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Recruiting expert Barton Simmons, analyst Brady Quinn explain gap between Michigan, Ohio State

Teddy Rydquist

By Teddy Rydquist

Published:

With many of the country’s top prospects putting their name to paper on Wednesday, Brady Quinn and Barton Simmons of CBS Sports have been busy breaking down the hauls of college football’s top programs.

Winners of 15 of the last 16 meetings dating back to 2004, the Ohio State Buckeyes have had little issue with their archrival Michigan Wolverines for the last decade-plus. As Quinn and Simmons pointed out, this gap begins on the recruiting trail.

247Sports shared the commentary on Twitter:

The top class in the B1G according to the 247Sports Composite, Ohio State’s collection of recruits is rated No. 3 nationally. Led by Catawissa, Pennsylvania five-star wideout Julian Fleming, the Buckeyes have had nine four or five-star commits sign their National Letters of Intent thus far on Wednesday.

Trailing only Ohio State, Michigan possesses the conference’s No. 2 class in the upcoming cycle. Like the Buckeyes, the Wolverines’ highest-rated signee is a wide receiver: Frankfort, Illinois four-star A.J. Henning.

Earning a spot in the College Football Playoff for the second time in the last four seasons, Ohio State (13-0, 9-0 B1G) will battle Clemson (13-0, 8-0 ACC) in the PlayStation Fiesta Bowl at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona at 8:00 p.m. ET on December 28 on ESPN.

Michigan (9-3, 6-3) will face the Alabama Crimson Tide (10-2, 6-2 SEC) in the Vrbo Citrus Bowl at Camping World Stadium in Orlando, Florida on January 1 at 1:00 p.m. ET on ABC.

Teddy Rydquist

A graduate of Bowling Green State University, Rydquist has been contributing to Saturday Down South and Saturday Tradition since 2019. He can be found on Twitter @TeddyRydquist.