Ohio State vs. Michigan Rewatch: Thoughts on Wolverines, Buckeyes ahead of The Game

A couple thoughts, mostly on Michigan, after rewatching some games

Michigan quarterback Bryce Underwood throws a pass against Washington. (Photo courtesy of Michigan athletics)

COLUMBUS — Thoughts on Ohio State vs. Michigan, the matchups, the players, the storylines after rewatching the Buckeyes and Wolverines this season.

1. Can this be like the Texas game? That really came down to Arch Manning, the young Longhorns quarterback, having no idea what he was looking at against Matt Patricia’s Ohio State defense.

The dynamics are not exactly the same. Bryce Underwood, the young Michigan quarterback, has 11 starts under his belt. Manning, at the time he faced the Buckeyes, had two, and neither of those previous opponents presented much of a challenge. Underwood is more tested, and Patrica is not so much of an unknown either. The Wolverines have 11 games’ worth of film to study.

Yet, the thing that stuck out to me most about Underwood (aside from his undeniable talent) is that, even now, he can still be forced into making mistakes. He’s still a freshman after all. And those mistakes tend to show up most when you blitz him.