By the numbers: Michigan, Ohio State enter 'The Game' undefeated together for the fourth time

No. 3 Michigan Wolverines football will take on No. 2 Ohio State Saturday in Columbus (noon ET on FOX) for all the marbles. The winner heads to Indianapolis for the Big Ten Championship game and is almost guaranteed to earn a College Football Playoff bid. The loser will have to wait eight long days to learn its fate determined on selection Sunday, Dec. 4.

With both teams 11-0, this is just the fourth time since 1935 — when Michigan and Ohio State began playing on the regular-season’s final weekend — that both squads are undefeated heading into the matchup. Michigan and Ohio State were both undefeated entering ‘The Game’ in 1970, 1973 and 2006.

Ohio State has won two of those three meetings, in 1970 and 2006. The 1973 matchup ended in a 10-10 tie.

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In 1970, the Buckeyes avenged their 1969 loss at Michigan Stadium with a 20-9 victory in Columbus. The Wolverines averaged 31 points per game coming in, but were held to single digits. They ran for only 37 rushing yards.

The 1973 meeting didn’t come without subsequent controversy. The winner was set to go to the Rose Bowl, but since there wasn’t a victor at The Big House that Saturday, the Big Ten turned to a vote of the athletic directors to select the league’s representative in Pasadena.

The Buckeyes edged the Wolverines out in the final tally (had it been tied, Michigan would’ve been sent to the Rose Bowl since Ohio State went the prior year).

The 2006 rendition of the rivalry was dubbed ‘The Game of the Century,’ a No. 1 (Ohio State) vs. No. 2 (Michigan) matchup, winner to the national title game. The Buckeyes won a barnburner, 42-39, in Columbus, and Michigan didn’t get a rematch in the national championship, with the BCS instead selecting Florida, the eventual champion.

Who will break the tie in Columbus?

Michigan and Ohio State have played in Columbus 56 times, and it’s all knotted up, 27-27-2. One team will take the advantage this weekend. Michigan leads the series overall (59-52-6) and in Ann Arbor (32-24-4).

If the Wolverines do pull off the upset as one-touchdown underdogs, it’ll be quite the accomplishment. Mostly due to Ohio State being a great team in recent history, the Horseshoe is an extremely tough place to play.

The Buckeyes are winners of 29 consecutive Big Ten games and haven’t lost a conference tilt at the venue since 2015, a 17-14 setback to Michigan State. Their last overall loss at Ohio Stadium was to Oregon last September (35-28).

Ohio State has beaten Michigan eight straight times in Columbus, with U-M’s last win being a 38-26 triumph in 2000, led by quarterback Drew Henson.

There have been dramatic swings throughout the history of the rivalry. From 1985 to 2000, Michigan won 12 games to Ohio State’s three, with one tie in 1992. From that point forward, though, the Buckeyes have dominated the series, winning 17 of the last 20.

Michigan won last year’s game 42-27 at The Big House and is searching to win two in a row for the first time since 1999-2000.

By the numbers: Michigan vs. Ohio State

2 Straight 11-plus win seasons for Michigan, the first time the Wolverines have accomplished the feat since 1902 and 1903.

6 Different opponents have amassed 100 or more rushing yards on Ohio State, led by Northwestern (206). However, only one team, Wisconsin (5.5), has gained 4 or more yards per carry. Michigan ranks fourth in the country with 243.8 rushing yards per game with a season-low of 168 last week against Illinois. The Wolverines have rushed for over 4 yards per carry in every game this season.

9th Is where Michigan slots nationally in scoring offense, averaging 39.4 points per game. The Wolverines are 23rd in total offense (452.6 yards per game) and 99th in passing offense (208.8 yards per game).

9.7 Yards per pass attempt for Ohio State quarterback C.J. Stroud, which leads the nation. He’s completed 66.4 percent of his throws for 2,991 yards (19th) and 35 touchdowns (tied for first) with 4 interceptions. His mark improves to 16.4 yards per attempt on deep passes (20 or more air yards), according to Pro Football Focus. On such throws, he’s 23-of-51 for 836 yards with 8 touchdowns and 1 interception.

11 Straight games with a touchdown for Michigan junior running back Blake Corum. He’s the first U-M player to score at least one touchdown in 11 games in a season. He has 19 total touchdowns (18 rushing) with 1,457 rushing yards (third in the country). His 18 rushing scores are two shy of the program’s all-time single-season lead (20), set by Hassan Haskins (2021) and Ron Johnson (1968).

20th Or better is where Ohio State stands nationally in rushing offense (20th; 203.5 yards per game), passing offense (17th; 289.2 yards per game), scoring offense (tied first; 46.5 points per game) and total offense (tied eighth; 492.7).

22 Receivers in the country have surpassed the 900-yard receiving mark, and two reside in Columbus — wideouts Marvin Harrison Jr. (ninth in the country with 1,037) and Emeka Egbuka (22nd with 914). The 1,951 combined yardage total from those two receivers is just 346 yards shy of Michigan’s team passing yards total (2,297). U-M’s leading receiver is graduate Ronnie Bell with 48 catches for 641 yards and 2 scores.

35 Pressures for Michigan senior EDGE Mike Morris, which ranks tied for 39th nationally and slots third in the Big Ten among edge rushers. His 24.4 pressure rate in true pass sets leads the nation’s edge rushers. Morris missed the Illinois game with an injury and has appeared in 10 contests. His 7.5 sacks slot tied for 23rd in the land.

44.3 Is Michigan sophomore quarterback J.J. McCarthy‘s completion percentage over his last three games, against Rutgers, Nebraska and Illinois. He’s 39-of-88 passing for 488 yards and 4 touchdowns. For the season, McCarthy ranks 10th in the Big Ten with 177.5 passing yards per game, completing 66.8 percent of his throws with 14 touchdowns and 2 picks.

59th Is where Ohio State checked in nationally in total defense in 2021, before firing coordinator Kerry Coombs. The Buckeyes went with Jim Knowles, who was previously at Oklahoma State, to lead the unit, and the move has paid off to this point. The Buckeyes now rank ninth nationally in total defense, allowing just 283.4 yards per game, and 10th in scoring defense (16.9 points per game). Ohio State is 15th against the rush (107.9 yards per game) and 11th versus the pass (175.5 yards per game).

105 Tackles for Ohio State linebacker Tommy Eichenberg, ranking 14th in the country. His 12 stops behind the line of scrimmage slot tied for 33rd in the country.