Ohio State vs Michigan: 5 reasons Wolverines defeat Buckeyes

3. Their explosive tailbacks

Even if Wilton Speight is ready to go, Michigan’s rushing attack will be a big part of their gameplan. Mike Weber has been great, but he’s no Ezekiel Elliott, and the Wolverines can match Ohio State’s success on the ground.

The best part about Michigan’s run game is that it’s unpredictable. They have a ton of options in that backfield, and all of them bring something different to the table. De’Veon Smith is their lead tailback, who has demonstrated tons of explosiveness in his running ability. Last week against Indiana, he had two rushing touchdowns of 34 and 39 yards. He’s a big play threat who is capable of going off at the drop of a hat.

Prior to that game, Khalid Hill had the most touchdowns out of the backfield. He’s their fullback, and despite having 36 rushing yards on the season, he has nine touchdowns. He’s as dependable of a red zone threat as they come, and when he’s not punching it in himself at the goal line, he’s blocking. After that, you’ve got Chris Evans, Ty Isaac, Karan Higdon, and yes, Jabrill Peppers who have all recorded multi-touchdown games.

While Ohio State’s secondary is excellent, they have 17 interceptions on the year, their weakness is stopping the run. Going through the list, Joe Mixon, Corey Clement, Saquon Barkley, and LJ Scott all caused the Buckeyes trouble on the ground. The Wolverines will no doubt study tape on all of those backs and try to repeat their formula, as well as use what’s worked for them, to prepare for their showdown.