Ohio State Football vs. Michigan: Keys to victory

3. The Ohio State football team has to protect the ball

Turnovers kill team’s chances to win. Ohio State knows that more than anyone after forcing 10 turnovers combined against Iowa and Penn State. A crucial turnover forced by Zach Harrison late in the game against Maryland is what sealed the win for the Buckeyes.

This is going to be a game with a razor-thin margin for error. A turnover at the wrong time could absolutely devastate Ohio State’s chances to win. Michigan is a good team. Good teams win when they force other teams to turn the ball over. Ohio State has to protect the ball.

Forcing turnovers on defense would also be nice, but not necessary. They just can’t give it away themselves. The Buckeyes are good enough to win without forcing turnovers. They might not be good enough to beat TTUN if they give it away a couple of times though.

Overall this year, the Buckeyes have done a good job not turning the ball over. They generally protect it pretty well. Stroud did have a streak in the middle of the year where he was throwing a pick every week, but that has ceased. He can’t do that on Saturday.

If the Ohio State football team can do these three things, they should finish the 2022 regular season undefeated. If they don’t they will suffer a second straight loss to TTUN for the first time since 1999-2000.