COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- No. 2 Ohio State has put together one of the toughest defenses in the nation, and it's done so through several injuries to starters.
The next challenge is the team with the toughest defense nationally, Michigan, with the two set to play at noon on Saturday. In recent games, it's appeared that Ohio State was giving some defenders extra time to heal before letting them play in a game again, and coach Ryan Day will have a chance to update their statuses at his weekly news conference at noon on Tuesday. You can watch Day live in the video player above.
Ohio State played Minnesota on Saturday without defensive regulars such as linebacker Tommy Eichenberg, tackle Mike Hall Jr. and safety Lathan Ransom, who is expected to also miss the Michigan game.
The Buckeyes (11-0) and their third-ranked defense are coming off a 37-3 win over Minnesota and the Wolverines (11-0) off a 31-24 win over Maryland.
The winner of the game will clinch the Big Ten East division title and advance to the conference championship game on Dec. 2 in Indianapolis. The loser will have to wait and see if its regular-season performance was good enough for one of four College Football Playoff spots.
