Ohio State did it again. The Buckeyes cruised to their 10th win of the season with a commanding 48-10 victory over UCLA at Ohio Stadium. Now, Ryan Day’s squad is cruising with a clean slate, standing tall on the leader board. That’s when infamous former Michigan coach Connor Stalions made his feelings about the Buckeyes clear.

“Agreed. Unbeatable. They should be ~ 20.5 pt favorites the rest of the way and will coast with no problems,” Stalions posted on X. The Buckeyes are left with just two games now: Rutgers and Michigan. The Scarlet Knights don’t really have any chance against the Buckeyes with a 5-5 record of their own. So who’s left? Ironically, the long-time rivalry between Michigan and the Buckeyes has always favoured OSU with a majority of wins. However, the last six seasons under Ryan Day, OSU has fallen short against the Wolverines, posting a 1-5 record. So if anyone can beat the unbeatable, it may as well be Sherrone Moore’s Wolverines.

Firstly, Ohio State’s mentality is what’s keeping them so strong this season. After the UCLA win, Coach Ryan Day wasn’t about to let anyone get too hyped. He was clear that the Buckeyes have “done nothing” yet and that every game moving forward demands perfection if they want to repeat becoming national champs. Despite missing star receivers Carnell Tate and Jeremiah Smith due to injuries, the Buckeyes leaned on a powerful rushing attack led by Bo Jackson and James Peoples, who dazzled with a hurdling touchdown.

Julian Sayin was steady, delivering 184 passing yards. Special teams stole the show with linebacker Lorenzo Styles Jr. breaking loose for a 100-yard kickoff return touchdown. “We put that return in this week,” Day said. “Lorenzo said, Once I took it out, I knew I had a return for a touchdown, so I better get running.” Defensively, they dominated despite no sacks, putting constant pressure on UCLA’s backup QB.

Now, the Buckeyes are set to face Sherrone Moore and his Michigan Wolverines. Can the Buckeyes put an end to Moore’s undefeated winning streak on their home field?

Ryan Day’s toughest challenge comes against Sherrone Moore

Ohio State’s unbeaten streak is impressive. But Michigan is no ball game. There have been serious cautions about how the Buckeyes’ ground game might be their Achilles’ heel. Even Jeremiah Smith, usually a reliable star receiver, won’t be enough to save Ryan Day’s squad if they can’t establish a physical rushing attack in the brutal weather expected in Ann Arbor.

The season’s been kind to Ohio State’s passing game, with quarterback Julian Sayin throwing for 2,188 yards and Smith racking up 725 receiving yards. But as former Georgia star and analyst David Pollack pointed out, “You’re going to play a team up north soon, and you’re going to travel to their place, and the team that wins the rushing battle wins that game.” The snow or sleet will throw a wrench into the passing game’s effectiveness.

That’s where things get tricky for the Buckeyes. Their rushing offense ranks just 69th nationally, averaging 155 yards per game. Against Purdue, they ran for 170 yards, but that came against a weak defense. Beyond star freshman Bo Jackson, who leads the team with 538 yards on 81 carries at a strong 6.6 yards per carry. James Peoples and CJ Donaldson add yards but don’t consistently scare defenses.

Ann Arbor in late November is notorious for harsh weather, and this year looks no different, with snow and freezing temperatures likely. On top of that, Michigan has Bryce Underwood. The kid who is still learning the offense has been a menace on the ground, running for 272 yards on 51 carries.