COLUMBUS, Ohio — Rivalry week has arrived. It's Ohio State vs. Michigan. No. 2 vs. No. 3. A pot in the Big Ten Championship Game is on the line. Could we ask for a bigger game?
Head coach Ryan Day and defensive coordinator Jim Knowles spoke to the media Tuesday afternoon ahead of this week's matchup.
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OHIO STATE VS. MICHIGAN: WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
*Info provided by Ohio State Athletics
- Ohio State is seeking a sixth Big Ten championship game appearance while Michigan is looking for a repeat trip to Indianapolis to defend its 2021 title.
- Ohio State has not lost a Big Ten game at Ohio Stadium since the 2015 season (Michigan State; 17- 14) and has won 29 consecutive conference games at home.
- Ohio State football will honor 23 seniors who will be in Ohio Stadium one final time as players.
- Ohio State has Top 10 rankings in both total offense (8th; 492.7) and total defense (9th; 283.4).
- The Buckeye offense is scoring 46.8 points per game – 2nd nationally – and has scored 52 of 54 times in the red zone for the second-highest percentage in the country (.963).
The Game: by the numbers
- This is the 118th Ohio State/Michigan game and the longest running rivalry for each school.
- The Covid-19 pandemic caused this game to be cancelled in 2020, one of three such can-celled games for Ohio State that year. This week’s game is, thus, Michigan’s first game in Ohio Stadium since 2018.
- Michigan leads the all-time series in wins, 59-51-6 including a 32-24-4 record in Ann Arbor. The series is tied in Columbus: 27-27-2.
- Ohio State has won eight consecutive games over Michigan at Ohio Stadium, dating to a 38-26 Wolverine win in 2000.
- Since 1951, Woody Hayes’ first season as Ohio State’s head coach, the Buckeyes lead the series 39-28-2.