Few people understand the magnitude of the Ohio State-Michigan rivalry better than Jake Butt, who lived and breathed it as a member of the Wolverines from 2013 to 2016.
He recently sat down with Covers' Joe Osborne to share his personal experiences and to deliver his NCAAF picks for Saturday's highly anticipated showdown.
Ohio State vs 
Michigan best bet
Pick: Bryce Underwood Over 18.5 rushing yards (-105 at FanDuel)
The Wolverines rank 10th in the nation in rushing yards per game thanks in part to Bryce Underwood. The freshman quarterback has run for 322 yards on 68 carries this season, and Jake expects him to rely on his legs on Saturday.
"He's a good enough athlete that he can go for 20, 30, or 40 yards with one rush," he says. "I would be shocked if Underwood had less than 10 carries in this game. I think you try to run, run, run and use Bryce's legs and be very strategic about how often you want to drop him back in the pocket, understanding one big interception could lose you the game."
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The rivalry that forges legacies
Rivalries are the sport's memory vaults, and none looms larger than Michigan vs. Ohio State. Jake has lived it, and frames the moment with the gravity it deserves: the game isn't just another Saturday; it's a referendum on everything a team claims to be. The stakes now spill beyond bragging rights, coloring playoff trajectories and coaching résumés alike. With both programs living week-to-week under the hottest lamp in college football, the 60 minutes in Ann Arbor can define a decade.
"This is the game that you will be remembered for," he says. "This is the game that legacies are built on. This is how you become legendary as a player or as a coach."
Butt's forecast is a throwback: a low-scoring, trench-first slugfest in which Michigan needs one defensive or special teams jolt to tilt the field. His call of Michigan 21, Ohio State 17 matches the identity of both defenses and acknowledges an uncomfortable truth for the Wolverines: trading explosive plays on offense might not be sustainable against Ohio State's speed. Advantage will go to the unit that steals a possession or flips field position at the perfect time.
Inside the game plan: how the showdown will be won
The outlines of the game script are stark. Michigan will try to own the pace, win first down, and force Ohio State into long-yardage throws under duress. Ohio State wants to put early points on the board and pull Michigan into a tempo it doesn't want. The margins are slim enough that one blocked punt or strip-sack could be decisive, a reality that elevates the importance of special teams discipline, wedge-blocking angles, and hidden yards on every kick.
Jake's tactical lens recognizes a hard ceiling on Michigan's offense if the game turns into a sprint. The Wolverines thrive in controlled environments where their defense sets the tone; if Ohio State accelerates, the onus shifts to Michigan's specialists and its defense to create a momentum-altering play. In the biggest game of the year, the most valuable touchdown might not come from an offensive snap at all.
"If Ohio State scores 30 points, I don't think Michigan can score 30 points against that defense," he says. "So, Michigan needs a big play on special teams."
Playoff leverage and the style-points arms race
With the committee weighing résumés and optics, November isn't just about winning; it's about how you win. Teams like Miami and Oklahoma won't be shy in hunting style points if the opportunity presents itself. That might mean late-game aggressiveness in the red zone, tempo in four-minute offense situations, or defensive starters lingering deeper into the fourth quarter than usual. The calculus is cynical but real: margin matters when résumés collide.
These style considerations ripple into conference championship positioning. A convincing win this week shapes seeding, influences perceived strength entering title games, and can create tiebreaker advantages in the eyes of voters. It also shapes betting totals and side value: coaches who understand the optics will keep the gas pedal down, and bettors who anticipate that urgency often arrive at the counter first.
Turmoil, injuries, and the psychology of November football
November magnifies every variable. Coaching rumors can fray trust. Locker-room incidents can fracture cohesion. And fiery leaders can rally a roster in ways numbers can't fully describe. The kind of coach who can light a fire before kickoff sometimes produces performance spikes that outpace the spreadsheet.
"That's the type of guy Auburn coach DJ Durkin is," Jake says. "I'd say that can motivate your locker room in a big rivalry game."
On the injury and contact front, the most deliberate plan is often the most brutal: test the quarterback. Michigan's defensive blueprint includes making Ohio State's signal-caller prove he can take a clean hit, process, and deliver under fire. It's part health check, part psychological warfare - legal, calculated pressure in hopes of forcing hurried throws and contracted play-calling.
"If you're Michigan, you want to hit Julian Sayin early and often," he says. "He has not been hit this year. He has not been hit clean or sacked clean once this year."
Playoff chaos and the committee's conundrum
This is the season's paradox: parity promises fairness, but it breeds indecision. With multiple two-loss teams lurking and résumé lines blurred by conference cannibalization, the back half of the Top 10 is a minefield. Television appeal and brand gravity inevitably hover over the process, even as the committee vows fidelity to metrics and common opponents. Add the rumor cycle around coaching changes, and you have a combustible cocktail.
"It's a mess," Jake concedes. "It's a mess."
The most plausible chaos scenario? A stack of teams with similar records but mismatched strengths (elite defense vs. elite offense) forcing subjective tie-breakers. That's where style points, late-season health, and conference title optics become decisive. For bettors, this uncertainty isn't a nuisance; it's an edge. Anticipating how desperation shapes fourth-quarter decisions can be as valuable as any power rating.
