“Victory on the Line: ESPN’s Bold Prediction Shakes Up the 2025 Ohio State vs. Michigan Rivalry”

As we gear up for yet another chapter in one of college football’s fiercest rivalries, there’s a palpable tension in the air surrounding Ohio State and Michigan. The 2024 season may have ended with a national title in the Buckeyes’ hands, but the sting of their shocking defeat to the Wolverines still lingers like an unwelcome guest at a victory party. Imagine being a nearly three-touchdown favorite, only to be blindsided in your own backyard by a team that many considered mediocre at best—it’s enough to keep any fan up at night! With the Buckeyes heading into the pivotal 2025 clash, the pressure is on Ryan Day: win this time or risk facing the wrath of a frustrated fanbase. Will the analytics from ESPN’s SP+ model hold true, predicting an easy victory for Ohio State, or will history repeat itself, leaving Day once again questioning his strategies against the Maize and Blue? Buckle up, because the showdown in Ann Arbor on November 29 promises to be nothing short of electrifying. After all, in the world of college football, anything can happen… right? LEARN MORE

Ohio State won the national title in 2024, but few, if any, will forget what happened in the Michigan game.

The Buckeyes, nearly three-touchdown favorites, were shocked at home by the mediocre-at-best Wolverines in November of 2024. It was Michigan’s fourth straight win over Ryan Day and the Ohio State Buckeyes.

Day and his family received death threats from fans in Columbus following the game. The Buckeyes went on to make the 12-team College Football Playoff, defeating Tennessee, Oregon, Texas and Notre Dame on the way to a national championship. Still, the Buckeyes need to figure out how to beat the Wolverines.

If Day is unable to get a win against Sherrone Moore’s team in November of 2025, he’ll probably be right back on the hot seat – at least in the minds of most Ohio State Buckeyes football fans.

Who will ultimately pull out the win in 2025?

ESPN’s model, the SP+, sees a clear winner in the 2025 rivalry game between Ohio State and Michigan.

The SP+ will go with Ohio State to take down Michigan, winning the rivalry for the first time since the 2019 season. The Buckeyes are ranked the No. 1 team in the model, created by Bill Connelly, while the Wolverines are all the way down at No. 13 in the country.

Ohio State has No. 6 offense, No. 2 defense and No. 11 special teams. Meanwhile, Michigan has the country’s No. 51 offense, No. 3 defense and No. 22 special teams.

According to ESPN’s model, the game between the 2025 Ohio State Buckeyes and 2025 Michigan Wolverines will not be close. Of course, that’s what most thought for the 2024 version of the rivalry game, too.

Ohio State and Michigan are scheduled to meet in Ann Arbor, Michigan on Saturday, Nov. 29. The game will likely kick off at noon E.T. and air on FOX.

Will this finally be the year that Ryan Day and the Ohio State Buckeyes take down their rival Michigan Wolverines?