Michigan vs. Ohio State roundtable: More pressure on Michigan or Ryan Day?

There are a lot of important questions leading up to the showdown between Michigan and Ohio State, and MLive’s Michigan football beat writers tackled them.

Below you’ll find four topics that are relevant to the matchup, which will kick off at 12:14 p.m. ET on Saturday at Michigan Stadium.

How will the Wolverines fare without their head coach? Will the rushing advantage be critical? It’s Thanksgiving, so let’s dig in.

How will Jim Harbaugh’s absence affect Michigan?

Aaron McMann: It will mean more this week than Maryland, and probably Penn State. The Buckeyes are far and away Michigan’s most difficult challenge to date, and there’s no substitute for Harbaugh’s wisdom and coaching experience on the sideline. How will acting head coach Sherrone Moore, defensive coordinator Jesse Minter and the rest of the coaching staff react if and when Michigan finds its back against the wall? Harbaugh would help calm things, irregardless of what his responsibilities have become. Not having him will matter come Saturday.

Andrew Kahn: It’s interesting to hear Michigan players and coaches say that the game-day operation runs seamlessly without Harbaugh (as they did after the five games he’s already missed) but also say how much it means to have him on the sideline (as they did when he returned from his first three-game suspension to start the season). Can both be true? Maybe, and it’s impossible to quantify what Harbaugh’s absence means. Trevor Keegan, an offensive lineman, said he rarely interacts with Harbaugh during a game anyway. With Sherrone Moore already handling play-calling duties, it’s worth wondering if adding “overall game management” to his plate is too much. We know this: Michigan has had five games to address whatever issues have popped up without having Harbaugh on the sidelines.

Ryan Zuke: Michigan has several former players on its staff, but no one understands what this rivalry means more than Harbaugh. He has big-game experience and, as this season has indicated, knows how to get the best out of J.J. McCarthy during the game. Michigan players will be plenty motivated regardless which coaches are on the sideline, but being able to press the right buttons in a game of this magnitude won’t be an easy task for Sherrone Moore, who had zero head coaching experience entering the year. Things certainly would get interesting if Michigan is down three with a fourth-and-2 on the Ohio State 30-yard line in the final two minutes...

Which team will have more rushing yards?

Kahn: In the last 21 meetings between Michigan and Ohio State, the team that has ran for more yards has won the game. Michigan has done that three times over that span, including each of the past two years. Michigan has been determined to run the ball much of the season, with mixed results. Having a fully healthy Blake Corum and Donovan Edwards - unlike in recent years - is key for Michigan. Ohio State’s TreVeyon Henderson is also healthy and coming off a huge game. I don’t think either team will have a huge game on the ground, but I give Michigan the slight edge.

Zuke: Michigan had a clear advantage on the ground heading into the previous two matchups. Its rushing attack was its offensive identity, and it had the Joe Moore Award-winning lines to run behind. That doesn’t seem to be the case in 2023, despite Michigan returning Blake Corum and Donovan Edwards. They’ve shown flashes of their 2022 run game success, but it hasn’t been a consistent threat. Meanwhile, OSU hasn’t been as pass-reliant without CJ Stroud, and TreVeyon Henderson is healthy again and looking like his former self. I wouldn’t be surprised if the rushing yards are close to even this year, but I’ll give the advantage to Michigan because it simply does not have the pass-catching weapons the Buckeyes do.

McMann: The pure numbers say Michigan has the edge, especially with Blake Corum and Donovan Edwards available, but how healthy is the Michigan offensive line? That could determine whether the Wolverines lean on their rushing attack in times of need. Quarterback J.J. McCarthy is another wildcard here: A healthy McCarthy gives Michigan an added dimension, but they avoided using him in running situations against Maryland. That would matter.

How will Michigan go about covering Ohio State wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr.?

Zuke: This will be the Wolverines’ toughest challenge. They learned last year what can happen when you play man against Harrison without any safety help as Stroud went over the top to his No. 1 wideout for a 42-yard touchdown against Gemon Green last season as part of a seven-catch, 120-yard performance. According to Pro Football Focus, five different Michigan defensive backs were in coverage on Harrison’s nine targets in the 2022 matchup. I expect Will Johnson to get the bulk of assignments against him but look for him to get plenty of help. OSU has other weapons, but Harrison is that special and should be doubled as much as possible.

: While we haven’t received official word, I do expect Will Johnson to take the assignment. You always put your best defensive back on the top receiver - and this is no different. Michigan will likely test the waters with Johnson going one-on-one with Harrison early, then add help as needed. Nickel Mike Sainristil is another option, but remember: Ohio State has receiving threats to go along with Harrison, including Emeka Egbuka and tight end Cade Stover. Michigan will need to divvy up its top playmakers on defense accordingly.

Kahn: As a casual observer of Ohio State, there have been times this season where it seems like the Buckeyes’ entire offense is based on getting the ball to No. 18, Marvin Harrison Jr. He is guy to watch on Saturday, a likely top-five NFL draft pick, but Ohio State has other weapons too, namely running back TrayVeon Henderson, slot receiver Emeka Egbuka, and tight end Cade Stover. Will Johnson is Michigan’s most talented cornerback. He figures to be matched up plenty with Harrison, but covering him one-on-one is asking for trouble.

Is there more pressure on Ryan Day or Michigan to win on Saturday?

McMann: An intriguing question that I would have answered unequivocally a few weeks ago. Ryan Day has faced mounting pressure for his back-to-back losses to the Wolverines, and a third might be enough for some fans to give up on him despite a 55-6 record and two Big Ten titles. But Michigan’s bubbling off-the-field issues have painted a picture of deceit, an advantage on the field, and left some to question its success over the past two years. A win for Michigan on Saturday - without the staffer in question, after much of the scheme has been spilled out in public - would go a long way in proving to critics that it doesn’t need Connor Stalions or any sign-stealing scheme to beat the best teams in the country. I still lean Day, but the more I think about everything swirling around Michigan the more I believe this game can help quiet some of the claims nationally.

Zuke: Ryan Day might have earned more cachet with the OSU fanbase if the game wasn’t canceled in 2020 - a matchup the Buckeyes surely would have dominated. Nevertheless, OSU was 15 minutes away from reaching the national championship last season before a fourth-quarter collapse against eventual champion Georgia. OSU continues to recruit at a high level and has dominated Big Ten competition under Day...except against Michigan. I don’t think he will be fired with a loss Saturday, but a third straight defate against the Wolverines, especially with Harbaugh not at the Stadium, could turn the heat up on his seat. This is the deepest Michigan team he has faced, and The Game is in Ann Arbor, but more pressure is definitely on Day.

Kahn: My first instinct was Day. Coaches are judged on how they perform in this rivalry, and he’s lost two in a row to Michigan. This year, his team is undefeated, healthy, and will be facing a Michigan team without its head coach. Then I remembered the stakes are as high as possible for Michigan. The Wolverines have to win this game to reach their goals. They’ve reached the playoff the past two years and lost in the semifinals. They can’t win it all without beating Ohio State first. There pressure on both sides is a 10 out of 10, but if I must choose, I’ll go with Day.