to do it or die trying.”

Few believed it. The Wolverines were picked to finish fourth in the East division and perhaps win seven games. And now?

“It’s here,” Harbaugh said this week. “It’s happening.”

Bill Shea, The Athletic: Sports on TV: NFL Thanksgiving, Ohio State-Michigan expected to drive huge viewership

Last weekend, Michigan routed unranked Maryland 59-18, and the Buckeyes are coming off a shocking 56-7 dismantling of very much ranked Michigan State, which had knocked off Michigan two weeks prior in a game that averaged 9.28 million viewers for Fox’s “Big Noon Saturday.” That’s the biggest college football viewership so far this season, but it’s likely to tumble to second after Saturday.

And it could soon be a distant second.

“Ohio State-Michigan should easily deliver the top audience of the college season. No game has cracked the 10 million mark yet, and 10 million is probably the floor when it comes to this rivalry when both teams are ranked in the top 10,” said Jon Lewis, who has tracked such numbers since 2006 at Sports Media Watch.

The last regular-season college football broadcast to broach 10 million viewers was Clemson-Notre Dame in prime time last November on NBC.

Patrick Crakes, a former Fox Sports exec turned media consultant, predicts a significantly larger audience: 16.2 million viewers, which would be the game’s best viewership in five years.

“The game is certain to produce the highest regular-season viewing by far for the 2021 college football season and should be up a big 31 percent versus 2019’s 13.2 million,” he said. “In fact, this Saturday’s version of the Buckeyes and the Wolverines should produce the highest viewing since 2016 when Michigan was ranked No. 3 and Ohio State No. 2 and pulled 16.8 million viewers.”

The last regular-season college game to produce a number like that was 2019’s Week 11 LSU-Alabama game, which averaged 16.64 million for a mid-afternoon kickoff on CBS.

Jeff Seidel, Detroit Free Press: Why Michigan football must keep it close vs. Ohio State, prove this year was not a mirage

Scenario 1: Michigan upsets the Buckeyes
If Michigan beats Ohio State, Harbaugh deserves all the credit in the world.

Because the Buckeyes are favored and have more talent than the Wolverines.

It would be validation that Harbaugh made all the right moves, bringing in a younger staff and making changes in his program.

It would feel like a new beginning, the start of a new chapter and give Harbaugh a chance to rewrite his legacy, putting a wash of glow back on this program. It wouldn’t wipe away the previous losses to the Buckeyes, but it would pump even more life into this program and give the Wolverines an amazing opportunity to play for a Big Ten title, if not more.

But most of all, it would prove that this talk about “brotherhood” is for real.

“This is the game you come to Michigan play,” said Michigan captain Andrew Vastardis. “It’s a great, great matchup we have ahead of us and a great opportunity.”

Bill Bender, Sporting News: Ohio State vs. Michigan odds, prediction, betting trends for The Game on FOX

This is Michigan’s best shot to end the drought since 2016, but there are striking differences between the teams since 2016. The Wolverines have a new-look defense that has worked with a first-year coordinator, and the Buckeyes have moved away from the power running game out of the shotgun.

It’s a matter of Michigan making it a four-quarter game, and that is going to be difficult given the many ways Ohio State can attack an opponent. Look for Henderson to be an X-factor early. Michigan will hang around if the running game is clicking, but McNamara will have to play his best game of the season.

In the end, Ohio State simply is too much again. The Buckeyes advance to the Big Ten championship game for the fifth consecutive year with a chance to get back to the CFP for a third straight time with Day.

Final score: Ohio State 38, Michigan 26

Nick Baumgardner, The Athletic: Michigan’s ‘Beat Ohio’ drill: Will all the practice be enough to stop a Buckeyes freight train?

For Michigan defensively, this all comes back to the 9-on-7 drill. The “Beat Ohio” drill. Can you get off blocks, can you tackle and can you execute?

There is nowhere to hide against this team. It has no weakness. Michigan will have to be perfect Saturday. For the full 60. And even then, it’ll have to find something else. Which is why, every day, since the first day this football team worked together, it has put its nine best run defenders against its seven best on the other side and taken the temperature to see if it has the edge necessary to physically and mentally hang in a game like this.

That’s what it takes. Michigan’s football team believes it’s ready to show the world it’s finally learned that lesson.

Final exam starts Saturday at noon. Don’t be late.

Tom Fornelli, CBSSports.com: Ohio State vs. Michigan: Prediction, pick, football game odds, spread, live stream, watch online, TV channel

It’s so hard to go against the Buckeyes in this game. Even though I think this is the most complete Michigan team that Jim Harbaugh has had, after seeing the way the Buckeyes have flipped the switch the last two weeks, I don’t think the Wolverines are good enough. They have an excellent defense and pass rush, but they’ve yet to face an offense even close to the caliber of Ohio State’s. If the Wolverines fall behind, they’ll have to abandon their strengths in an effort to keep up. So I’m laying the points with the Buckeyes while hoping the game is much closer. Prediction: Ohio State (-8)

The Athletic College Football Staff, The Athletic: College football Week 13 roundtable preview: Predictions for Ohio State-Michigan, Bedlam, upsets and more

Chris Vannini: It’s gotta be No. 2 Ohio State at No. 5 Michigan (noon ET Saturday, Fox). It’s a top-five matchup with a division title and Playoff hopes on the line. Can Jim Harbaugh finally get over the hump? Or will this be yet another Ohio State offensive blitz? We’ve seen this story over and over again. Do we get the same ending? I can’t help but get sucked in again.

Mitch Sherman: No doubt, Ohio State at Michigan. I saw them both win close games at Nebraska and was struck by their different, but equally effective, styles. The Buckeyes have taken their play to another level late in this season. Meanwhile, Michigan and Harbaugh are flying under the radar, almost entirely because the coach has not beaten Ohio State. The outcome will define his success in this rebound season for the Wolverines.

Matt Brown: I’m excited for both marquee games mentioned above, but just to be different, I’m going to make sure to give the Iron Bowl some love here. No. 3 Alabama visits Auburn (3:30 ET Saturday, CBS) as a heavy favorite with Bo Nix injured and the Tigers’ season going into the tank, but wouldn’t Auburn like nothing more than to spoil Alabama’s Playoff hopes before it even gets to the SEC title game? Nick Saban is 3-7 in Jordan-Hare Stadium, and though this isn’t the same caliber of Auburn team that has beaten Alabama there in recent years, the Tigers do have enough defensive talent to put some pressure on the Crimson Tide. Maybe it’s wishful thinking to believe this game will be interesting, but Alabama has struggled to put away several SEC opponents.

Bruce Feldman, The Athletic: Bruce Feldman’s Week 13 college football picks against the spread

As explosive as OSU’s offense is, the Wolverines pass rush is nasty, and I think it can cause all sorts of issues for C.J. Stroud. Michigan’s running backs will do some damage, but ultimately the Buckeyes’ skill guys are just too good for this secondary.

Ohio State 34, Michigan 30
Pick: Michigan +8.5

Stewart Mandel, The Athletic: Stewart Mandel’s Week 13 college football picks against the spread

The last time I was convinced Michigan would beat Ohio State, the Wolverines lost 62-39. I don’t see this year’s experienced Michigan team imploding like that, but this year’s Ohio State offense is something to behold. The past two weeks spotlighted C.J. Stroud and his receivers; this week will be running back TreVeyon Henderson’s day to shine.

Ohio State 38, Michigan 27
Pick: Ohio State -8.5