Beyond that, it really depends on how far the Buckeyes make it in the playoff. OSU came within a missed field goal of beating Georgia after a loss to Michigan in 2022 that would have likely ended up in a national title. The same scenario could play out this season.

Since the end of The Ten Year War in 1978, there have been nine times that Ohio State has faced unranked Michigan teams. Five of them were during down periods when Brady Hoke and Rich Rodriguez were on the sideline in Ann Arbor.

Michigan football is a sizable underdog to rival Ohio State (20.5 on BetMGM) but that doesn't mean it's impossible that the Wolverines could go into The Shoe and somehow upend the Buckeyes. It will be an uphill climb,