"The Game" is larger than life in 2023.
The No. 3 Michigan Wolverines (11-0) host the No. 2 Ohio State Buckeyes (11-0) in Ann Arbor on Saturday, one of the most highly-anticipated games in college football history. The winner will likely earn a spot in the College Football Playoff, while the loser could be on the outside looking in.
After losing eight in a row in the rivalry from 2012-2019, the Wolverines have won each of the past two seasons.
Looking for Week 13 picks? We've got you covered here.
USA TODAY Sports will bring you the latest updates, scores, highlights, wild plays, analysis and more throughout the day. Follow along.
How to watch Ohio State-Michigan game: Time, TV channel
The game between No. 2 Ohio State and No. 3 Michigan will be broadcast on FOX and can be streamed on the FOX Sports app and on FOXSports.com/live. Fans can also stream the game at FuboTV.
Ohio State vs. Michigan picks and predictions
USA TODAY Sports' team of college football reporters and editors give their predictions for "The Game," with four of six experts picking the Buckeyes to come out ahead in Ann Arbor:
- Scooby Axson: Michigan 24, Ohio State 17
- Jace Evans: Ohio State 24, Michigan 17
- Paul Myerberg: Michigan 27, Ohio State 21
- Erick Smith: Ohio State 26, Michigan 20
- Eddie Timanus: Ohio State 33, Michigan 26
- Dan Wolken: Ohio State 24, Michigan 19
Michigan vs. Ohio State betting odds
The Wolverines are favorites to defeat the Buckeyes, according to the BetMGM college football odds. Looking to wager? Check out the best mobile sports betting apps offering college football betting promos in 2023, including the new ESPN BET app.
- Spread: Wolverines (-3.5)
- Moneyline: Wolverines (-165); Buckeyes (+140)
- Over/under: 46.5
What Top 25 college football games are on today?
Here are the kickoff times and TV info for Top 25 teams in the US LBM Coaches Poll:
- No. 2 Ohio State at No. 3 Michigan, Fox, noon
- Navy at No. 25 SMU, ESPN2, noon
- Texas A&M at No. 14 LSU, ESPN, noon
- Kentucky at No. 9 Louisville, ABC, noon
- No. 22 Liberty at Texas-El Paso, CBSSN, 3:30 p.m.
- Vanderbilt at No. 23 Tennessee, SEC, 3:30 p.m.
- No. 8 Alabama at Auburn, CBS, 3:30 p.m.
- No. 16 Arizona at Arizona State, ESPN, 3:30 p.m.
- BYU at No. 21 Oklahoma State, ABC, 3:30 p.m.
- Washington State at No. 5 Washington, Fox, 4 p.m.
- No. 4 Florida State at Florida, ESPN, 7 p.m.
- No. 17 Notre Dame at Stanford, Pac-12, 7 p.m.
- No. 1 Georgia at Georgia Tech, ABC, 7:30 p.m.
- Iowa State at No. 20 Kansas State, Fox, 8 p.m.
- North Carolina at No. 24 North Carolina State, ACC Network, 8 p.m.
Where is ESPN College GameDay this week?
The final week of the college football regular season is typically a joyfully chaotic one, with no shortage of passionate, high-stakes rivalry games populating the schedule. Even among that group, though, one game this year stands that much taller. And now, it’s getting the “College GameDay” treatment.
ESPN’s famed college football program will air live Saturday from Ann Arbor, Michigan for No. 3 Michigan's game vs. No. 2 Ohio State.
Week 13 will mark the first time this season Michigan has hosted “College GameDay,” which hasn’t visited the university’s Ann Arbor campus since Nov. 27, 2021 — the last time the Wolverines welcomed Ohio State to Michigan Stadium.
Michigan has been a part of a game that hosted “College GameDay” 37 times, ranking it fifth among FBS programs. Ohio State has hosted the program the most times (23) and appeared on it the most (59).
In the 13 previous times they have hosted “College GameDay,” the Wolverines have gone 10-3.
– Craig Meyer, USA TODAY Network
Michigan will be called a fraud with loss to Ohio State
Michigan’s football program has won 23 consecutive Big Ten games, two conference championships and asserted a level of dominance over Ohio State that has at times made the Buckeyes’ fan base question whether Ryan Day runs a tough enough program to compete at the highest level of the sport.
But if the Wolverines lose to Ohio State on Saturday, it will all look like a gigantic fraud.
That's the unvarnished, and perhaps unfair truth of the stakes this year. In some ways, it’s bigger than the rivalry. It’s more relevant than who plays in the Big Ten title game next week. And given the context of what’s been happening at Michigan lately, it’s far more urgent than even winning a national championship.
Regardless of what you think about the sign-stealing scandal that has embroiled the program for the last month and will keep head coach Jim Harbaugh out of Michigan Stadium for the last of his three-game suspension, the consequences of losing this time to Ohio State are crystal clear.
Without this victory, on this day, under these circumstances, the conclusion that Michigan flipped this rivalry by cheating will be served up for Buckeye Nation like a carved turkey placed in front of an offensive line.
And Michigan will never live it down.
– Dan Wolken
Michigan vs. Ohio State all-time series record
Michigan officially leads the overall series 60-51-6.
In the past 30 years, Ohio State leads the rivalry over Michigan with a record of 18-10. This does not include the vacated 2010 matchup, which the Buckeyes won 37-7. The 2006 matchup was the only time the teams were ranked No. 1 and No. 2 with the Buckeyes the top team in the nation and the Wolverines right behind them. The game kicked off a day after the death of legendary Michigan coach Bo Schembechler. Ohio State outlasted Michigan 42-39 in Columbus in what would be Troy Smith's Heisman Trophy season.
Ohio State-Michigan game this year marks the end of a glorious era
A case can be made that Saturday’s game in Ann Arbor is the biggest in the history of the Ohio State-Michigan rivalry.
Two undefeated teams. The No. 2 Buckeyes vs. the No. 3 Wolverines. A Big Ten championship game berth and probably a College Football Playoff at stake. Add in the unprecedented absence of Jim Harbaugh because of Michigan’s sign-stealing scandal, and the rivalry almost feels on the verge of boiling over.
Yep, it should be one for the ages at the Big House.
But one thing is certain: This is the last Ohio State-Michigan game of its kind.
Next year, the Big Ten abandons its divisional format with the arrival of the four programs from the disintegrated Pac-12 Conference.
In a division-less Big Ten, it won’t be shocking if Ohio State and Michigan met in back-to-back weeks – in the regular-season finale and then in the conference title game.
"That's crazy," Ohio State quarterback Kyle McCord said. "I think that's just the world of college football now with everything going on and its twists and turns. But that would be wild."
– Bill Rabinowitz, Columbus Dispatch
Gannett may earn revenue from sports betting operators for audience referrals to betting services. Sports betting operators have no influence over nor are any such revenues in any way dependent on or linked to the newsrooms or news coverage. Terms apply, see operator site for Terms and Conditions. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, help is available. Call the National Council on Problem Gambling 24/7 at 1-800-GAMBLER (NJ, OH), 1-800-522-4700 (CO), 1-800-BETS-OFF (IA), 1-800-9-WITH-IT (IN). Must be 21 or older to gamble. Sports betting and gambling are not legal in all locations. Be sure to comply with laws applicable where you reside.