By the numbers: Michigan, Ohio State enter 'The Game' both undefeated for fifth time; five Buckeye trends to know
For the second straight season, it’ll be 11-0 vs. 11-0 when No. 3 Michigan Wolverines football takes on No. 2 Ohio State. Since the two bitter rivals began playing on the regular season’s final weekend in 1935, they’ve met both undefeated just four times, with the occurrences coming in 1970, 1973, 2006 and 2022.
Ohio State won in 1970 and 2006, the 1973 game ended in a 10-10 tie and the Wolverines beat down the Buckeyes, 45-23, last November in Columbus. That was Michigan’s first win at Ohio Stadium since 2000.
This will be the 13th meeting between the Wolverines and Buckeyes in which both teams are ranked inside the Associated Press top five, marking the most AP top-five matchups for any rivalry in the sport. Ohio State holds a 7-5-1 record in those games, but Michigan has won four of the last six. Additionally, U-M has come out on top in nine of the last 13 games that the teams played with both in the top 10.
| Year | Location | Result |
| 1942 | Columbus | No. 5 Ohio State 21, No. 4 Michigan 7 |
| 1968 | Columbus | No. 2 Ohio State 50, No. 4 Michigan 14 |
| 1970 | Columbus | No. 5 Ohio State 20, No. 4 Michigan 9 |
| 1973 | Ann Arbor | No. 4 Michigan 10, No. 1 Ohio State 10 |
| 1974 | Columbus | No. 4 Ohio State 12, No. 3 Michigan 10 |
| 1975 | Ann Arbor | No. 1 Ohio State 21, No. 4 Michigan 14 |
| 1977 | Ann Arbor | No. 5 Michigan 14, No. 4 Ohio State 6 |
| 1997 | Ann Arbor | No. 1 Michigan 20, No. 4 Ohio State 14 |
| 2003 | Ann Arbor | No. 5 Michigan 35, No. 4 Ohio State 21 |
| 2006 | Columbus | No. 1 Ohio State 42, No. 2 Michigan 39 |
| 2016 | Columbus | No. 2 Ohio State 30, No. 3 Michigan 27 |
| 2021 | Ann Arbor | No. 5 Michigan 42, No. 2 Ohio State 27 |
| 2022 | Columbus | No. 3 Michigan 45, No. 2 Ohio State 23 |
This is only the third top-five clash for Michigan inside The Big House since 2003, regardless of opponent. The last two have come against the Buckeyes, wins in 2021 and 2003.
The environment at Michigan Stadium for the 42-27 triumph in 2021, U-M’s first over Ohio State since 2011, was electric. Junior quarterback J.J. McCarthy said this week that he’s hoping for more of the same Saturday.
“It was cinema. It really was just a movie, with the snow falling, with the crowd,” McCarthy said. “I felt like the crowd, it was really one heartbeat that was meshed with the team. Everything about it was just magical, and I don’t expect anything less this weekend.”
McCarthy has never been a part of a Michigan loss at home. The Wolverines haven’t slipped up at The Big House since the 2020 season, when there were limited spectators allowed at Big Ten venues due to the response to a pandemic. Michigan has won 21 straight at home, the program’s longest streak since 1969-73 and the third-longest in program history.
Coming into the year, Michigan had won 11-plus games in a season only 11 times in program history, with this season being the 12th. It’s the first time the Wolverines have won 11 contests in three-straight campaigns since a four-year stretch from 1901-04 in which they went 43-0-1 and were crowned national champions four consecutive seasons.
By the numbers: Five Ohio State trends to know
• 1 — 499 Rushing yards over the last four games since returning from injury for Ohio State junior running back TreVeyon Henderson, averaging 6.7 yards per carry. In that span, he’s scored 5 of his 10 rushing touchdowns for the season. Henderson played in the first four games of the year before going down, totaling 295 yards on 44 carries.
• 2 — 10.3 Yards per pass attempt for Ohio State junior quarterback Kyle McCord at home, compared to 7.8 on the road. All 4 of McCord’s interceptions this season have come away from the Horseshoe.
McCord has a Big Ten-worst 28.0 PFF passing grade while under pressure, averaging 4 yards per attempt and completing only 38 percent of his passes when facing heat.
At Notre Dame, McCord was pressured on 40.5 percent of his dropbacks. He completed 7 of his 16 attempts for 52 yards (3.3 yards per pass). At Wisconsin, he was 4-for-11 for 46 yards (4.2) with 1 touchdown and 2 interceptions while under pressure.
• 3 — 17 Third-down receptions for 203 yards for Ohio State junior wideout Marvin Harrison Jr. during conference games, with both marks ranking second in the Big Ten. He leads the league with 6 touchdown catches on third down, with the next-best having only 3 (in conference play).
• 4 — 8 Opponents have been held to less than 4 yards per rush against the Buckeyes, but Notre Dame (4.5) and Rutgers (5.4) found some success. The Irish amassed 176 yards on 39 carries and Rutgers 232 on 43.
• 5 — 8.8 Points allowed per game over the last six contests for the Ohio State defense. The last two opponents, Michigan State and Minnesota, had only 3 points a piece. Penn State (12), Wisconsin (10) and Rutgers (16) reached double digits, and Purdue put up 7.
This is an elite outfit led by defensive coordinator Jim Knowles, and it’s vastly improved from last season in that it doesn’t give up many big plays. Last season, Ohio State gave up 52 plays of 20-plus yards (tied 48th nationally), 25 of 30-plus (tied 66th) and 18 of 40-plus (tied 115th). This year through 11 outings, the Buckeyes have allowed 97 of 10-plus (fourth), 25 of 30-plus (third), eight of 30-plus (third) and one of 40-plus (first).
