We are all products of our experience and we all have bias. All of us have watched so many versions of this game through the years and all of us have watched these two football teams play so many games and it taints and skews our view of the match-up. Before these two teams play, we are all filled with memories of past games and the history of these two great programs. Even former players and well-paid college football analysts are subject to the same biases. I have several well-known and well-paid analysts saying things like, “well Ohio State has a much better record in top-5 match-ups like this one” OR “Michigan has a tendency over the years to do _____ in games like this”. The problem is that all of those historical paradigms mean nothing in this year’s game. I even heard one analyst say, “well remember this Buckeye just narrowly lost to Georgia in last year’s national semi-final game. They were only a few inches on a field goal away from winning the National Championship. And they said this, as if this was the same exact Ohio State Buckeye team. When in fact, they were speaking about last year’s team. And just because several of the players are the same. It’s not the same team. And if you watch Ohio State play this year, the 2023 version of the Ohio State Buckeyes is a LOT different than the 2022 or 2021 versions of the Ohio State Buckeyes. And the main reason is Quarterback play. Ohio State has a solid college Quarterback this year in Kyle McCord. But he is basically a pure drop-back passer. Think the Ohio State version of Chad Henne or Brian Griese. I would say that Kyle McCord reminds me a lot of Chad Henne. So a damn good quarterback but much different than C.J. Stroud or Justin Fields or J.T. Barrett or Braxton Miller. Michigan-Ohio State QB Match-ups: 2023 Kyle McCord vs. J.J. McCarthy 2022 C.J. Stroud vs. J.J. McCarthy 2021 C.J. Stroud vs. Cade McNamara 2019 Justin Fields vs. Shea Patterson 2018 Dwayne Haskins vs. Shea Patterson 2017 J.T. Barrett (Dwayne Haskins) vs. John O’Korn 2016 J.T. Barreett vs. Wilton Speight 2015 J.T. Barrett vs. Jake Rudock 2014 J.T. Barrett vs. Devin Gardner 2013 Braxton Miller vs. Devin Gardner 2012 Braxton Miller vs. Devin Gardner 2011 Braxton Miller vs. Denard Robinson 2010 Terrelle Pryor vs. Denard Robinson 2009 Terrelle Pryor vs. Tate Forcier 2008 Terrelle Pryor vs. Nick Sheridan 2007 Todd Boeckman vs. Chad Henne (injured) 2006 Troy Smith vs. Chad Henne I’m not going to also list all of the running back match-ups but suffice to say, those have also often been a mis-match with Ohio State featuring future NFL starters like Ezekiel Elliott and J.K. Dobbins among others, while Michigan was countering with solid players but not future NFL players like Fitzgerald Toussaint or Karan Higdon. This year, TreVeyon Henderson may be #1 but Michigan with Blake Corum and Donovan Edwards is certainly on par with Henderson and Chip Trayanum. The 2023 Ohio State team has been really led by its defense and the likely Biletnikoff winner Marvin Harrison, Junior, but they have also been plagued with red-zone scoring issued, inconsistent offensive line and Quarterback play, difficulty regularly moving the ball. Ohio State has played poorly in road games at Ohio State, Wisconsin and Rutgers and needed to mount comebacks in those games, really led by their defense. I believe the # 1 unit on the Michigan Football team is the defensive line. I believe that it is probably the best defensive line that Michigan has ever had, featuring at a minimum 3 future NFL players and possibly as many as 5 or 6 future NFL players. I think this unit will flex its muscle on Saturday and show the country just how dominant that they can be and they will make Kyle McCord’s life miserable. My biggest concerns: • Health of J.J. McCarthy, Roman Wilson and O-line • Linebackers • Missing Coach Harbaugh and Coach Chris Partridge The Michigan Wolverines team remains really angry and highly motivated to quiet a nation full of doubters and haters. There are no certainties in life or in football, only scenarios and probabilities Michigan wins in a blowout - 25% Michigan wins a close game - 40% Ohio State wins a close game - 25% Ohio State wins in a blowout - 10%