This weekend, college football fans will be treated to a showdown between the #2-ranked Ohio State Buckeyes and the #3-ranked Michigan Wolverines. Throughout much of the past decade, the Buckeyes have dominated this series, but in the past two years, fortune has swung in Michigan’s favor. If Ohio State football wants to end their losing streak and strengthen their resume for the College Football Playoff committee this weekend against their archrival, these four players and two coaches are going to have to step up.

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Kyle McCord

The Buckeyes will need Kyle McCord to step up and play the game that he is capable of playing in order to defeat Michigan. McCord hasn't exactly played badly most of this season, but he hasn't lit the world on fire either. This Michigan team is elite, one of the best teams that Ohio State has played in recent years. Their running game is as good as ever, and JJ McCarthy has taken a step forward. McCarthy has even forced his name into the conversation of first-round draft picks. 

McCord has a golden opportunity this weekend to showcase what he is capable of on the big stage against a top-five opponent. It will be up to him to make the most of his opportunity. If he is able to do so, he’ll put his team in a great position to win this game.

Marvin Harrison Jr

In addition to McCord, Ohio State football will need a big day out of their best overall playmaker and receiver.

Harrison Jr. is a mismatch against any defensive back in college football, and he is the one player that Michigan cannot defend. Whenever McCord gets in trouble, he will likely look toward Harrison Jr. to bail him out by coming up with a contested catch over the middle or down the sideline. Additionally, the Buckeyes will likely need their star junior wideout to create at least one layup touchdown by beating his defender deep down the field for an easy pitch-and-catch touchdown.

Maserati Marv will have to leave his mark on this game if the Buckeyes expect to win.

Running Backs (TreVeyon Henderson and Chip Trayanum)

While McCord will need to step up for the Buckeyes this weekend, Ryan Day will want to have his offense as balanced as possible to give his team the best possible chance of winning. McCord will need to be at his best, but it is also the responsibility of Day and the rest of the offense to ensure that McCord is put in the best possible situation to succeed. Part of this will come down to how effective the running game is.

TreVeyon Henderson is the most talented running back on Ohio State’s roster, and Day will rely on him to put pressure on the Wolverines defense on the ground, consistently moving the chains and periodically breaking off big runs as well.

Chip Trayanum is a very physical runner who will be called upon to punish Michigan’s defensive front 7 and move the chains in short-yardage situations. He is the perfect complementary change-of-pace back, and together Trayanum and Henderson form an elite thunder-and-lightning duo.

If these two can keep the opposing defense off balance, they’ll be able to control the time of possession battle and wear down Michigan’s defense. Any extra defenders they can draw into the box will make life even more difficult for a strained Michigan secondary to keep up with Ohio State’s explosive receivers.

Ryan Day

Ryan Day has had plenty of success early in his career coaching the Buckeyes, but he has struggled to defeat Michigan in recent years. When it comes to the head coach at Ohio State, beating Michigan is all that matters. 

In this regard, Day has come up short recently, and that matters more than all of the wins he has accumulated in that time. Day needs to prove that he can defeat That Team Up North, and this is the season to do it.

Day will need to keep his play-calling balanced, calling smart plays that protect the football, control field position and eat the clock while also being aggressive to keep Michigan’s defense off balance.

Day needs to prove that he can beat Michigan with a team that is fully his own, and this is the year for him to prove that he has what it takes to be Ohio State’s long-term head coach.

Jim Knowles

Last season, up until this point Ohio State’s defense looked excellent, just as it has looked to this point in this season. However, against Michigan is where it all came apart for the Buckeyes last season, and the pressure to prevent a disappointing encore falls on the shoulders of defensive coordinator Jim Knowles.

The biggest problem for Ohio State’s defense in last year’s edition of The Game was giving up splash plays that swung the momentum in Michigan’s favor. Ohio State football had trouble all around limiting big plays, getting gashed on the ground and burned through the air. 

Keeping the ball in front of them and preventing splash plays was something last year’s defense had trouble with periodically, however, and it made sense that they would be most likely to get exposed against an elite team like the Wolverines with the ability to consistently convert those splash plays when the opportunity presented itself.

This year’s Buckeyes team has been much better defensively, particularly in terms of keeping the football in front of them and limiting momentum-swinging plays. With Knowles making his mark on the defense, this unit seems to have finally found what works for them and they have turned a corner. If key offensive players step up and the defense does their part, Ohio State should be able to leave Ann Arbor this weekend with a win.