What they're saying before 'The Game': Ohio State bears 'mental scars of Michigan's recent dominance'

Michigan Wolverines football and Ohio State will square off Saturday afternoon in Columbus, for the 120th rendition of ‘The Game.’ Here’s a look around the internet at what they’re saying before kickoff.

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Bob Wojnowski, The Detroit News: Wojo’s Pigskin Picks: Buckeyes crave vengeance against UM, but they’d better get it now before price goes up

The Buckeyes are highly motivated and apparently still miffed about Michigan’s so-called “tactics” under Harbaugh, such as repeatedly ordering 70-yard touchdowns and playing an airhorn into the phone every time the NCAA called. The Buckeyes also are increasingly annoyed with Ryan “Blackbeard” Day, who could beat any team in America but tightens up against UM (1-3 record), top-five opponents (4-6) and snow flurries.

Day’s overall record (66-9) would be viewed much more favorably in Columbus if it were, say, 9-66 but with three straight victories over UM. It’s turning him into Cranky Ol’ Day, as he insists on picking fights with the elderly (Lou Holtz last year) and the crazy (Indiana’s Curt Cignetti).

The Buckeyes punched in a meaningless touchdown last week to remind Indiana it’s still Indiana and cap a 38-15 victory. Frankly, the Hoosiers needed to hear that message, but I’m not sure Day is qualified to be the Toughness Sheriff or lead the Toughness Police.

When asked about UM’s 30-24 victory a year ago, Day called it “one of the worst things that’s happened to me in my life,” apparently even worse than living in Ohio. If he thought that was difficult, imagine losing to first-year head coach Sherrone “Less Is” Moore and a UM team likely headed to the Pinstripe Bowl. To the fans, he’d become Ryan “Day by” Day.

Rainer Sabin, The Detroit Free Press: Michigan football may be the underdog. But Wolverines have psychological edge over Ohio State

The string of losses to Michigan has been an albatross for Day, who is 1-3 against the so-called Team Up North and 65-6 versus the rest of the competition. The setbacks have helped seed the idea his program is “soft,” and that it doesn’t have the will to compete in the trenches in the same way Michigan does. After the Wolverines outrushed Ohio State for the third straight year in a 30-24 victory last fall, then-Michigan receiver Roman Wilson delivered a parting shot to the Buckeyes that piggybacked on the narrative they lacked grit.

“You want to act hard. But when we’re out there, they’re not hard,” he said. “I see the film: You’re not tough.”

The comment reverberated into the offseason, when Day supplemented his talent-rich roster with a bevy of quality transfers, including rugged quarterback Will Howard (from Kansas State), hard-nosed safety Caleb Downs (from Alabama) and tenacious running back Quinshon Judkins (from Mississippi). Day was not only determined to exact revenge but to, in his words, “leave no doubt” while doing so.

Still, up until kickoff Saturday, and perhaps for several hours beyond, Day won’t know if he will be able to accomplish that goal. A feeling of uncertainty will continue to nip at him and most of their starters, who bear the mental scars of Michigan’s recent dominance.

The Wolverines, even though they are in decline, are not weighed down by the same emotional burden. Each day, the players are surrounded by reminders of their Ohio State conquests. A mural with snapshots of the ’21 and ’22 wins adorns a wall in the Schembechler Hall foyer. On Monday, it was in the eyesight of quarterback Davis Warren as he told reporters the Wolverines were planning to have “fun” and play “loose” on Saturday.

Nick Baumgardner, The Athletic: It’s Wink Martindale’s turn to slow down Ohio State. Is Michigan’s defense ready?

In some ways, this group reminds me of Brady Hoke’s last two teams, when a really good, albeit not great, defense was basically sabotaged by a bad offense. Jim Harbaugh went through this in 2017, as well. It’s only natural to wear out over time in that environment.

However, against Indiana, I thought we did see a difference. There were better run fits. The tackling wasn’t as sloppy. The coverage was tighter and players seemed to be more sure of what they were doing. And if they weren’t, they ran somewhere as fast as they could anyway. They hung in there and fought their tails off against one of the most efficient offenses in America and flipped the pressure equation — from their own sideline to Indiana’s. The recipe to beat Ohio State is the same as it’s always been: Muck the game up, turn touchdowns into field goals, get critical stops. The difference this year is Michigan’s offense will have to have the game of its life.

One thing I wasn’t a fan of early under Moore was the insistence that he and his players were simply carrying on this long-standing legacy of success built by Harbaugh. Nothing about that is accurate. Harbaugh had an elite three-year run, not an elite 10-year run. Most of the glue guys from that group are gone. The QB situation this year was the opposite of what it was last year. So while I understand wanting to establish high expectations, there was just way too much “business as usual” coming out of that building. I think we finally saw Michigan’s defense put its foot down and take personal ownership a bit against the Hoosiers. If the Wolverines are going to beat Ohio State, we’re going to have to finally meet Moore’s offense and not a discount copy of the one Harbaugh used here when he had a first-round QB.

Bill Bender, Sporting News: College football picks, predictions against the spread for Week 14, including Ohio State-Michigan, Texas-Texas A&M

This is a huge spread for The Game. The Buckeyes are the better team – and they are highly-motivated to end a three-game losing streak to the Wolverines. Michigan’s defense has allowed 50 yards rushing on 53 attempts in its last two games, so look for Ohio State to favor tempo with Will Howard in the short passing game. The Buckeyes’ defense will do the rest against a Wolverines’ passing attack that is non-threatening on the road and subject to game-changing turnovers. This game will resemble Michigan’s loss to Texas in Week 2, but the Buckeyes won’t call off the dogs late given the chance. That still is too many points for a rivalry game like this. 

Pick: Ohio State wins 30-13 but FAILS TO COVER the spread. 

Justin Williams, The Athletic: Week 14’s top 10 college football games: Texas-Texas A&M tops rivalry games with Playoff stakes

Practically speaking, Ohio State needs a win to secure its spot in the Big Ten title game against Oregon, but The Game obviously goes much deeper than that. These Buckeyes are on a mission to exorcise a number of demons, chief among them beating Michigan for the first time in four years. This isn’t the same contending Michigan program that has bested Ohio State the past three meetings, but in many ways that puts more pressure on the Buckeyes. Michigan, which still has a solid defense, will get up for this matchup, and Ohio State can’t afford to lose, even though it is safely in the Playoff with a loss. It may be a down year for Michigan, and Ohio State may have grander aspirations, but this game remains appointment viewing.

Tom Fornelli, CBS Sports: Ohio State vs. Michigan prediction, pick, spread, football game odds, where to watch, TV channel, live stream

It’s hard to think of the history of this rivalry and believe there will be a blowout, but I can’t help but shake that feeling. Michigan just hasn’t been good enough offensively this season to give me reason to believe it can keep this one close. Plus, considering the bad blood the Buckeyes have for the last three years, you have to think they’ll show little mercy late in the game. Take the Buckeyes to cover the betting line. Pick: Ohio State -21

Spencer Holbrook, Lettermen Row: Three Keys for Buckeyes in The Game against Michigan

Ohio State must play with emotion, not let emotion play with it
Ohio State is entering the most emotional game of the year. The Buckeyes are favored in it by three scores. Play well, they’ll win. Play too emotional and tight, and Michigan will hang around.

It’s paramount that the Buckeyes carry their emotions into the game, play with emotion — but not go overboard with it.

“This game is a war, and any time there’s a war, there are consequences and casualties, and then there’s the plunder and the rewards that come with it,” Day said. “That’s what it is. As we all say and I said in my [introductory] press conference, the No. 1 job is to win this game, so that’s the focus right now. I don’t want to get too much into the past, because we’re just focused on right now and we’ve worked really hard to get to this point.”