The Ohio State Buckeyes are gearing up to face their archrival Michigan Wolverines on Saturday, and it appears that they have gotten a big break in the process.
Michigan cornerback Will Johnson, who has been out for more than a month due to a toe injury suffered on October 19, is not expected to play against Ohio State, according to Matt Zenitz of 247 Sports.
Johnson is a top national cornerback and a top 2025 NFL Draft prospect, so this is big news.
Johnson has 14 tackles and two interceptions in six games this season, both of which have resulted in touchdowns.
The 21-year-old arrived at Michigan in 2022 and was an absolute terror in his first two meetings with the Buckeyes, most recently recording a big interception against Ohio State last November.
The Buckeyes have lost three consecutive meetings with the Wolverines, following an eight-game winning streak against Big Ten opponents.
Of course, the circumstances are very different this season.
While Ohio State is 10-1 and in contention for a national championship, Michigan has struggled to stay afloat, sitting at 6-5 entering the game.
Ohio State simply cannot afford another loss to Michigan, both in terms of pride and the chance to win the Big Ten championship.
We’ll see if the Buckeyes can snap their losing streak in Columbus this weekend.
