Michigan and Ohio State add another chapter to bitter rivalry

With their spot in the Big Ten Conference Championship Game assured, the seventh-ranked Ohio State Buckeyes now turn their attention to Saturday’s regular-season finale against the Michigan Wolverines. As well as Ohio State has performed this season, Michigan is simply hoping it can record the requisite six wins just to be eligible for bowl consideration, as the team comes in sporting a 5-6 record, 3-4 in conference. The Wolverines dropped a 23-16 decision at home to Maryland last weekend, saddling the team with a 3-5 mark since opening the campaign at 2-1.There is speculation that UM head coach Brady Hoke could be on his way out, but a huge win over the school’s most hated rival could grant him a stay. Ohio State is in the midst another successful campaign under head coach Urban Meyer, the team sitting at 10-1 overall, which includes a perfect 7-0 league ledger. The Buckeyes are riding a nine-game win streak, with their latest triumph coming in a 42-27 decision against visiting Indiana last Saturday. It was the 23rd consecutive Big Ten regular-season victory for OSU (conference record), which will face the winner of Saturday afternoon’s clash between Wisconsin and Minnesota in the league’s title tilt. Ohio State has won three straight division crowns, and will be appearing in its second consecutive conference championship game. This bout marks the 111th meeting between these two storied programs, and the series is all even at 45-45-4. Michigan came oh so close to upsetting the Buckeyes last season inside the Big House, as a failed two-point conversion to win the game left the team with a 42-41 defeat. Michigan tallied nearly 400 yards of total offense, Michigan let a third- quarter lead slip away as it dropped a seven-point decision to Maryland in last week’s home finale. The Wolverines used a potent rushing attack to keep the Terrapins back on their heels, as Drake Johnson ran for 94 yards and Devin Gardner added 82 and a score, the team averaging 6.5 ypc. Gardner threw for only 106 yards in completing 13-of-24 passes, and he failed to connect on a scoring strike while being intercepted once and sacked twice…

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