Michigan vs. Ohio State 2022: Prediction, Spread, College Football Playoff Implications

Saturday's matchup between No. 2 Ohio State and No. 3 Michigan is the biggest game of Thanksgiving week, if not the entire 2022 college football season. The contest will determine one half of the Big Ten Championship Game and has serious implications for the College Football Playoff.

Tied with an 11-0 record and two of the four undefeated teams left in college football, Michigan and Ohio State are playing for first place in the Big Ten East. Saturday's winner will advance to the Big Ten Championship Game, where the team will be heavily favored to win the title and punch a ticket to the CFP. The loser of Saturday's game still has a chance to make the CFP with some help.

No. 5 LSU and No. 6 USC are both threats to replace either Ohio State or Michigan in the four-team CFP field. If LSU falls to No. 1 Georgia on Dec. 3 and USC loses against Notre Dame Saturday, there's a good chance that the Big Ten rivals will both make the playoffs.

The Buckeyes are in the driver's seat for the conference title. The point spread at FanDuel Sportsbook favors Ohio State by 7.5 points at home. The Buckeyes have -295 odds to win outright.

Ohio State has been viewed as the top team in the Big Ten all season long. The Buckeyes overcame a halftime deficit to defeat Notre Dame 21-10 in the opener and haven't looked back since. Ohio State has won every game by more than 10 points and outscored conference opponents by 225 total points.

C.J. Stroud is a top-two contender for the Heisman Trophy award. Ohio State's quarterback has thrown for 2,994 yards, 35 touchdowns and just four interceptions. Marvin Harrison Jr. ranks eighth with 1,037 receiving yards.

The Buckeyes have the nation's top offense, averaging 46.5 points per game. Michigan ranks first in total defense, giving up 241.3 yards per game. Only Georgia gives up fewer points per game than the Wolverines, which has held opponents to 11.7 points per contest.

Michigan survived a scare in its last game, mounting a fourth-quarter comeback to beat Illinois 19-17. All but two of the Wolverines' victories have come by at least 13 points.

Running back Blake Corum is Michigan's best offensive player, totaling 1,457 yards and 18 touchdowns on the ground. Corum suffered a knee injury last week, and his status for Saturday's game isn't clear.

Ohio State limits opponents to 3.08 yards per rush, which is good for eighth in the country.

Jim Harbaugh finally snapped his eight-game losing streak against the Buckeyes, leading Michigan to a 42-27 victory over Ohio State last season. The No. 2 overall draft pick, Aidan Hutchinson, sacked Stroud three times in the victory.

It's been 22 years since Michigan last beat Ohio State in Columbus. With another year of experience under Stroud's belt, the Buckeyes probably have too much firepower for the Wolverines this time around.

Prediction: Ohio State over Michigan, 34-20