10 Players to Watch in Ohio State-Michigan Showdown

#1. Curtis Samuel HB

It’s amazing how such a talented player can be lost in the offense so many times.

There are tons of variables that go into every game, but the one consistent trend that is apparent with Ohio State this season is that when Samuel touches the ball, great things happen.

The H-back is averaging 9.9 yards per touch, gaining 1,440 yards from scrimmage, whether in the run game, or as a receiver.

Samuel has 650 rushing yards on 84 carries, scoring seven rushing touchdowns.

He has caught 61 passes for 790 receiving yards, scoring seven receiving touchdowns.

It may be easier said than done, but the Buckeyes need to give this guy the football and let him go to work.

Michigan’s defense is well-aware of that and will do what it can to keep him from dominating the game, but more often than not, the only times Samuel does not make a big impact are the times when he is not made a focal point of the offense.

For example:

Samuel carried the ball two times against Penn State, scoring a 74-yard touchdown. The Buckeyes lost.

There might be a parallel between the fact that Samuel only carried the ball twice and the Buckeyes offense was lethargic.

Even last week, when Ohio State narrowly defeated Michigan State 17-16, Samuel carried the ball four times and caught four passes, amassing 53 total yards and scoring a receiving touchdown.

Only a fool would try to tell Urban Meyer how to do his job, and the head coach is well-aware of the type of weapon he has with Samuel, but in this OSU-Michigan rivalry game, it seems like the perfect opportunity for Samuel to explode, which would open up the running game for Weber and Barrett, and also take some of the focus off of other receiving threats, like Noah Brown, Marcus Baugh, and Dontre Wilson.

Earlier we talked about how this game may not have the typical mantra of “you go as far as your quarterback takes you.”

In this case, my expectation is that the teams will go as far as their playmakers (on both sides of the ball) take them.

Will it be Peppers, Darboh and Smith for Michigan?

Or Weber, Samuel, and the Buckeyes’ secondary leading Ohio State?

This game has the makings for an epic classic and whether you’re a fan of the Scarlet & Grey, Maize & Blue, or just a fan of great football – this is what it’s all about.

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