Inside the Matchup: Michigan vs Ohio State

Michigan arrives at The Game with the same reality it has carried for a month: everything is still on the table, and every mistake shrinks the margin for keeping it there. At 9–2, the Wolverines have steadied themselves after the midseason stumble against USC, grinding out four straight wins behind a surging run game, an improving freshman quarterback, and a defense that has learned to win with volume pressure and timely stops. But now comes the measuring stick — the No. 1 team in the country, the program they’ve beaten four straight times, and the one opponent capable of shaping the legacy of this young roster in a single afternoon.