In the 1970s, the rivalry between the Michigan Wolverines and Ohio State Buckeyes was called “The Ten-Year War.” Seven years into Jim Harbaugh’s tenure as head coach of the Maize and Blue, his team’s experience against the Buckeyes has been less of a war, and more like an occupation.
Ohio State is 5-0 against Harbaugh and the Wolverines. This season, both teams enter their matchup with 10-1 records, but Michigan is staring up at its hated rivals, who are ranked No. 2 in the country. The winner of this contest will determine the champion of the BIG 10 East division and earn a matchup against either Iowa or Wisconsin for the conference title in Indianapolis on Dec. 4.
It could also go a long way in rewriting a sad narrative of Harbaugh’s success as a head coach at his alma mater. For many Michigan fans, if you can’t beat “that team down south,” you aren’t doing your job. Fans of OSU can be excused for not thinking of this as much of a rivalry. The Buckeyes are 19-2 against Michigan this millennium.
Oddsmakers have the Wolverines at least a touchdown underdog for their game against Ohio State at The Big House in Ann Arbor. It could be a wild slugfest between two high-octane offenses. As of Monday, DraftKings had the over/under at a staggering 63.
Here are more betting odds for Saturday’s game.
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Michigan Vs. Ohio State Betting Odds
| Sportsbook | Point spread | Moneyline | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| DraftKings | Buckeyes -8 (-115) Wolverines +8 (-105) |
Buckeyes -320 Wolverines +250 |
Over 64.5 (-110) Under 64.5 (-110) |
| BetMGM | Buckeyes -8.5 (-110) Wolverines +8.5 (-110) |
Buckeyes -350 Wolverines +260 |
Over 64.5 (+100) Under 64.5 (-120) |
| Caesars | Buckeyes -8.5 (-110) Wolverines +8.5 (-110) |
Buckeyes -320 Wolverines +250 |
Over 64.5 (-110) Under 64.5 (-110) |
| BetRivers | Buckeyes 9.5 (-109) Wolverines +9.5 (-112) |
Buckeyes -335 Wolverines +235 |
Over 64.0 (-109) Under 64.0 (-112) |
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No. 2 Ohio State At No. 6 Michigan Preview
The Buckeyes’ offense is ranked No. 1 in the country, putting up 47.2 points per game behind the masterful guidance of Heisman Trophy candidate QB C.J. Stroud. The Buckeyes just scored 56 points against Michigan State, a team the Wolverines let off the hook and allowed to come back to beat them.
The optics on this game point to yet another lopsided win by OSU over Michigan, even if Harbaugh insists this team is different. Led by QB Cade McNamara, the Wolverines can score too, but much of their damage has come against teams that were overmatched by the bigger Michigan team. McNamara had probably his most mistake-free game last week against Maryland and the Wolverines threw 59 points on the scoreboard, but how much of that is the talent of the Maize and Blue, and how much is the fact it came against Maryland?
Ultimately, this game will come down to whether or not Michigan’s defense can slow down the Ohio State offensive machine. The Buckeyes average 362 YPG in the air and nearly 200 more on the ground. While Harbaugh’s spirited defense (ranked 7th in the nation in preventing scoring) is the best he’s had in his tenure at Ann Arbor, what will they do when they’re faced with the speed and skill of the Buckeyes?
Both of these teams are well-coached, have superb playmakers on both sides of the ball, and have large positive margins in turnover differential. With more than 115,000 fans on hand to watch this famous rivalry game, and with so much at stake, it’s tempting to predict a close game and a historic finish. But I can’t do that. The trends are clear. Ohio State is the far superior team (again), and Michigan will suffer a humiliating fate again at the hands of their rivals.
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