Last week saw the Ohio State Buckeyes fall to the Michigan State Spartans. Just yesterday the Buckeyes fell to number 8 in the College Football Playoff Rankings. This weekend they will look to prove their worth once again as they head to take on the University of Michigan Wolverines.
After last week’s game Ohio State went into damage control as one of their leading players, running back Ezekiel Elliot launched a campaign of criticism against the play calling unit. The discontent shook the team as he let his feelings be known. It will be a tough game against a good team this weekend if they cannot find the wherewithal to work together.
Michigan will be looking to put the final nail in the coffin of Ohio State. They will attempt to kick them while they are down and put them out of the playoff running once and for all this season.
An outstanding Ohio State team lead by Urban Meyer looked to remain secure in their spot for the playoff’s heading into the game against Michigan State last week. Michigan State however would secure the upset by kicking a field goal in the final moments of the game. Previous to their loss they had been 23-0 over the last 2 seasons, the longest streak in the programs history.
On Tuesday the new National College Football Playoff Rankings were released and Ohio State dropped five spots to number 8. This fall from the top 3 has put them as underdogs to make it into the playoffs, however they aren’t completely out of the running yet.
If by some chance they can beat Michigan, and Michigan State fails to gain the win against Penn State then they could still win the Big Ten. Followed by another unlikely win again Iowa for the Conference title they might be able to get back into the playoffs. That however, is a dream scenario and if it happens it would be a season finale worth being made into a movie.
The most likely scenario is that Ohio State will continue to falter, and drop. Even if they can pick up the win this weekend they may not be able to make a playoff berth this year after being favored to do so for most of the year.
Why Michigan will win this weekend:
Ohio State is still in shambles as their team’s confidence was shattered. Still reeling from a loss at home, going on the road against a team that is hungry for blood will lead to disaster. The University of Michigan will be ready to take on Ohio State in their home territory and will know that they are currently a weakened team.
Urban Meyer or not, with players such Ezekiel Elliot making loud remarks shows there is a dishevelment among the team that spreads further than one player. The defense will remain strong, but Michigan’s preparation will cause them to have the edge up.
Though the game will probably stay in the lower numbers on the score board, with both teams being heavy on defense, odds are currently in favor of Michigan. Unless Ohio States does some hurried scrambling to pull their team back together they will find themselves at 10-2 after Saturday.