Big Ten Daily (Nov. 22): Buckeyes Know It's Beat Michigan or Bust

Ohio State's 2021 recruiting class has never beaten Michigan. With everything on the line this weekend in Ann Arbor, the Buckeyes are laser-focused on beating the Wolverines.

The pressure is mounting in Columbus and the players can feel it. Ohio State has lost two straight games to Michigan and hasn't earned a win in "The Game" since 2019. It's not just the winner-take-all scenario that has the Buckeyes feeling the heat.

Members of Ohio State's highly-touted 2021 recruiting class have never beaten Michigan. That class —complete with stars like Marvin Harrison Jr., Emeka Egbuka, Denzel Burke and J.T. Tuimoloau — was ranked second nationally. 

Expectations were high for that group. And while that class has enjoyed plenty of success over the last three seasons, it's fallen short of its goals. In the past two seasons, the Buckeyes have failed to beat Michigan and haven't won a Big Ten Championship.

It's the first part — the struggles against Michigan — that has Ryan Day's 2021 class hyper-focused on Saturday's game in Ann Arbor.

“The past couple of years, the bad brawls, the respect between coaches and just doing it for the city of Columbus. It’s important here, we’re going to get it done,” Burke said Tuesday. “I’m very emotional, I’m trying not to get out of character but this game means a lot for us, and we’re gonna get it done for the state of Ohio.”

Several of Ohio State's recruiting classes passed through Columbus without ever losing a game to Michigan. For most of the Jim Tressel era and all of Urban Meyer's tenure, it became a point of pride for the Buckeyes.

The 2021 class can leave behind a great legacy, but without a win over the Wolverines, there's always going to be an asterisk beside the accomplishments.

“We all go in there and debate in the locker room who has the best class. Who has the best team," Harrison said. "And the number one question you have to ask is did you beat The Team Up North? They always start to stare, so that’s kind of the point where it’s a deciding factor on where your class ranks as far as legacy-wise. It definitely matters to us.”

Legacy certainly matters to the players in the locker room. It's important to the members of Ohio State's second-ranked recruiting class from 2021.

Right now, though, Ohio State's mentality is on the task at hand. Egbuka might've summed it up best with just one sentence.

"Everyone in my class," he said, "we feel like we can't leave here without Gold Pants."

Minnesota-Ohio State Delivers Big Ratings

All eyes were focused in on Saturday's Minnesota-Ohio State matchup in Columbus apparently. The cross-division clash netted massive ratings for Big Ten Network.

According to a release from the network, 2,015,000 viewers tuned in for Saturday's battle between the Gophers and Buckeyes. It became the most-watched broadcast in the history of Big Ten Network.

Saturday's game was also the first network broadcast to exceed two million viewers. The 2021 Black Friday game between Nebraska and Iowa had previously been Big Ten Network's most-watched game, hitting 1.99 million viewers.

Fans tuning into last weekend's game didn't get much entertainment out of it — well, except for Buckeye fans. Ohio State cruised to a 37-3 victory over Minnesota, improving to 11-0 on the year. The Gophers fell to 5-6

Wisconsin Heading to Ireland in 2027

The Badgers are heading overseas in a few years, The school announced that it will open its 2027 season against Pitt in Ireland. 

Wisconsin and Pitt will meet at Aviva Stadium in Dublin, Ireland on Aug. 28, 2027 as part of the "Aer Lingus College Football Classic." It's the second time the Badgers have played a football game on international soil.

"It's exciting for our student-athletes, their families and our fans who will be able to have such a unique experience," said Wisconsin athletic director Chris McIntosh. "We talk all the time about the opportunities available to student-athletes at Wisconsin and this is another example. Visiting another country and playing a quality opponent will be memorable for all involved and we are looking forward to it!"

In 1993, Wisconsin played against Michigan State in 1993 in Tokyo, Japan in the Coca-Cola Bowl. The Badgers defeated the Spartans 41-20.

So start setting your travel plans now, Badger fans. This should be a fun experience.

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