The Lantern - Sports
Kevin Wright
Issue date: 11/17/06 Section: First Down
Michigan's offense: This has been a roller-coaster season for the Wolverines' offense. Starting the year against Vanderbilt, quarterback Chad Henne and his receivers didn't seem to click. And while the running game looked bounds better than last season, critics were quick to cite the aerial attack as this team's weakness...
Ohio State defense: With just two returning starters, this unit was supposed to be the Buckeyes' weak link. But that hasn't been the case...
Edge: Ohio State
Michigan defense: Two plays stand out from the previous two years. Texas quarterback Vince Young scrambling 23 yards for a touchdown late in the fourth quarter of the 2004 Rose Bowl and Ohio State quarterback Troy Smith running 14 yards for a crucial first down in the Buckeyes' game-winning drive last season...
Ohio State offense: The Buckeyes' gameplan starts and ends with their signal caller: Heisman frontrunner Troy Smith. The quarterback has greatly improved his accuracy, and he leads the Big Ten in pass efficiency, completing 66.4 percent of his throws. With his ability to scramble and turn broken plays into positive gains, Smith is the spark for the Ohio State offense...
Edge: Michigan
Michigan special teams: The Indiana game last Saturday may have been just what fifth-year senior Steve Breaston needed. The wide receiver recorded his first two scores of the season - a touchdown catch and a punt return for a touchdown. Before that game, many wondered whether Breaston had lost his explosiveness. It got so bad for the return man, that Michigan coach Lloyd Carr replaced him with Brandon Minor for one kickoff against Northwestern...
Ohio State special teams: Just as, if not more, electrifying as Breaston, Buckeye return man Ted Ginn, Jr., could turn the tide of this game with just one touch of the ball. He did it back in 2004 when he was a freshman, and even though he has just one return for a touchdown this season, there's always the chance he could break another one...
Edge: Michigan
Intangibles: It's clear neither team needs motivation for Saturday's game. Winner goes to the National Championship game - it's that simple. Both teams mentally lapsed down the stretch run, but had strong showings last week. With two teams as evenly matched on paper as these two are, the determining factor comes down to home-field advantage...
Edge: Ohio State
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Posts
No comments:
Post a Comment