I feel things are remarkably similar to how they were last year. Michigan remains better on both lines and Ohio State remains better at all skill positions outside of Running Back… if two similar teams play in one week at site A and team A wins 42-27, I don’t think a rematch the next week at site B in slightly better weather would have a drastically different outcome. B might win some number of games out of 10, but they shouldn’t be blowing A out… Expand that out 364 days, and so long as it holds true (which admittedly requires that Corum and/or Edwards is playing and that JJ can play at least on par with Cade), I don’t see why it’s not still true.
I understand the inclination to say Ohio State will win because they’re Ohio State and they always win. That’s where I was at last year. There were reasons to expect a tight game last year that were largely ignored, because there was no point. It was just like every other UM/OSU matchup in the last 20 years where OSU had something meaningful to play for. OSU was going to kill Michigan. Again. Until they didn’t.
Will Ohio State “care more” than Michigan? Who knows. I am pretty confident that Michigan cares too. And as much is made out of emotions and the rivalry, if you look back at history, the better team has won far more often than there is an emotional upset. At the end of the day it’s a college football game.
I expect a really close game that leaves the national media wanting them both in the playoff.