ANN ARBOR, Mich. – Rivalry week is here for the No. 18-ranked Michigan Wolverines as they prepare to host the No. 1-ranked Ohio State Buckeyes inside Michigan Stadium.
“The Game” is set for Saturday, Nov. 29, at high noon, with both teams having significant stakes on the line.
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The stakes are higher than ever compared to 2024, when Michigan played for pride with nothing on the line, finishing with an 8-6 record.
Michigan enters the game with a 9-2 record, and a victory would give them a chance to secure a spot in the College Football Playoff and compete for the Big Ten Championship.
A loss would likely send Michigan to a New Year’s Six bowl game, which is still an accomplishment, as Team 146 would have finished with a 9-3 record while playing with a ton of freshmen on both sides of the ball.
Ohio State aims to clinch its place in the Big Ten Championship, maintain an undefeated season, and end its losing streak against Michigan.
Head coach Sherrone Moore addressed the high stakes of the matchup, emphasizing the playoff implications absent last year.
“I think that’s something you talk about. It’s something guys know, they acknowledge, they understand the importance of this game that it’s different than last year,” Moore said.
Moore highlighted the team’s awareness of what is at stake.
“You’re playing for something big, and that’s what you want. We always talked about ‘They remember November’ and to be able to play for that, play for a spot possibly in the playoff and even in the Big Ten Championship. Like all those things are at hand, and our kids deserve to know that they’re in that position,” Moore said.
Moore stressed the importance of preparation despite the pressure.
“We’ll talk about it, but at the end of the day, we still have to go prepare,” Moore said.
When asked about his ability to meet the moment in big rivalry games, Moore credited his players.
“It ain’t me, it’s the kids, man. I’m not out there playing. I love it. I love doing this. I love being a part of this team, and we worked tirelessly as staff to go win these games, but it’s not me. It’s those kids that step out on the field,” Moore said.
Since 2021, Michigan has won four consecutive games against the Buckeyes, including a monumental upset in the 2024 season.
Michigan traveled to Columbus and defeated what many considered the greatest college football team of all time, 13-10.
Remarkably, Michigan won despite lacking offensive firepower, starting a walk-on quarterback, and missing star players, including the NCAA College Football 24 cover athlete, a top-15 NFL draft pick at tight end, and a CFP MVP at cornerback.
Although preparation will be the key factor in upsetting Ohio State once again, Moore called on fans to create an unprecedented atmosphere inside the Big House during his press conference on Monday (Nov. 24).
“We want it to be the loudest, most rabid, craziest, energetic environment that we’ve had in Michigan Stadium ever,” Moore said. “That’s what we want it to be.”
Moore emphasized the importance of fan energy peaking on game day.
“I don’t know what the decimals have been or what they could be, but we needed them to reach peak on Saturday,” Moore said.
Moore outlined the keys to winning Saturday’s rivalry game.
“One, you’ve got to win the line of scrimmage. Always got to do that,” Moore said.
Moore stressed the importance of blocking out distractions.
“You can’t let outside variation, outside things, outside noise control the preparation and the progress of what we’re doing and the process of what we’re doing,” Moore said.
Moore acknowledged the many distractions on game day, including ESPN College GameDay and the Big Noon Kickoff, but emphasized the importance of focus.
“At the end of the day, we’ve got to channel our focus on our preparation. And that’s how you win, you know, prepare the way we prepared for those last three games,” Moore said.
As of Nov. 25, the Wolverines are 11.5 home underdogs for The Game at home in Ann Arbor.