Ohio State-Michigan Preview Capsule

Posted November 25, 2015 6:00 am

By The Associated Press

No. 8 Ohio State (10-1, 6-1 Big Ten, No. 8 CFP) at No. 12 Michigan (9-2, 6-1, No. 10 CFP)

Line: Michigan by 2

Series Record: Michigan leads 58-47-6

WHAT'S AT STAKE

Maybe just bragging rights in the first clash between Michigan's Jim Harbaugh and Ohio State's Urban Meyer. The winning players and coaches will walk off the field Saturday not knowing if they'll have a chance to play for a Big Ten championship. The Buckeyes and Wolverines need a win and a Michigan State loss, at home to Penn State later in the day, to get a spot in next week's conference title game.

KEY MATCHUP

Ohio State RB Ezekiel Elliott against Michigan's run defense. He lashed out about play calling and announced he wasn't coming back to school next year after last week's loss to Michigan State, and then apologized on Twitter. Elliott has run for 1,458 yards and 17 touchdowns this season after having 1,878 yards rushing and 18 scores last year. Michigan allowed Indiana's Jordan Howard to run for 238 yards and two TDs on 35 carries two weeks ago.

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Ohio State: DE Joey Bosa. The 6-foot-6, 275-pound Bosa junior might be the No. 1 pick in the NFL draft if he skips his senior season. He ranks among Ohio State's all-time leaders with 25 sacks and 49 1/2 tackles for losses in his career. Bosa will be trying to sack Jake Rudock, a teammate at St. Thomas Aquinas in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

Michigan: DB Jabrill Peppers. He has become a three-way star for the Wolverines, who may feature him on offense more than ever against Ohio State. Peppers is a big-play threat on kickoffs and punt returns. His primary role is as a versatile defensive back, but Harbaugh wants to get him on the field as much as possible.

FACTS & FIGURES

Ohio State has won three straight and 10 of 11 in the series, its most dominant stretch since winning 11 of 15 from 1954-1968 and leading Michigan to hire Bo Schembechler to face his mentor, Woody Hayes. ... Michigan will formally retire Desmond Howard's No. 21 during a ceremony in the first half of Saturday's game. ... Before losing to Michigan State, the defending national champion Buckeyes had won 23 straight overall and 30 consecutive in Big Ten regular season games.

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Online:

AP college football website: www.collegefootball.ap.org

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This story has been corrected to Jabrill Peppers.

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