Ohio State and Michigan’s battles on the field have taken on an increased back-and-forth nature as of late with the Wolverines taking the last two games against the Buckeyes, but the competition has also played out off the field and on the recruiting trail.
Michigan issued a blow several weeks back when Cincinnati Moeller four-star running back Jordan Marshall (5-11, 193) committed to the Wolverines over the Buckeyes, marking the first in-state, top-100 prospect to commit to Michigan over Ohio State in over a decade. But on the heels of losing one of their top running back choices in 2024, the Buckeyes responded by adding San Antonio Veterans Memorial four-star running back James Peoples (5-10, 192), actually the higher rated of the two prospects.
While Ohio State and Michigan are unlikely to go head-to-head for many more prospects in this cycle – Marshall is the exception, not the rule, especially since Jim Harbaugh took over for the Wolverines – this recent run has set both schools up for a strong placement in the current recruiting cycle.
According to the 247Sports team rankings, Michigan currently checks in as the No. 3 class in the country with 186.28 points, behind only No. 2 LSU (191.08) and No. 1 Georgia (233.94). After Notre Dame at No. 4 with 175.25 points, Ohio State lands at No. 5 with 153.47 points.
Though the Buckeyes trail in the overall rankings, it’s a matter of quality over quantity right now, with Ohio State’s average player rating of .9341 is third in the country among schools with at least five commitments, trailing only Florida (.9488) and Georgia (.9509). Ohio State’s current class features just seven commitments, at least two fewer than any other school in the national top five.
While Ohio State is expected to be in this position, it’s new territory for the Wolverines, looking to build off their on-the-field success of the last two seasons. Marshall’s commitment may not be an omen for Michigan edging out Ohio State’s completed recruiting class, but if the early returns are any indication, both schools are in a position for a strong close to the class.
