Ohio State vs. Michigan 2023 College Football Week 13 Odds, Preview & Pick

By Hank Blaine • November 23, 2023

It seems like the Ohio State-Michigan game can’t get any bigger each year but it manages to as the unbeaten powerhouses ranked No. 2 and 3 overall nationally face off Saturday in Ann Arbor with the Big Ten East Division title at stake. The loser’s chances at reaching the College Football Playoff aren’t gone but get much longer. Still no coach Jim Harbaugh for Michigan as he serves the final game of his suspension.

Michigan and Ohio State will meet for the second year in a row as undefeated and top-3 ranked teams. U-M and OSU have the top 2 defenses in the NCAA, and are the top 2 offenses and defenses in the Big Ten. This will be the 13th time that the rivals square off as top-5 teams with OSU leading 7-4-1 in that scenario, but the Wolverines have won four of the past six matchups. This will be the 26th time that Michigan and Ohio State take the field in a top-10 matchup. The Buckeyes hold a 12-11-2 advantage in those contests. The Wolverines have won nine of the last 13 games played between top-10 foes, including the last two matchups (2021 and 2022). U-M has a 60-52-6 advantage in the all-time series. OSU had won eight straight before losses the past two years.

The winner is the final Big Ten Conference East Division Champion – Ohio State has won or shared 10 since divisional play began in 2011; Michigan has won three – and advances to the Big Ten Championship game against Iowa at Lucas Oil Stadium Dec. 2. Ohio State is seeking a seventh Big Ten title game appearance while Michigan is looking for a three-peat trip to Indianapolis.

Ohio State Buckeyes vs. Michigan Wolverines Game Information

Saturday. It's on.#GoBlue pic.twitter.com/lQhOc3lZIS
— Michigan Football (@UMichFootball) November 22, 2023

When: Saturday, November 25, 2023, 12:00 PM ET
Where: Michigan Stadium, Ann Arbor, MI
TV: FOX
Radio: WBNS‑FM 97.1 (Ohio State) // WXYT-FM 97.1 (Michigan)
Live Stream: FOX Sports
College Football Odds: Ohio State (+3.5) // Michigan (-3.5)

Why Bet on the Ohio State Buckeyes?

Both WR Marvin Harrison Jr. and RB TreVeyon Henderson have scored touchdowns in seven consecutive games for Ohio State. Harrison Jr. has scored 11 touchdowns in this stretch while Henderson has 10. Henderson has rushed for 499 yards in the last four games – 124.8 yards per game – and the Buckeyes have produced 712 rushing yards and averaged 178.0 yards per game during this four-game stretch. In the process, Ohio State has improved its rushing game to 145.5 yards per game and 4.3 yards per carry. The team is averaging 429.3 yards of offense per game.

Ohio State’s current 11-game winning streak is the eighth of at least 11 games this century. The Buckeyes have previously won 11 consecutive games in 2002, 2006, 2012, 2014, 2018, 2019 and 2022 since 2000.

Ohio State is third in total defense, second in scoring and first against the pass. Michigan is No. 1 in total defense and scoring defense and No. 2 in passing defense. OSU is 77-6 in Big Ten divisional play since 2014, which is No. 1 nationally with a .927 percentage. Michigan State, Penn State, Iowa, Purdue and Michigan – twice – are the losses.

Why Bet on the Michigan Wolverines?

As if this rivalry needed more juice, Michigan’s Jim Harbaugh and Ohio State’s Ryan Day don’t like each other very much. But Harbaugh will not be allowed to coach again – he did all week – as he serves the finale of his three-game suspension. Some believe Day might actually be pushed out if the Buckeyes lose a third straight game in the series. That’s hogwash. Offensive coordinator Sherrone Moore will fill in for Harbaugh on the sideline as he has done the past two games.

Harbaugh has denied knowledge of the scouting and sign-stealing operation allegedly coordinated by former staffer Connor Stalions, and no evidence has emerged to contradict that claim. Michigan hasn’t allowed the drama to derail an 11-0 start or its quest for a third consecutive Big Ten championship. But the scandal has created a drag at a pivotal moment and called Michigan’s achievements into question.

“Knowing how much blood, sweat and tears we put into this season, and all the hours we put in, (the results) being diluted by a scandal is unfortunate,” quarterback J.J. McCarthy said. “We’re not worried about that stuff, but it’s just unfortunate that people don’t think we put in the work to get to where we are.”

Last Saturday, Michigan edged Maryland to earn the 1,000th win in school history, the first FBS program to get there. McCarthy is third nationally in completion percentage (73.8%) and fifth in pass efficiency (178.3 rating). RB Blake Corum leads the nation in rushing TDs with a school-record-tying 20 this season; equaled the 20 scored by Hassan Haskins (2021).

Michigan has been victorious in 27 consecutive regular-season games, the third-longest stretch in Big Ten history. Only the 1901-03 Michigan teams, which won 28 straight regular season games, have won more in program history. UM has won 21 consecutive games at Michigan Stadium dating back to 2021, the program’s best streak since 1969-73 under Bo Schembechler (28 games) and tied for the third-longest stretch in U-M Football history. The Wolverines have been victorious in 23 straight Big Ten games dating to 2021, the longest streak in program history and the third-longest in Big Ten history

The Wolverines are averaging a scoring margin of +29.3 across their 11 wins this season, the best figure in the country. Michigan is one of four teams to rank in the top 12 in both scoring offense (11th, 38.2 points per game) and scoring defense (first, 9.0 points per game allowed). Georgia (fifth, defense; fifth, offense), Oregon (t-10, defense; second, offense) and Florida State (12th, defense; seventh, offense) are the other three.

Ohio State vs. Michigan Betting Trends

Ohio State is 5-1-1 ATS in their last 7 games.
Buckeyes are 10-0 SU in their last 10 games.
The total went under in 7 of Ohio State’s last 8 games.
Michigan is 5-2 ATS in their last 7 games.
Wolverines are 10-0 SU in their last 10 games.
The total went over in 6 of Michigan’s last 7 games.

Ohio State vs. Michigan Expert Betting Predictions

Michigan 27, Ohio State 26.

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