One of the nation’s most intense rivalries will reconvene on Saturday afternoon in Columbus, and there’s much more at stake than bragging rights. Both Ohio State and Michigan are top-five teams, and the outcome of this game will play a major role in determining the field for the College Football Playoff.
Michigan vs. Ohio State live stream 2016: How to watch online
You won’t want to miss one of the biggest college football games of the season.
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The game will be played at Noon ET, aired on ABC, and available for live streaming on WatchESPN.
For Michigan, it’s simple: Win the game, and they win the Big Ten East. They would more than likely finish with the same conference record as Penn State, and their head-to-head drubbing of the Nittany Lions would give them the tiebreaker for the division crown. From there, the only thing separating the Wolverines from a Playoff berth would be the Big Ten title game.
Ohio State’s path isn’t so clear. The Buckeyes are also still alive for the Big Ten and a Playoff berth, but they need some help from Michigan State to get there. If Ohio State wins, they’ll need the Spartans to upset the Nittany Lions in State College in order to win the division. Michigan State has had a disastrous season, but they pushed Ohio State to the brink last week before losing 17-16, so they are still dangerous. If the Spartans can’t get it done, Ohio State could still possibly snag a Playoff spot anyway, but they will be leaving it to chance and a Selection Committee that has been vocal about the importance of conference titles.
The biggest in-game factor is the health of Michigan quarterback Wilton Speight. He missed the Indiana game last week with a shoulder injury, but Jim Harbaugh has been incredibly coy about his status. If Speight can’t go, the matchup on the other side of the ball between Michigan’s defense and Ohio State’s offense becomes all that much more important. The Wolverines have the nation’s top-ranked defense, and if they can hold the Buckeye offense down, it will give whoever ends up playing quarterback a better chance to keep the game within sight.
The Buckeyes have won four straight against the Wolverines, including a 42-13 thrashing in Ann Arbor last year to officially welcome Harbaugh back to the rivalry. One would think revenge is keen on his mind here. And really, what other incentive do you need to watch this game?
How to watch, stream, and listen
When: 12 p.m. ET
Where: Ohio Stadium, Columbus, Ohio
TV: ABC
Online: WatchESPN
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