No. 2 Ohio State will be aiming to get one step closer to a second consecutive appearance in the College Football Playoff and claim its first Big Ten Championship since 2020 along the way when it plays host to Minnesota on Saturday. It's not only one last chance for the Buckeyes to play in front of their home crowd, it also comes a week in advance of a top-five showdown at No. 3 Michigan. That contest will serve as a winner-take-all game in the Big Ten East race for a third consecutive November.
The Golden Gophers head to Columbus, Ohio, on a two-game losing skid. They will likely need to deliver their best performance of the season for any shot of pulling what would be a season-changing upset. Minnesota has not defeated Ohio State since 2000, losing 11-straight meetings between the Big Ten foes.
Viewing information and key storylines on the 54th all-time meeting between the Buckeyes and Gophers can be found below.
How to watch Ohio State vs. Minnesota live
Date: Saturday, Nov. 18 | Time: 4 p.m. ET
Location: Ohio Stadium -- Columbus, Ohio
TV: Big Ten Network | Live stream: Fubo (Try for free)
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Ohio State vs. Minnesota: Need to know
Marvin Harrison Jr. heating up: The Buckeyes' superstar receiver is delivering down the stretch. Harrison enters the Minnesota matchup with six touchdown catches in his last three games. His 149 yards and two touchdowns across seven receptions against Michigan State pushed him over 1,000-yard mark for the year. There's a great chance for him to make multiple trips to the end zone again Saturday against a Gophers pass defense that ranks in the bottom half of the Big Ten, giving up 226.6 yards per game through the air.
Buckeyes jumped in CFP rankings: Ohio State was No. 1 in the first two batches of College Football Playoff Rankings this season before two-time reigning national champion Georgia -- fresh off a victory over ranked Ole Miss -- jumped the Buckeyes for the top spot Tuesday evening. Could that create a little extra motivation for Ohio State entering Saturday? Coach Ryan Day's group doesn't have the chance to pick up a ranked win, but a lopsided victory would certainly send a message to the CFP selection committee and set the tone entering the rivalry game against Michigan next week in Ann Arbor.
Gophers seeking bowl berth, massive upset: Minnesota is 27.5-point underdog for good reason, considering the Gophers are a middling 5-5 and on the road against the No. 2 team in the country. Rarely does Ohio State lose at home in Big Ten play, either. The Buckeyes have dropped just two conference games at the Horseshoe in the last decade -- against Michigan State in 2015 and against Michigan last year. Both of those teams went on to win the Big Ten and reach the College Football Playoff. Minnesota being one win away from bowl eligibility should provide a little extra motivation for coach P.J. Fleck and his team to shock the world on Saturday, but the Gophers still have a massive hill to climb in enemy territory.
Ohio State vs. Minnesota prediction, picks
Odds via SportsLine consensus
The second-to-last weekend of the regular season can always be a bit chaotic. It's easy for contenders to look ahead to rivalry week and stumble against competition perceived as inferior. You might recall that undefeated Ohio State was in a dogfight at Maryland in a similar situation last year before pulling away late for the win. Here the Buckeyes are again, unblemished and just a week out from a season-defining matchup against their biggest rival. The Buckeyes will move to 11-0, but this one feels like it will be either a complete rout or a victory that is too close for comfort. Pick: Ohio State -27.5
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