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Dan Hope and Andy Anders of Eleven Warriors bring you inside the Ohio State beat every Wednesday with a podcast covering everything you need to know about the Buckeyes.
Note: This transcript was AI-generated and has not been edited for errors.
[Dan Hope]
Welcome into Real Pod Wednesdays. I'm Dan Hope joined by Andy Anders, as it is officially the week of the game, the game that Ohio state has been waiting for all year, uh, the opportunity to get the win that Ohio state has really been waiting for, for five years. As Ohio state has not beaten Michigan since 2019, the 2020 edition of the game canceled due to COVID-19 Michigan winning the last three additions of this rivalry game.
But certainly a lot of confidence for Ohio state going into this one, yet not overlooking the challenge as Ohio state knows from firsthand experience. All the veterans on this team know from firsthand experience how hard it is to win this rivalry game. Uh, it's, it's the first big goal.
We talk all year about Ohio state looking to achieve its goals and whether it's good enough to achieve those goals, but we're going to find out number one of those goals on Saturday. And Andy, I know for you growing up in Ohio, you've been watching this game. Your whole life, your family's been watching this game your whole life.
Just what is this game, this rivalry as, as somebody who's lived it, grown up in it, just what does this game mean to you?
[Andy Anders]
Yeah, I look, my family's lived in Ohio since the 1830s. And so pretty much as long as you could be a Buckeye fan, generations of Anders have been Buckeye fans. I was raised a Buckeye fan.
If you poke me with a pencil as a kid, I'd probably bleed scarlet and gray. And so this was something that as a kid, I was the ultimate, um, Michigan hater. I was, when I got to college, I was the one crossing out M's in my dormitory on campus.
As a reporter, you always try to stay balanced and unbiased. And I've prided myself on the ability to kind of push that small town Ohio kid down within me, uh, while I'm working, while I'm on this job, while I'm writing about Ohio state, because I believe that part of my job is important to be an unbiased source and someone who is willing to write negative things about the team when it's called for, willing to accurately report news, those things. But man, it's hard this week.
I, um, I was born and raised to hate this team, to hate Michigan. And this is a game that I think for a lot of people across the country who haven't lived in Ohio or Michigan, it's hard to comprehend all the stakes, all the emotions, all the everything that is tied up in this game. I lived in Alabama for a year.
I got to experience, I think maybe the closest thing that compares to this in terms of just the pure hatred between two fan bases in that Alabama Auburn rivalry, and that was at the height of Ohio state's dominance too, or just at the tail end of it. I believe I was, I was living in Alabama in 2021. So it was right before this three game winning streak for Michigan started.
And yes, that there was certainly a lot of angst, but even then it's just like, it's not the same, like there's just a pure hot-blooded hatred between these two fan bases of each other and it's what makes the rivalry so great and it's why the game is different. And I will say as someone who appreciates just how different this game is from others that happen all season in college football, I was happy to hear some of the things that Ryan Day and the players said Tuesday, you can't think of it as the same as any other game, like maybe your process and how you prepare is the same, but there's so much stake and so much just pride tied up in this thing. Um, that, you know, people, when the 12 team playoff happened, people said, Oh, it's going to take away from the Ohio state, Michigan rivalry, because, you know, they're not going to be playing with his, with national title ambitions on the line per se, like Ohio state could lose this game and still get into the playoff easily.
No, anyone who's actually experienced this knows this game will never lose its luster because of the tradition of it. And again, that pure vitriol that both fan bases have for each other. And I love it, man.
I love this time of year. Um, and I will do my best to, to be that unbiased, accurate, fair, balanced reporter on Saturday, but internally I'll be fist bumping whenever Ohio state scores.
[Dan Hope]
Since Saturday, we've heard Ryan Day and all the players say it. This is everything like that's the way they've talked about that, that this game is everything. Their whole season comes down to this.
And it does seem a little crazy when you kind of look at it from a 10,000 foot view of like, yeah, like Ohio state could lose this game and they're still going to be in the college ball playoff. Like, we're not going to get into that today because all that really matters this week is just beat Michigan. But like, that's the truth.
They would not get in the big 10 championship game, but Ohio state would be in a college ball playoff. Enough has happened where, Oh, I think Ohio state's already a CFP lock, but. Nobody's thinking about that this week, this week, it's all about just go out there and beat Michigan.
And that's true on both sides. Cause for Michigan, I mean, this is Michigan super bowl. You talk about that and you know, you think about it from Michigan's perspective, unlike the last three years for them, they don't have any playoff or big 10 championship implications riding on the line in this game.
They're either going to be seven and five after this game, or they're going to be six and six. And either way, they're going to go to the Duke's mayo bowl or some other random bowl game that nobody really cares about, but that just makes it all the more important for them because they, you know, they they've heard everybody talking about them all year and saying, they, they suck this year. And they're not what they, they were the last few years.
They're going to have a point to prove in this game too. And so, yeah, this, this game, I mean, I think it's very clear from hearing what Ryan day and the players have had to say the last few days that they know how much this game means. I think that's something that's been maybe doubted with Ryan day in the past.
I think it's something that's maybe been doubted with some of Ohio state's players in the past because of the fact that. You know, this team, you think back to the Jim trussle years, the teams were often very Ohio native heavy. Now they've become more nationally based rosters.
But I think the fact that you have so many veterans on this team and those veterans include day, I mean, this is somebody who's now in his sixth year as Ohio state's head coach, he's been through, you know, many of these games now going back to even his two years as an assistant under urban Meyer. And so I think even from Ryan day's perspective, you know, it's kind of like I've talked about in the past, like being from Massachusetts, he's from New Hampshire, same neck of the woods. When I first got to Ohio state as a student, I didn't necessarily fully grasp like how much this rivalry meant to people, but the longer you're around it, the more you start to understand it.
And I think based on everything Ryan day has said the last couple of days, particularly the interview he did with 10 TV to where he said, you know, losing the Michigan is one of the worst things that's ever happened to him. And he, he lost his father to suicide when he was a child. I mean, he's been through real tragedy in his life.
And he said, losing this game is one of the worst things that's happened to him. I think through losing that game, the last three years, Ryan day has really come to understand how much this game means to Ohio state fans. And, and he said, we can never let that happen again.
And so there's a lot of pressure on Ryan day entering this game, but I think what he had to say on Tuesday, he was asked by a reporter, are you more anxious or are you more excited going into this game? And I think the way he answered that question is certainly one that should inspire some confidence in Buckeye fans.
[Ryan Day]
Excitement. How would you kind of describe your I'm excited. I'm excited about this game.
I'm excited about this team. I love the look in their eye. I love, I love coming to work every day.
Um, but this is not about me. It's about these seniors who decided to come back. They want to have a pair of gold pants.
They want to have hardware. So that's what motivates me. And I'm excited for them.
So they can go out there and play this thing and go win it.
[Andy Anders]
Yeah, of course, urban Meyer in the past would have the song. It's time for war by LL Cool J playing throughout the Woody Hayes athletic center all week during this week, during hate week, the week of the game, Michigan week, whatever you want to call it, and that war analogy, that battle analogy has been more prevalent when talking to Ryan day, talking to the players about this game than I think it has been in the past under day. And like you said, those quotes about it being the worst thing to ever, one of the worst things to ever happen to him.
I think it's real experience that he is, if he didn't fully understand the rivalry before, he certainly does now. And I love that analogy because yes, it's a little cliche to compare a football game to a war or a battle because it has its whole roots in the military. But this game is again, unlike anything, not just from the fan perspective.
And then some of that stuff I talked about earlier, but from the player perspective, like it doesn't matter. It doesn't matter what the two records of these teams are. Yeah.
Michigan's lost five games this year. They're going to throw every single ounce of their being into trying to win this Saturday. Like you said, it's their Superbowl and it's the same every year.
This is the most physical game. Either team will play this season because of how tied up in the emotions of the rivalry it is. These are both teams that really want to come out and hit each other in the mouth.
And so, yeah, it's going to be a war. And you have to win wars with not just your talent, you have to win them with something more motivation, execution, tact, and just like, again, that willingness to rise to the challenge and fight. Because yes, if all things are equated on paper, Ohio State should win this game easily, but it's just different when these two teams face.
And I, again, appreciate the acknowledgement of that fact that you cannot take this for granted. Any part of it.
[Dan Hope]
Talking to Ryan day, talking to the players, it feels like they view Michigan as a bigger threat than they viewed Indiana last week. And a lot of that for sure does have to do with this rivalry, but you know, you just got the sense all week, last week going into that game, like Ohio State was really confident they were going to be in the end and not just beat Indiana, but win that game convincingly. And that's of course, exactly what Ohio state did.
I think they're very confident going into this game too, just the way they're talking. But I also think they don't expect a win in this game to come as easily as it did against Indiana. And, you know, some of that I think has to do with the fact of it.
I mean, India has been a better football team this year. I mean, there's any objective measure they have been. They beat Michigan.
They've beaten teams that have beaten Michigan. India has been a better team, but Michigan still has more talent than Indiana, Michigan still has more players who could be playing at Ohio state or would be playing bigger roles at Ohio state than Indiana does. And so I think that's part of it here that while Michigan hasn't had a good season, Michigan is only six and five.
The teams they've lost to are good teams. I mean, they've lost to Texas. They've lost to Oregon.
They've lost to Indiana. Those are free college football playoff teams. Illinois is a ranked team.
Washington is not a bad team. Now they also haven't beaten anybody good. I mean, I'd say their best win is Minnesota because the USC win looked like a good win at the time, but, uh, the Trojans have since proved to be a fraud and, uh, they're lucky to just be bull eligible.
So, uh, Michigan hasn't beaten anybody who's even close to Ohio state's caliber as a team, but I also think Ohio state knows it's probably going to get Michigan's best in this game. And you've got a Michigan team that's coming in off a 50 to six win over Northwestern last week. So you, you have to assume even though Michigan hasn't played very well this year, that you're going to get the best version of that Michigan team on Saturday.
[Andy Anders]
You're going to be shocked to hear me say this, Dan. Um, it's going to come down to the trenches. And I think that the way Michigan can win this game, uh, if you were to try and paint a roadmap for them is by controlling the line of scrimmage on both sides of the ball, by running the football, especially, and I think that's why it's been such a big emphasis.
Like Ryan Day has said multiple times throughout this week already that the team who wins the rushing battle is going to win this game, runs the ball, stops the run. Stats do back that up. Ohio state is at 17 and one the last 18 times it's outrushed Michigan in this game, but I don't think Ohio state needs to win the rushing battle per se.
They just can't let Michigan control it on the ground and they can't let Michigan totally stonewall them on defense. That's the path I see is if Michigan is winning the line of scrimmage and able to control the clock that way, control the game, how short games have been this year and how willing Ohio state's offense has been to be methodical. And it's been called for because I think it's, it fits the personnel they have.
It fits what they want to do offensively. The methodical scheme has worked and using less tempo than maybe we've seen in the past, or even using more of the play clock than we've seen in the past from Ohio state, but what it opens the door for is if a team is able to pound the ball successfully against you, then it gives them the ability to control the game. Buckeyes have defended the run well, pretty well this year, but it's Michigan's entire identity and they haven't exactly thrown the ball well either this year.
So it's, I think that is a huge key that Ryan Day has brought up pretty, brought up pretty aptly. Ohio state, I think the rushing battle is going to be, and when you think about it too, it's like, it's the perfect kind of thing to key on in this game because you talk about the narratives about Ohio state's toughness and whatever, talk about how physical this game is every year. I mean, what's more physical than the forecast is like 16 degrees with windchill on Saturday, a cold November, Saturday, Ohio state versus Michigan trying to pound the rock against each other.
That's, that's football there. So I'm, I'm excited for that matchup. And I think that that is something that sort of, as the overarching narratives of this game go, the running game is going to be something that defines it for both sides.
[Dan Hope]
If you're looking at this matchup on paper, there's really one area where Michigan could have a significant advantage over Ohio state and that's Michigan's defensive line versus Ohio state's offensive line. So going to your point about the trenches, I think that's your biggest concern on paper. If you're Ohio state is how well will your offensive line hold up against this Michigan defensive line?
I think you're encouraged by what you saw last week against Indiana. I don't think the offensive line was flawless last week, but I do think that it played well, given the circumstances first game without Seth McLaughlin going up against an Indiana defensive line that had been really disruptive. You didn't allow them to be that disruptive.
Now you still didn't rumble ball that well last week against Indiana. So I think, you know, you, you, when you look at that part of the equation, that, that running battle, I think, you know, Ryan day's absolutely right to put an emphasis on that because Michigan, yeah. You talk about Michigan's roadmap.
Yeah, Michigan better be able to roam a ball. If they're going to have any chance to win this game, because Michigan, Michigan's not going to win this game through the air. I, they've been, I cannot imagine a path where Michigan wins this game because of what it does for the air.
I mean, Michigan's passing offense has been one of the worst in the entire country this year. I think they've gotten slightly better as the year has gone along with, you know, when they went back to Davis Warren, I think he's been better of late than he was those first few games of a season, but this is still a Michigan offense. I mean, you look at it, Colston Loveland, there's a chance he doesn't even play.
And even if you assume he does play, he's the only player on their offense who has more than 250 receiving yards this year. So there's just not a lot of threats through the air to where you would think Michigan is going to have much success at all. Uh, throwing, throwing the ball, uh, against a defense of his caliber.
Now, if you're, if you want to ensure that if you're Ohio state, I think the big key is being able to do exactly what you did last week to Indiana, and that's put a ton of pressure on the quarterback force Davis Warren into making mistakes when he has been pressured, he has not played well. So I think that should be the big key for Ohio state. Again, going back to what you said about the trenches, I think, you know, Michigan's offensive line, that's one area, you know, the quarterback gets a lot of attention receivers, get a lot of denture, but the offensive line for Michigan is also taking a huge step back from where it was the last couple of years when it was really the bedrock of some elite Michigan teams.
And so I think both defensive lines are going to have an edge over the opposite offensive line. I, I, I don't expect Ohio state's offensive line to dominate this game because Michigan has maybe the best defensive tackle tandem in the country and Mason Graham, Kenneth Grant, and an elite edge rusher and Josiah Stewart. So I think for, you know, for Ohio state, you have to manage your expectations there on the offensive line of Michigan's probably going to win some of those battles.
You just can't let Michigan win the war. That's a go back to your, your greater analogy there of, you know, Michigan's going to win some battles in this game, probably on both sides of the ball, but you can't let Michigan win the war. And to your point, you, you, you have to, you can't allow Michigan to control the game, to, to run a lot of clock, to, to take the ball out of your hands for too long.
Now, with that being said, you said Ohio state's been pretty good at defending the run. I'd say Ohio state's been really good at defending the run. I mean, Ohio state is ranked third in the country in both yards allowed per game and yards allowed per carry on run defense.
And so I'm confident in Ohio state's defense going into this game. I really am. Cause I can, you know, you think back to when we talked about it last week, like the biggest question mark for Ohio state's defense this year has probably been the cornerbacks.
And, and this is a Michigan team. It's kind of like with Penn state to where this is a Michigan team that doesn't have the outside threats to challenge you at the cornerback position, like Penn state, they've got a really good tight end, but they do not have much else that can threaten you in the passing game. And so I'm really confident in Ohio state's defense going into this game.
I think, you know, the biggest question I have for Ohio state going into this game is going to be that offensive line, but I go into it in encouraged by what I saw last week. It's, it's, it's definitely the number one question mark for me, but I, they played well enough last week for me to be cautiously optimistic about the offensive line going into this game.
[Andy Anders]
Yeah. Encouraged is a good way to put it. I would lean more cautiously than optimistic for personally, just because I think on rewatch, my rewatch of the game, I, a little more concern popped up than on my initial viewing.
I think Will was able to do some things. Ohio state's running backs were able to do some things to escape some rushes and, and do work in the backfield to really hide some of some lapses up front. But I also think there's nowhere to go but up for this group because it was their first game playing together after surprise injury at center.
Carson Hansman has to slide back over. And I think I like him long-term at that position, but I do think the adjustment clearly, there were some hiccups, even though he played it all of last season, he was, he didn't exactly excel last season. I think there were some hiccups moving back to center in this game for him, where he just wasn't getting the same fire off the ball.
I know that's harder to do, of course, snapping and stepping. I, it's why I only played center for three weeks of my high school career is I could never get that part of it down. It's just that snap and step and having to take on somebody who's right in front of you, right after you throw a ball between your legs and, oh yeah, if you mess that up, then it messes up the entire offense.
So I, I give Carson credit for making that switch when it was needed of him, but I do think there's steps for him to take. Tegra Shabola has been inconsistent all year. That proved true in the Indiana game.
I think he needs to step up in this matchup, especially against such a vaunted defensive tackle tandem and Austin Seariveld. I still have my reservations about as well. So I think that that interior did take a hit.
Um, I think Donovan Jackson has really grown at tackle is the good news over the last few weeks. I, he did an excellent job handling Kamara in this past game. After we saw him struggle a little bit, and he's a different athlete than Abdul Carter.
But, uh, I think Donovan overall has grown quite a bit at that tackle position since he had to take that role on earlier in the year. So I could talk a long time about the offensive line, but going back to the pass rush and some of the things you mentioned about Ohio state's defense and their run defense too, I know there are people who might criticize Ohio state coming out of the Indiana game. Well, Indiana ran the ball well in spots.
Well, Ohio state was also playing four to five constantly, and even dime packages rolling out there. And I think third down situations like third and seven situations where maybe that package we wouldn't see unless it was a third and 12 kind of a thing. Ohio state was running lighter boxes because Indiana's passing game was a much bigger threat than it's running game.
I don't expect that to be the case against Michigan. I expect them to load up with a lot of four, three to emphasize the run this week, maybe we even see some double Eagle out there just to change the look. You know, a little five man front wouldn't be shock if that came out of Jim Knowles' back pocket from, you know, something we've, we've rarely seen this year, but it has been seen, um, the scheme is going to be centered around taking away the best parts of Michigan's offense, not that there are many, but the running game first and foremost in Colston Loveland second after that, and a lot of credit to Cody Simon and Sonny Stiles after the first five games of the year through that Iowa game, where we saw a couple tight ends have some nice games.
Luke Lachey did some things even against Ohio state there in game number five. Um, they have really defended the tight end well, and Tyler Warren did some things, running them all in that Penn state game, but really he had, he had one big catch in the passing game and pretty much nothing else, uh, in that game at Penn state, they, they, him, Tim, him a lot better than other defenses have. Terrence Ferguson didn't make a huge impact for all the, you know, headway organs receivers made in that game.
We've seen them play a number of really good tight ends this year, and they've held up pretty well since the midway point of the season. That's not just the linebackers. Of course, that's also Caleb downs and maybe Latham ransom getting involved in some coverages, of course, but they, they've done a really good job taking away tight ends.
And when it's the top weapon of your offense, it becomes much easier to take away, like you could even, as bad as this receiving core is, you could bracket Colston Loveland on most plays, assuming he plays, um, you can bracket him on most plays and just say, well, that guy's not beating us. Who else, what other weapon do you have come after, you know, willing to leave Denzel Burke isolated against whoever you can throw out there at receiver, I think, and, uh, as bad as the corners looked against Oregon in particular, Burke, they've looked great since then. I think they played an awesome game against Indiana.
Like I had this stat that I threw out there on Twitter after the game that appeared in my story about how well the defense played to that Indiana. They, Curtis Rourke went eight of 18 for 68 yards on his 18 passes way, way below his season numbers. Of course, he was the number two quarterback in yards per attempt of the country entering that game.
Uh, but if you include Ohio State's five sacks for a loss of 43 yards, and that this is how the NFL counts passing team passing stats, so it's not that outlandish to do on 23 passing plays, Indiana had 25 yards, like that is ridiculous. And that's pressure and coverage and coverage. I want to emphasize that the cornerbacks had a great game last Saturday.
They have a lot of momentum coming into this Michigan matchup and they are facing a much worse wide receiver core than Indiana had. So I really like Ohio State's advantage secondary in particular at safety in this game, and like you said, their defensive line against a Michigan offensive line that lost its top six players from last year, I really think Ohio State does have the massive advantage on defense in this game, but it has to start with stopping the run. If you can stop the run, hone in on that, you can load the box with eight if you want to, I think because of the advantage you have in the secondary in this game.
Um, you, you take away Michigan's running game and I, I don't know if they'll score a touchdown if, if you do that, or at least only score one, because we've seen Ohio State have some slow starts, but this is, um, there's the potential here for Ohio State's defense to really take over this game.
[Dan Hope]
You would like to see Davis and Igbenosin not have pre-defensive pass interference penalties in this game. But other than that, I would agree with the cornerbacks played really well against Indiana. I mean, you really didn't hear Denzel Burke's name much at all.
And it's kind of like an offensive lineman. That's usually a good thing if you're a cornerback, cause it means they're not throwing the ball your way. Flip it around to the other side.
I think coming into the year, you probably would have viewed the secondary as one of Michigan's bigger strengths, but we don't know if Will Johnson's going to play in this game. He's been out for pretty much the entire second half of a season, uh, with a toe injury that he's been dealing with. You know, they lost Rod Moore before of a year.
That's been a huge loss at safety. Michigan ranks just 72nd nationally with 222.3 passing yards allowed per game. Now, some of that is because their rushing defense has been really good.
Teams have been passing the ball a lot against them. They are just tied for 40th in passing yards allowed per attempt. So their passing defense hasn't been bad.
I mean, Will Howard said it Tuesday, but he thinks this might be the best defense Ohio State has faced all year. So I do think that, you know, this is a good Michigan defense. It's not an elite Michigan defense, like the one we saw lead Michigan to a national championship last year, but I still think it's, it's still a good all around defense.
But when I think about reasons, I'm confident for Ohio State going into this game, the number one reason might be Will Howard. And I don't know that I would have ever thought I would say that a few months ago, because, you know, people who listened to the show all off season know that, you know, I had my reservations about Will Howard coming into the season, just based on the things we had seen in off season practice. But I mean, this guy's playing at a really high level.
I mean, I know a lot of fans have started talking about the last couple of weeks, but like this guy should be getting some talk in the Heisman conversation. Like he's not going to win the Heisman, but he should very much be in the conversation for a trip to New York right now. And I think if he plays well, the next two weeks, I think he has a very good chance to get a trip to New York.
And I think he deserves it because he currently leads the FBS in completion percentage. He's just playing really efficient football. Uh, just seems to be getting better and better every week.
And then I think when you just think about like this game and what this game means, he, he just gets it, man. I mean, you can just tell from the way he's talked this week. We'll play a clip here from what Will Howard had to say on Tuesday about what this game means to him and what he's learned.
But it means since he's gotten to Ohio state.
[Will Howard]
I haven't been a part of it for that long. You know, I've only been here a year. Um, so I only know what, what I know.
Um, and what I do know is that I love my brothers and they came back and they wanted this. They felt the hurt the last couple of years, coach days, felt it. Coach day took a chance on me.
Um, you know, when, when he didn't have to, and you know, a lot of people probably there was, there was some, some kickback. I bet when I, when I first committed here and, and he believed in me, man. And I owe that guy a lot and I want to get this done for him.
I want to get this done for, for those guys that decided to come back and who believed in me to, to lead this football team because, um, I've, I'm forever indebted to those guys, man. Like I, I, I come off passionate and I'm, I'm a passionate guy. Um, and I'm emotional because I love those guys and, you know, I love this.
I love this university as, as much as the next guy. Um, but I really, I love my brothers, man. I love coach day and I would do anything for those guys.
And I want to get this done so bad for them and for Buckeye nation.
[Dan Hope]
There's a lot of pressure on will Howard shoulders entering this game, but he sure seems ready for it. Andy.
[Andy Anders]
Yeah. And I think he was perfect on the mic Tuesday. Like that was poignant.
That was what you wanted to hear from a guy that, yes, this is his first time playing in the rivalry, but he gets it already. He, he, he got it from the moment he got here. And in his words, not saying the M word, not wearing blue and the woody, those are little things, but he has an appreciation for those things.
He understands why it's the case. He understands how big this game is. Now, the main thing I can say about will, I think one of his greatest strengths is how big of a competitor he is and how much he truly and authentically cares for his teammates.
And that makes him a great leader. And. I, I think that you could feel that in those sentiments of, I want to win this game for Ryan day.
I want to win this game for my teammates. Like I believe him when he says that, and there's a per point of personal pride, absolutely for him too. He wants that first pair of gold pants.
And he made note of that as well on Tuesday, but this is a guy who wants to go out and write the wrongs of the last three losses as much as anyone else on this team, and that's really powerful. I think, and you know, I saw a, there was a funny comparison on a, on Twitter. I saw, you know, that he was, he's a tall white JT Barrett.
And I, I, I thought it was funny, but I disagree on a couple of points. I agree. Here's where I agree with it.
I agree with it because JT was that consummate winner. He was that consummate competitor, that leader that was going to motivate the team at any cost that had that swagger about him and that just gravitas as a leader and, and will has like stomping the cigarette out, man, I love that. Like the, the, all the stuff he walked the walk in that Indiana game, 85% completions is one interception wasn't really on him.
Uh, and then he talked to the talk after, cause he had his guys back about some of the things that Kurt Cignetti had said throughout the year. Um, love that from Will after the Indiana game, but he's the consummate winner in the same way that JT Barrett was where I don't like the comparison is that I think he's a way better passer, way better passer than JT. And like they're comparable runners.
JT ran it a lot more because that's what the Urban Meyer offense called for in those days. Um, way better path. I mean, 25 and under, he might be the best passer in college football.
Like I'm serious. It's six games of 80% completions or better. That's a ridiculous stat.
Number one in the country and completion percentage. Like, yes, he doesn't have a cannon on his shoulder. Um, and I think I overvalued that myself.
We, we both had our criticisms of Will in the off season, but seeing just how precise he is, just how able he is to, to put the ball on the money at the right time, if it's an intermediate, intermediate or a short throw, it blows you away game in a game out, just the consistency of it and how repeatedly he can do it. Um, yes, he, he's had a lot of under thrown balls. If he's trying to vomit 40 yards down the field, but guess what?
The off passing offense is running great without a huge emphasis on those shots. You take a few a game, make the defense, respect it. Maybe you hit on one or two, but.
Will has way exceeded my expectations for what he was going to be as Ohio state's quarterback this year.
[Dan Hope]
Outside of Will Howard, who's someone else who you would identify as a player to watch, an X factor, just somebody who you expect to have a big impact on this game, Jack Sawyer, and it's because of how ingrained this rivalry is in him.
[Andy Anders]
He was the guy, uh, along with a little bit of Cody Simon that first triggered this return to beat Michigan that happened throughout Ohio state senior class. He was the guy that led that charge. He almost spoiled his own return announcement at the cotton bowl.
If people remember last year, and I just think there's such a personal point of pride for Jack in this game. And he has really come on strong the last few weeks, same as he did last year. Where I expect him to go out and make a few big plays in this game and get the crowd riled up while he's doing it.
Cause he has such an energy and such a presence out there.
[Dan Hope]
Yeah. I'm going to go out on a, on a big limb here and I'm going to go with Jeremiah Smith, he he's coming off his quietest game of the season against Indiana last week, but you know, big time players are made for big time games, right? And, and I think Jeremiah Smith has certainly shown us as a freshman that he's a big time player.
And, you know, you think back to, you know, six years ago and Chris Olave making a huge impact in his first Michigan game as a Buckeye, we've seen freshmen come in and make a big impact immediately in this, this game before. And, and I just think much like Will Howard, he's somebody who's ready for the big stage. I don't think it's going to be too big for him.
I think he's going to come out and he's going to, you know, make, make another statement to the nation about just how good he is. I mean, I don't know if I was him. I think maybe I've got a little bit of chip on my shoulder.
CMV award finalists come out on Tuesday and not being on that Bolitnikoff award list of finalists. I think I, if I'm him, maybe I've got a little bit of extra juice here to go out on Saturday and try to prove, but I'm the best wide receiver in college football. And so again, going out on a big limb there.
I almost changed my pick. When you started talking about the free linebacker stuff, I'm like, maybe, maybe I should go Arville Reese here, because this might be a big Arville Reese game. They're probably going to do a lot of heavy personnel, which probably means we're going to see a lot of Arville Reese.
And so he could be another kind of more under the radar player to watch. But I got to go Jeremiah Smith as my answer there. Just because I think that, you know, this, these, this, these are the kind of stages where you really can show, you know, how great you are.
And I think Jeremiah Smith is great. So I'm excited to see what Jeremiah Smith is able to accomplish in this game.
[Andy Anders]
I think, uh, obviously the offensive line too. I think I, the interior of the offensive line, just all three of those guys, Austin Searup, Carson Hensman, and Tegra Shibula are going to be huge X factors in this game, just in their ability to at least slow down Mason Graham, Kenneth Grant and make this, uh, make it a, a game where Ohio state can threaten to run the football. Like it starts with the inside running game.
And if you can't threaten the inside running game, it's harder to run the ball outside. So getting at least some semblance of push in the middle and opening up some lane for Quinn, Sean Judkins and Travion Henderson, I think will be pretty big. Uh, now kind of, as we move into predictions for this game, Ohio state is a 20 and a half point favorite, uh, Dan, how do you see this one playing out?
And what's your score?
[Dan Hope]
You look back at the last few games for Ohio state and they've all kind of followed the same pattern where Ohio state started out slow in the first quarter. Then they take the game over in the second quarter and then they pull away in the third quarter and win big in the second half. And I kind of see the same thing happening here in this game.
I think Michigan lands a couple shots early. Uh, you know, you know, drives for a touchdown, makes a stop, gets, you know, Ohio state fans a little bit nervous there for a little bit. And then I think, you know, late in the first half, Ohio state starts to seize control of a game.
And then I think in the second half they dominate and they pull away. So I'm going just under the cover with my score prediction. I'm going Ohio state 34, Michigan 14.
[Andy Anders]
I think I see it playing out a similar way. Um, I think it's going to be close for the first quarter. And then I think Ohio state's really going to take control in the second quarter and dominate and try to make a statement from there.
Um, how much can Ohio state score in this game? I think they are going to take things methodical as we've seen all season because that's when their offense has been at its best is just focusing on executing every down and not wasting that time because you know, the game is shorter. So you're playing into it by with again, a more methodical pace.
So that's going to hold it from getting too far out of hand. I would have my score at 38 to six. I think, I don't think Michigan scores a touchdown and maybe that's me being a little ambitious, but I do think there's a huge desire to make a statement in this game from Ohio state.
[Dan Hope]
All right. It is Ohio state Michigan week, but it's also Thanksgiving week. So want to finish off with a little bit of fun here.
Andy, you are creating your Thanksgiving plate on Thursday. You have room on your plate for five different food items. What's going on that plate and why?
[Andy Anders]
Well, my, um, my, my grandma passed away a couple of years ago. She was the best cook I've ever known. Uh, and so some of this is going to be like, when I, I have it in mind, it's, it's her version of whatever it is.
The exception to that rule is I got to have my sister's baked mac and cheese. It's killer. I'm a huge mac and cheese guy, like our own Garrett Codge, probably not as big as him, but she makes a wonderful baked mac and cheese with several different cheese sauces and shredded cheese.
And then you get the, you get the crumbles on top, right? That's a, that's, I got to have that hungry. I am.
Listen, I can talk about some food, man. I love me some Thanksgiving. Um, turkey, of course the staple I've had duck, I've had goose, I've had ham at Thanksgiving, nothing beats a good turkey.
Brine that thing for 24 hours in salt. If you don't do that, it significantly improves the turkey, um, based it, you know, do, do all the tricks with it. Uh, and then I, I like, I'm not going to count the cranberry sauce, but my sister also makes a really great cranberry sauce.
My, my grandmother's mashed potatoes and gravy. Absolutely. Can't be beaten best mashed potatoes you ever had.
Uh, so we've got turkey, we got mashed potatoes. We got baked mac and cheese. Uh, stuffing is a classic and a, and I love a good, just like firm, uh, stuffing, well-seasoned kind of those good textures in there.
Stuffing is, it's gotta be on my plate. That fifth slot. There's a lot of directions you can go.
I think green bean casserole is underrated. Uh, I, I think that, but if you were asking me, I think here's, here's one out of left field. I'd say my grandmother's fried apples.
Those were, I love me some fried apples. Uh, she, she knew how to put just the right amount of brown sugar on there and caramelize them. And so it, I, I would take that as my fifth item as, as kind of a sweeter option to go with the rest of it.
Um, and it's tough. The other tough thing to leave off is light rolls too. I love me some light rolls, but, uh, those are the five I'm going with and I'm sticking with them.
[Dan Hope]
That sounds really good. That sounds really good. I've got some similar stuff in my plate.
I mean, I mean, you got, you got to start with Turkey. Turkey's kind of like the running back of your Thanksgiving plate. Like, you know, it, it just kind of carries, carries the load.
You gotta have, gotta have that Turkey. It's, it's the staple of, of your Thanksgiving plate. And then, you know, to me, mashed potatoes, that's your, that's your offensive line of your Thanksgiving plate.
Like you can have all kinds of good stuff on your plate, but if, but if you don't have a good offensive line, you're probably not going to be a very good football team, and if you don't have good mashed potatoes, you do not have a complete Thanksgiving plate. So mashed potatoes always been the go-to for me. Uh, you gotta have, gotta have mashed potatoes, gotta have Turkey.
I mean, it's, it's, it's, it's, those are the two staples. You got to start right there. Stuffing to me, stuffing, stuffing's like the Will Howard of a Thanksgiving plate.
I think, I think, you know, you go in, like you don't necessarily have like the biggest expectations of stuffing. Like you don't necessarily think of it as like the star of your team. But if you have really good stuffing, man, like that, you can be like, you know, this, this might be the best thing on the plate, like this might be the star of a team.
So I, you know, the, the stuffing, uh, I think stuffing's one that I've come to appreciate more, like later in life, like I think as a kid, I'm kind of like, Ooh, what's this brown green stuff, but you get really good stuffing, that's really good. So that's a must have on the plate. I think another one where you kind of went the nostalgia angle of like childhood, like this is one, like as a kid at Thanksgiving, like we never had sweet potato casserole, but that's one I think I discovered for first time when I lived down in South Carolina.
And now that's become a staple for me. Like I've got to have sweet potato casserole and shout out to my mom. Cause unfortunately I don't get to get back to see my parents on Thanksgiving very much anymore because they live in Massachusetts.
I live here in Ohio. It's obviously a very busy week here, but my mom, she started making sweet potato casserole at Christmas every year when I do get back because I told her it was really good and she should try making it and she's a great cook and she does a fantastic job with that and you know, to me, like sweet casserole, that, that might be like the Jeremiah Smith of your plate. Like I know from growing up, like you can have a good Thanksgiving dinner without having sweet potato casserole, but you add that, like, that's just like, it's like a shining star.
It just takes it all up a notch when you add that to your plate. So you got to have a sweet potato casserole. And then for me, that last spot, like I'm sure your, your sister's cranberry sauce is really good.
Like you can have good homemade cranberry sauce, but I just want that cranberry sauce that comes in the can. Like it's probably not even real cranberries, but just give me a few slices of that oblong mass of cranberry like substance that comes in a can. Because yeah, I'm sure the fresh stuff is like technically better, but I like the stuff in the can.
So give me a, give me, give me some of that jellied cranberry sauce in the can to round out my plate.
[Andy Anders]
Good, good, good, good old processed cranberries. None of that real stuff. No, I want it to go through a blender and get mashed into a big old gelatin.
[Dan Hope]
That's good.
[Andy Anders]
That's a, that's a good, I'll take that plate.
[Dan Hope]
Yeah. I mean, my, my mom used to also make, or she probably still does make it for, for Thanksgiving. Like a really good, it was like a cranberry orange relish, which was like, you know, fresh cranberries and orange, but that was really good too.
So I would also go for that, but I do, I do like the cranberry sauce in a can, even though, you know, all the other stuff, I want it fresh, but that cranberry sauce, I don't know. I like the stuff in the can.
[Andy Anders]
Hey, you like what you like. You can't, can't knock it. Sweet potato casserole is a good pick.
My, my dad would probably have that on his plate. He's a big sweet potato casserole guy.
[Dan Hope]
Yeah. And I do love Mac and cheese, but for whatever reason to me, Mac and cheese has just never been like a Thanksgiving food for me. I know for some people it is, but like, I never grew up on like having Mac and cheese at Thanksgiving.
So it's just not a food that like comes to mind for me at Thanksgiving. But you know, I, you might have to bring me some of your sister's Mac and cheese because that sounds really good.
[Andy Anders]
Yeah. She is, she's wonderful with it. She knows, she knows her way around the kitchen.
Uh, even more so than my mom, I'd say, I'd say, don't tell my mom that. Uh, but, but my mom was more of an experimental chef and when the experiment hits, you know, it's good. And then when it doesn't, it's not.
So, uh, that's, uh, yeah, I can, I can chef it up too, but I'm usually not in the kitchen on Thanksgiving. I'm a, I'm relegated to the, to the couch.
[Dan Hope]
I can not chef it up. Like I, I don't, I almost never cook. So nobody wants me cooking Thanksgiving dinner.
I said, I, I got my dad's cooking skills. My, my mom really good cook. My dad's cooking is like the toaster over and over microwave.
And that's me. So, uh, unfortunately I did not inherit my mom's cooking skills, but I, I do always look forward to being able to get back home for a good home cooked meal. And certainly I'm sure that they will be eating well at my parent's house on Thursday.
We hope that all you will be eating well on Thanksgiving too. And we know you're all looking forward to that Ohio state versus Michigan game on Saturday, as we sure are as well. So stay tuned to 11 warriors.com for lots more coverage of the game. We will of course be there at the shoe on Saturday at noon as Ohio state looks for revenge, looks to end its free game, losing streak against the Wolverines. And we will be back next week, of course, to recap all of that and hopefully have a big 10 championship game to look forward to, because. If the Buckeyes can beat Michigan on Saturday, they'll be playing Oregon in the big 10 championship game next week.
So if that happens, we'll certainly be looking forward to talking about that next week. But for right now, the only order of business that matters for Ohio state is just beaten Michigan. Checking off that first goal on the list.
We'll see if it happens. Stay tuned to fuss at 11 warriors.com. Thanks for listening in and we'll catch you next time.