Ohio State Holds No. 1 Spot Before Michigan Rivalry

Top-ranked Ohio State maintained its stranglehold on the No. 1 spot in the Associated Press poll after a 42-9 victory over Rutgers on Saturday, setting the stage for a high-stakes rivalry clash with 15th-ranked Michigan that could reshape the Big Ten championship race and College Football Playoff picture. The Buckeyes, now 11-0 overall and 8-0 in conference play, extended their winning streak to 20 games while preserving quarterback Julian Sayin's health by rotating in backup Lincoln Kienholz during the lopsided win. Sayin completed 13 of 19 passes for 157 yards and two touchdowns before yielding to the backup, who added 37 rushing yards in a game Ohio State led by as many as 33 points.

Michigan, sitting at 9-2 and 7-1 in the Big Ten, kept its slim playoff hopes alive with a 45-20 rout of Maryland. Quarterback Bryce Underwood threw for 215 yards and two scores with no interceptions, while running back Bryson Kuzdzal rushed for three touchdowns. The Wolverines have won five straight games and climbed to No. 15 in both the AP and coaches polls, but they enter the Nov. 29 matchup in Ann Arbor as 10.5- to 11.5-point underdogs according to major sportsbooks. A victory would extend...