Teacher vs. pupil. Dear friends and fierce competitors, their legacies are linked.
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This year, there’s even more at stake when second-ranked Ohio State (10-1, 7-1 Big Ten) and No. 3 MI (10-1, 7-1) square off on Saturday at Ohio Stadium in Columbus (noon, ABC). “Their two losses are against top-three teams by a touchdown or less in each of those games”.
The obvious hitch is that No. 2 and No. 3 play each other this week in what appears to be an elimination game in Columbus.
Class of 2018 five-star running back and safety BJ Foster has told Maize n Brew that Ohio State is his leader and MI is second among all the schools that have offered. Before they delve into Saturday’s matchup though, Anthony sheds some light on what it’s like covering Jim Harbaugh, how even MI fans are surprised at how quickly he’s improved the program, and how successful coordinator hires have played a big role in their success. After turning around Stanford and taking the San Francisco 49ers to the Super Bowl, he returned to MI and needed just two seasons to make the Wolverines great again. “The committee is aware of what transpired in the Oklahoma State-Central Michigan football game”, Hocutt said, “but Oklahoma State is ranked 10th with a 9-2 record”.
Saturday at Penn State, the Spartans will be playing for pride and their second league win of the year.
For just the second time in his career, L.J. Scott can call himself Michigan State’s sole starting running back. This is the college football game that you just have to have on your screen when devouring the last of those Turkey Day leftovers around lunchtime on Saturday. But he and his proud program must upset Ohio State to show significant signs of progress this season.
“Everything takes time”, Scott said.
Four days before it was scheduled to face USC, Notre Dame was placed on one-year probation by the NCAA for academic misconduct. But the Big Ten and Pac-12 would be pissed to say the least.
They were gruff and uncompromising. If that happens, the Lions nearly certainly would make the playoffs if they win the Big Ten. It’s how you end a season that either sends you upward or plateaus you. “This is unreal”, MI offensive lineman Erik Magnuson said.
“He’s a goofy big brother”, Thomas said.
The output against the Buckeyes was expected for the OH native, but Scott and the offensive line have been putting it all together for several weeks now, something it hopes to do again this week and ride some momentum into the off-season.
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“I don’t know what I’m doing yet”, Peppers said. The other six ended in ties. Better yet for the Big Ten, the league might send two teams into the field – the Buckeyes and its champion, either the Nittany Lions or Wisconsin.
“To my eye, he has looked better every day”, MI coach Jim Harbaugh said.
“He is one of Bo’s boys”, Madej said. I think youll see both guys.. Alabama, Ohio State, Michigan and Clemson again took the top four spots.
BUCKEYES LOOKING GOOD – Ohio State could get shut out of the Big Ten championship game if Penn State, seventh in the committee’s rankings, beats Michigan State on Saturday. Either way, U-M is likely to turn to its run game, which averages 235.3 yards per game this year.
“The (Huskies’) strength of schedule is still in question”, Hocutt said.
No predictions for Jim Harbaugh this time around.
In typical Harbaugh fashion, he did not reminisce this week.
“I’ll just say I’m not into hypotheticals”, he replied. “Getting ready for the actual game”.
The first go around between the two last season, the Buckeyes went into the Big House and embarrassed the Wolverines 42-13. That’s how close they are to perfection.
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The committee places quite a bit of importance on conference championships but it’s hard to imagine Ohio State winning Saturday and dropping from No. 2 to out of the playoffs.
