OSU/Michigan Similarities

My buddy Dan and I were talking OSU/Michigan stuff the other night, and it got me wondering how the OSU and Michigan stats compare. Since we are approximately halfway through the season, I thought it would be interesting to compare how the Numbers 1 and 2 teams in the nation (AP Poll) stack up against each other.

OFFENSE
Ohio State is 2nd behind Wisconsin and averaging 33.6 point per game. Michigan is 4th and putting up 31.1 ppg.
OSU is putting up 235 pass yards per game, while Michigan averages 188 pass yards per game.
Don't read too much into this, because since both teams have won all contests relatively easily there has been really no pressure for either side in terms of having to pass the ball to win.
Michigan is 3rd in rushing offense and averaging 188 yards rushing per game while OSU is 9th with 156 rush ypg. I will give the nod to Michigan at this point in having a slightly better rushing attack, because their offensive line is a bit better than Ohio State's. However, both teams average 4.3 ypc and are nearly equal in rushing touchdowns.
OSU is 2nd in total offense with 391 yards per game while Michigan isn't too far behind with 373 yards of total offense per game.

DEFENSE
Ohio State is 1st in the Big Ten in Scoring Defense in yielding a staunch 9 points per game. Michigan's D has been nearly as impressive, while giving up 13.5 points per contest.
Michigan's rush defense has been ridiculously good thus far, and they are only giving up 33 rushing yards per game. Their 1.4 ypc allowed is another stat that goes beyond belief, and giving up .33 rush TDS a game isn't bad either. OSU's rush defense has been pretty solid while giving up 110 yards per game on the ground. The difference here lies in the quality of competition and situations that both teams have been in. A lot of Garrett Wolfe's rushing yards came in garbage time against some of the OSU reserves, and Texas' running game is like nothing that Michigan has seen this year. I will say that the Michigan front 7 is one of the best I've ever seen at the collegiate level.
Ohio State's pass defense allows 176 pass yards per game. Michigan is slightly behind at 208 per game, but we'll see how Drew Tate fares against the Michigan secondary this week. Burgess and the UM safeties vs. Iowa TE Scott Chandler will be a matchup that will definitely be worth watching on Saturday.
Michigan and OSU are nearly even in sacks, as UM has 25 sacks to OSU's 24.
The Bucks do get the nod in turnover margin, as they are +1.50 in turnover margin per game, while UM is at + 1.3 per game.
Michigan has the edge in total defense in giving up 241 yards per game, while OSU is a touch behind at 285 yards per game.

SPECIAL TEAMS
Ohio State averages 13.4 yards per punt return, while Michigan comes in at just over 10 yards per punt return. OSU's return team is again starting to click, and it should only get better as they get more reps in the two-deep formation. Steve Breaston is nearly just as good as Ted Ginn, but I'm still giving the advantage to the Bucks here. Both guys (or all 3 if you include Gonzalez) could break one for 6 at any time, and after the MSU beauty by Ginn now sits at 6 career punt returns for touchdowns. The NCAA career record is 7, by the way.
I like what I've seen from AJ Trapasso and the Buckeye punting unit, and they are the only Big Ten team to net over 40 yards per punt. Michigan is right behind them with 36 net yards per punt, however.
Field goals are what could decide the monumental matchup on November 18th. Ohio State is only 6 of 10, while Michigan is a very good 10 of 12. Being at home for the contest should help whatever Buckeye kicker gets the opportunity for the OSU-UM matchup.

MY TAKE
So I know we've got 6 weeks between now and the matchup of a lifetime, but here are my thoughts on what would happen if these two teams played tomorrow.
It would be a classic battle, with Troy Smith having to make plays with his legs. I think the Bucks will have success passing the ball against Michigan, but that could be negated if the O-Line can't protect number 10. You know that Branch, Burgess, and Woodley will be applying the pressure and I hope that OSU can keep it's O-Line healthy between now and then. Michigan will probably have some early success running the ball, but OSU will have some key halftime adjustments and will come up with a critical turnover in the 2nd half that will be the turning point in the ball game. We're going to see some points in this one, and I think that if you're an OSU fan you should be praying for decent weather. If there is inclement weather (i.e. Penn State game), it would give Michigan a huge advantage in taking the air out of the ball for the OSU passing offense. Anyways, I'm saying OSU can move the football on the UM secondary and OSU wins, 27-23.
I'll come up with an Indiana preview on Friday, but since I was so enamored with these OSU/Michigan stats I thought I'd share them with you. And if you think this was a long post, well....too bad, as no one is putting a gun to your head to read this.