Overview
- Both Jeremiah Smith and Carnell Tate traveled to Ann Arbor and practiced this week, with their official availability to be released two hours before the noon ET kickoff.
- Forecasts call for sub‑freezing temperatures, gusty winds and possible snow showers, raising the chance that weather affects passing efficiency and play‑calling.
- An Ohio State win secures a spot in the Big Ten title game and strengthens its College Football Playoff positioning, while Michigan seeks to keep its postseason hopes alive.
- The matchup pits Ohio State’s top‑ranked scoring defense (about 7.6 points allowed per game) and Heisman‑caliber QB Julian Sayin against Michigan’s run‑first approach with freshman Bryce Underwood.
- Michigan has won the past four meetings and is aiming for a fifth straight victory, a streak the program hasn’t achieved in this rivalry since the 1920s.