COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — A core of Ohio State upperclassmen who have never beaten Michigan couldn't walk away with that shame.
Receiver Emeka Egbuka, running back TreVeyon Henderson, defensive ends Jack Sawyer and J.T. Tuimoloau, and other NFL draft-eligible stars decided to come back for another chance to beat “That Team Up North” — as Michigan is known in Columbus — and compete for a conference title and a national championship.
Those players have lost to their despised rival three times.
No. 5 Michigan beat the No. 2 Buckeyes 42-27 at Ann Arbor in 2021. Ohio State was No. 2 again in 2022 when the No. 3 Wolverines humiliated the Buckeyes 45-23 at the Horseshoe.
Last year, Ohio State was No. 2 when quarterback Kyle McCord threw an interception in Michigan territory with 25 seconds left. The No. 3 Wolverines won the game 30-24 and, amid a sign-stealing scandal, went on to win the Big Ten championship game and a national title in the College Football Playoff.
This time, No. 2 Ohio State (10-1, 7-1 Big Ten, No. 2 CFP) faces an unranked Michigan team (6-5, 4-4) on Saturday that has nothing to play for except extending its dominance over the Buckeyes, whose fans have not enjoyed a home win in the rivalry since 2018.
“It’ll be as hostile as it’s ever been there this weekend,” Michigan coach Sherrone More said. “I think our guys embrace it.”
Ohio State has everything on the line. A win will send the Buckeyes to the Big Ten championship for the first time since 2020 and a rematch with No. 1 Oregon, which last month dealt them their only loss in a 32-31 thriller.
A conference title also would give the Buckeyes a first-round bye in the playoff.
Egbuka couldn't be more ready for this year edition of The Game.
“Just seeing all the hardships that people who I love have had to go through, including my teammates, my head coach, and (Michigan) fans being nasty to my parents as we’re leaving the stadium,” the fourth-year receiver said. "There’s a lot of emotions I feel towards this moment, so I’m trying to harness those and just let it all rip on the field on Saturday.”
Sawyer grew up in suburban Columbus, so the fourth-year defensive lineman has lived the rivalry longer than most of his teammates.
“This is what we do it for right here," he said. "We want this one so bad.”
Ohio State quarterback Will Howard said before the season that he didn't think he had to be a hero. He just had to distribute the ball accurately to Ohio State's elite playmakers. He's has done that at a historic rate.
The Kansas State transfer has a completion rate of at least 80% in six games this year. No other Ohio State quarterback has done that. He completed his first 14 passes in a row against Indiana and finished with an 85% completion rate. His rate for the season is 74%, the best in the nation.
Davis Warren has gone from being diagnosed with leukemia to starting at quarterback for Michigan in The Game.
Davis beat out Alex Orji for the job last summer and after starting in three games, he was benched in favor of two other options. Davis was given another chance and has made the most of it, earning a fifth straight start this week.
“It’s really a great opportunity for us,” he said. “We know that. I can’t wait.”
There were questions about how an Ohio State offensive line reshuffled because of injuries would stack up against Indiana last week. There was some handwringing, especially when center Seth McLaughlin suffered a season-ending knee injury in practice.
The patched-together line wasn't perfect, but it was certainly good enough.
Howard had a lot of clean pockets while completing 22 of 26 passes for 201 yards and two TDs. Howard wasn't sacked, and Indiana recorded only three tackles for a loss.
Michigan might be without a banged-up preseason All-America player on both sides of the ball. Tight end Colston Loveland was injured last week, and cornerback Will Johnson has been out for more than a month with an injury.
The Wolverines have played six straight quarters without giving up a touchdown, dating to the first half of their 20-15 loss at Indiana. Ohio State presents their stiffest challenge yet.
“They don’t like us, we don’t like them,” Michigan defensive back Quentin Johnson said. “Being able to go into Columbus and embrace that villain role, even embrace being the underdog in a moment like this, is something that is very motivating.”
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AP Sports Writer Larry Lage contributed to this report.
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