TTUN is 3-2 after a 20-14 loss to Minnesota in Minneapolis. The Wolverines should be 2-3, but were gifted an extra second on the clock and saw a Bryce Underwood prayer answered against Western Michigan in Week 1.
"The Game" isn't shaping up to be a CFP eliminator for Ohio State and TTUN because of the latter's failures through the first five weeks of the season. Frankly, the Wolverines should already be out of the CFP race, but probably won't be until they suffer another loss.
Indiana, Oregon, and UCLA loom before Kyle Whittingham's squad makes its trip to Columbus this November. That loss is almost certainly coming at some point.
Michigan cannot rely on Bryce Underwood any longer
Bryce Underwood has plenty of talent, but it just isn't coming together in Maize and Blue. Underwood had two interceptions in the second half that curtailed any momentum against the Golden Gophers and completed just 10 of his 21 pass attempts.
It wasn't long ago that Whittingham said Underwood's QB1 role wasn't infinite and that he'd have to turn a corner to keep the job.
"He's our QB right now, and you know, it's not something that's infinite. At some point, we've got to turn a corner, and we've got to see improvement, as we do with a bunch of stuff. We've got to see improvement out of the coaches," Whittingham said before the Oklahoma game.
Perhaps beating the Sooners just prolonged the inevitable. Underwood wasn't overly impressive against Oklahoma either.
It's not just Underwood's fault, though. Freshman running back Savion Hiter has had one respectable showing for a 5-star recruit, and it came against UTEP. The run game has underwhelmed behind an offensive line that hasn't delivered the goods in protection.
Oddly enough, Ohio State has more pressure to win 'The Game' now
Losing to TTUN would be an even bigger potential red mark against Ryan Day and Co. this November, now that we know what the Buckeyes are working against. The Wolverines have no substantial advantage and have a lot of ground to make up.
A potential loss makes the sting that much worse. That doesn't need to be the thought right now, but given Day's history in "The Game," it can never be off the table.
At this point, it's hard to envision Ohio State losing that game.
The Buckeyes' run defense would have to fall below its suboptimal level against Illinois last week. Ohio State's protection would need to succumb to a Wolverines pass rush that is trying its hardest to carry the load. Jeremiah Smith and Julian Sayin would need to forget how to throw and catch a football.
Never say never, though. A 5-6 TTUN knocked off the eventual national champions just two years ago.
Week 13 is not what it should've been, though it's perhaps what many saw coming after the Wolverines barely beat the Broncos.
"The Game" is no longer a CFP eliminator.
That doesn't mean it lost its luster, because it's still the biggest attraction in the sport.
"The Game" simply lost a lot of the stakes.
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