Hey, hey, where you been? But got to talk is about to begin. Hey, hey, hey, come on in.

Welcome back to Buckeye Talk, another Monday Madness. I'm Nathan Bayer from Cleveland.com. Along with Doug Lamarice, we usually start off Monday Madness by looking back at the previous Ohio State game at 56 to 7 victory over Michigan State in this case, but we decided to do exactly as the Buckeyes themselves are doing and move right on to the game and actually take a look back at Michigan, whether that was their game yesterday against Maryland, a comfortable win, whether that was some other stuff from the season, but Doug, you've been following Michigan.

We always do. We always follow Michigan somewhat all season. You for the college football playoff, the college football showdown show. What is a cultural liminator?

Our IP is struggling at the moment with the name change. College football survivor show survivor. I couldn't remember. I danced around it. I couldn't land on it. The college football survivor show.

You've probably also been watching them for that. They've been on the fringe of this playoff conversation, but how inevitable did it seem like this would get to this point where you'd have this game deciding who goes to the big and championship game who ultimately stays in the playoff conversation.

I don't think it was inevitable because, for instance, in some ways, I think Penn State and Michigan are similar teams this year.

As we always talk about, this is nothing new to any Ohio State fan who listens to anybody. It's not like we have the corner on this, but Michigan and Penn State are the only people in the big 10 who recruit anywhere within the zip code of what Ohio State does.

And they're still quite a bit behind, but those teams always have a couple of guys, right? They always have a couple guys, but you also have some holes. And I think you look at a team like Penn State and they're going to end up record wise under achieving this year based on I think who their best guys are where Michigan has afforded that and Michigan needs credit for that. They're not a perfect team.

They found how to play. They have some standout individuals and I was just rewatching, you know, chunks of the Penn State Michigan game from two weeks ago, like Michigan found a way to win that game.

And so you deserve a lot of credit for that. Michigan is not

off the charts, talented one through 22, but you can see how they have guys who can jump up in moments.

They sort of stick to a plan that they have. And then a guy like Aiden Hutchinson is a potential game changer on the defensive line.

So I think Michigan had to fight pretty hard to get here. I know people are having discussions right now is this the best team of the Harbaugh era, which I think it's certainly in the discussion.

I probably would still take the 2016 team right now. I'm not going to pretend I'm fully a Michigan expert.

You know, I've watched a lot of their stuff. I'm going to watch more of their stuff this week and by the time we get to the game preview, I will have an even better handle on this.

But they are a good team that I think looks well coached. It is not

oozing with tops here talent all over the place, but they kind of fight their butts off, man.

And that starts with the way they run the ball. They don't run the ball with giant gashes in the offensive line necessarily. They grind that stuff out.

And they'll pound it until it until it breaks through. And they don't give up on it. And then they everything in their passing game works off of that.

So, you know what we talked a lot in the off season about how Jim Harbaugh had reshaped his entire assistant coaching staff.

And, you know, Josh Gattis, the offensive coordinator is a holdover, but they look well coached to me. And they have some pretty good players.

And they fought to get to this point. It was not at all guaranteed for them.

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