The two best programs in the Big Ten have won each of the last two national championships. The Ohio State football team won last season with the best four-game run in college football history. TTUN won it in 2023, although that win certainly has an asterisk on it due to the cheating scandal.
Ohio State went right through the best that college football has to offer when they went through Tennessee, Oregon, Texas, and Notre Dame. Jeremiah Smith showed the rest of the country why he is the best player in college football. Jack Sawyer had one of the best plays in Ohio State football history.
TTUN didn't have to go through a four-team playoff. They did go undefeated, including beating the Buckeyes. However, the Connor Stalions cheating scandal hangs over that championship, and it will forever. If those two national championship teams faced each other, who would win?
Would the 2024 Ohio State football team beat the 2023 Michigan team?
If we go position by position, it's pretty close. That's especially true if we talk about each team when they were at their peaks. The quarterback edge likely goes to Ohio State because of what Will Howard did during that four-game CFP run. JJ McCarthy never had anything like that.
Ohio State had better running backs, so they win that position group. Michigan's offensive line might hold a very slight edge, but it's really close. They also win at tight end. Ohio State's receivers are light years ahead of what Michigan has, so that's probably the biggest blowout of any position group.
On the defensive line, Michigan has a slight edge. In the secondary, Ohio State smokes them. Linebacker might be a wash. Special teams might be the slightest of edges for Ohio State. TTUN has the better coaching staff, though.
The Buckeyes would probably beat the Wolverines when both teams were at their best. It's unfortunate that we don't get to see this hypothetical matchup because it certainly would be an epic one. Ohio State is one of the best national champions in the last ten years when they were at their peak.