[ad_1]
Ohio State coach Ryan Day has an opportunity this weekend to do one thing he hasn’t completed in six years — beat Michigan.
The No. 1 ranked Buckeyes face the No. 18 Wolverines on Saturday, trying to protect their undefeated document. It is the fiftieth time for the reason that AP Ballot debuted in 1936 that each Ohio State and Michigan have been ranked on the time of “The Sport,” in line with ESPN Analysis. The Wolverines have a slight lead within the collection in ranked matchups at 23-22-4. Fortunately for Day, nevertheless, they do not have related success when dealing with a No. 1. Michigan is 3-18-1 when dealing with AP No. 1 opponents, together with a 1-3-1 document when Ohio State was the top-ranked staff. General, the Wolverines are on a 9 sport shedding streak in opposition to AP No. 1 opponents.
Even coming off a nationwide championship, Buckeye followers may not really feel a way of complete success till they beat their bitter rivals. Sadly for them, that hasn’t been the case beneath Day.
This is a take a look at the important thing numbers behind Day’s struggles in opposition to Michigan.
Zero: Video games are sometimes gained within the trenches, and the Buckeyes’ issues in opposition to the Wolverines begin there. Ohio State has recorded zero sacks in two of its final 4 video games in opposition to Michigan (2021 and 2024) — it solely had two such video games from 1996 to 2019.
The truth is, the Buckeyes have recorded solely 4 complete sacks in “The Sport” throughout the Day period.
4: Although the Buckeyes have gained a nationwide championship since hiring Day, they’ve additionally misplaced 4 straight in opposition to the Wolverines.
The streak appeared like it could finish final season when No. 2-ranked Ohio State hosted unranked Michigan. The Buckeyes had been favored by 21 factors, the widest level unfold for this rivalry since 1978, in line with ESPN Analysis, however they had been surprised in a 13-10 defeat.
Ohio State hasn’t misplaced 5 straight in opposition to Michigan since a six-game skid from 1922 to 1927. Its longest shedding streak in “The Sport” is 9 from 1901 to 1909.
Day’s document as Buckeyes coach is a exceptional 81-10 over eight seasons, however he is simply 1-4 in opposition to the Wolverines. Subsequently, he has a whopping 93% win share versus opponents aside from Michigan, in comparison with a 20% charge in any other case.
52: It has been a very completely different offense for Ohio State as soon as it faces its greatest rivals with Day as head coach. The Buckeyes are averaging 52 fewer complete yards, 66 speeding yards and one yard per play fewer in opposition to the Wolverines versus different opponents.
Much more jarring is that they’ve averaged 13 fewer factors — final season’s 10 factors within the loss had been their fewest within the rivalry sport since 1996. It was additionally Ohio State’s fewest factors in a sport for the reason that 2011 season.
112: The identical variations might be seen on the defensive facet.
The Buckeyes protection is permitting 397 complete yards per sport when dealing with the Wolverines since 2019 versus 285.4 in opposition to different opponents — a 112-yard distinction.
ESPN Analysis contributed to this story.
[ad_2]