Both No. 3 Michigan and No. 2 Ohio State expect to have their respective leading rushers for their all-important heavyweight showdown on Saturday afternoon in Columbus, Ohio.
The Buckeyes (11-0, 8-0 Big Ten) will see the return of junior Miyan Williams after he missed last week’s game against Maryland.
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ESPN reported that Wolverines junior Blake Corum is expected to attempt play after injuring his knee last week against Illinois.
Per the ESPN report, Corum would not likely play the full game and is not yet completely healthy.
Corum’s status in particular will be watched closely as he has put up one of the best seasons of any running back in college football this year. He ranks sixth in the country in rushing with 1,457 yards and tied for second with 18 rushing touchdowns on 245 carries while powering the Wolverines (11-0, 8-0).
But Corum, a likely Heisman Trophy candidate, went down in the second quarter last Saturday with a left knee injury. The effects were felt on the Wolverines offense in the near upset, with Michigan surviving on a last-second field goal.
Corum has scored a rushing touchdown in every game this season for Michigan’s run-heavy offense, and has reeled off eight consecutive 100-yard rushing games. He was the anchor in the Wolverines’ fourth-ranked rushing attack this season, with the team averaging 243.8 rushing yards per game.
Williams (117 carries) has had less than half as many carries this season as Corum, but the 5-foot-9, 225-pound back ranks among the nation’s top 10 in yards per carry at 6.7. His 783 rushing yards and 13 scores on the ground.
Williams’ health remains even more important for Ohio State with sophomore TreVeyon Henderson expected to be sidelined because of an injured foot.
The winner of the Michigan-Ohio State game will have an inside track to securing a bid in the College Football Playoff. The Wolverines snapped an eight-game losing streak to the Buckeyes last season, winning at home 42-27.
–Field Level Media
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