By LARRY LAGE
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ANN ARBOR, Mich. (AP) — Ryan Day, perhaps more than anyone on the Big House turf, needs to win The Game.
Defending champion and top-rankedOhio State (11-0, 8-0 Big Ten) would not get knocked out of the College Football Playoff if they lose a fifth straight game to 15th-ranked Michigan (9-2, 7-1) on Saturday.
Another loss would, though, would haunt Day for at least another year.
“We’ve been working toward this all year, and we know that the opponent is different,” Day said. “We know what’s at stake.”
Day is 1-4 against the Wolverines and his mark in one of the greatest rivalries in sports has been a blemish on what has been a remarkable career otherwise, winning about 90% of games over the last seven-plus seasons.
His latest setback was simply stunning.
The second-ranked Buckeyes were favored by nearly three touchdowns against the offensively challenged, short-handed, five-loss Wolverines in Sherrone Moore’s debut season last year and lost 13-10 in the Horseshoe.
