Inside the Numbers: Michigan vs. Ohio State
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Damon Webb (middle)
The Buckeyes have had players they recruited out of the state of Michigan make significant contributions, including quarterback Craig Krenzel out of Utica (Mich.) Henry Ford High School, who led the 2002 team to a national championship. They have not, however, had to rely on purging their northern neighbor's talent the way Michigan has raided the state down south.
What's interesting about the three Michigan natives on Ohio State's current roster is that all three - cornerback Damon Webb, running back Mike Weber and defensive lineman Joshua Alabi - all hail from the same school: Detroit Cass Tech. And, Cass Tech is coached by former Michigan running back Thomas Wilcher, who was a teammate of Harbaugh's in college.
0
Number of 2016 prospects who have scheduled or taken official visits to both schools
Donnie Corley
When Harbaugh was hired at Michigan there was an anticipation of epic future recruiting battles between he and Meyer at Ohio State. Thus far, though, that has not played out on the level expected. Michigan and Ohio State have been contenders for a handful of recruits in the 2016 class, but coming down the stretch the only recruiting battle they are both strong, legitimate contenders in is for Detroit (Mich.) King four-star wide receiver Donnie Corley.
The most dramatic moment of the Harbaugh-Meyer recruiting battle in Year 1 was when five-star running back Kareem Walker de-committed from the Buckeyes after taking an official visit to Ann Arbor. Ohio State did go into Michigan's backyard to land a commitment from Canton (Mich.) Plymouth four-star offensive tackle Michael Jordan in May. The state of Ohio, though, has not been a major component of Michigan's recruiting plan in year one of the Harbaugh era and they do not have a single commitment from Ohio in 2016.
19
Games Michigan and Ohio State have played as Top 10 teams
Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh
Ohio State heads into Saturday ranked No. 8 in the College Football Playoff ranking while Michigan is No. 10 in the playoff poll. The College Football Playoff poll is only two years old, so every previous Top 10 meeting has been according to the AP poll, which has run every year since 1936. The first time the two teams met with both ranked in the top 10 was 1944 when No. 5 Ohio State beat No. 4 Michigan 21-7 in Columbus.
When both teams have entered the game in the AP top 10, the series is tied 9-9-1. Michigan has won seven of the last eight of those meetings, but Ohio State was victorious in the most recent such matchup which occurred in 2006 when the teams were ranked Nos. 1 and 2 and both were undefeated. In fact, 10 of the 19 top 10 matchups were when the schools held down the top two spots in the AP poll. Ohio State holds a 6-3-1 advantage in those 1 vs. 2 contests.
51
Times winning team has gone on to win or share the Big Ten title
Of the 110 previous times the two teams have met, 96 occurred when both were part of the Big Ten Conference and more than half those times the winner earned at least a share of the Big Ten title. Neither team entering Saturday controls their own destiny, but the winner does have a shot to win the Big Ten East division and advance to the Big Ten Championship game if Michigan State loses to Penn State. Both programs enter the game with just one conference loss, but each of those losses is to the Spartans.
Michigan and Ohio State have combined to claim 77 Big Ten titles, including nine times they tied with each other (Wisconsin also tied both school for the conference championship in 1998). Further highlighting the importance of the game is that in two seasons where the year-end contest finished in a tie - 1949 and 1973 - the two schools also finished tied for the Big Ten title.
Josh Helmholdt
Midwest Recruiting Analyst
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