For any college football born and raised in Ohio, there is no doubt which game is No. 1 come late November. Of course, we’re talking about The Game — Ohio State vs. Michigan. This year’s edition looks about as one-sided as it’s been in a while with the Buckeyes being the huge favorite to stop a three-game losing streak in the series. Like always, the underdog always seems to be lurking so even though U-M is just 6-5, don’t count out the Wolverines completely come noon at Nov. 30. This year, The Game has some competition in what is shaping up as a classic small-school playoff showdown. John Carroll’s Evan McVay (5) celebrates after scoring a touchdown against Mount Union Sept. 21 in Alliance. (Brian Fisher — For The News-Herald) A little more than an hour north of Columbus — also at noon Nov. 30 — an NCAA Division III playoff matchup between John Carroll and host Mount Union could have more drama, be a more competitive game and have just as much on the line for the winner as The Game does for Ohio State. Obviously, more eyes will be on Ohio Stadium but don’t discount JCU-Mount. History will mark both games. Let’s examine: • For Ohio State (10-1) and Coach Ryan Day, it’s a must-win — even after their big win over previously undefeated Indiana on Nov. 23. The Hoosiers and Penn State are each 10-1 and even with head-to-head wins over both, the Buckeyes would be in trouble with a loss to Michigan. That’s because IU and PSU host Purdue and Maryland in their regular-season finales and will be favorites. Expect the Hoosiers and Nittany Lions to finish their seasons 11-1. So OSU needs a win over Michigan to get to 11-1, clinch a spot next to 11-0 and No. 1-ranked Oregon and secure a rematch in the Big Ten championship game. Oregon — which plays Washington this week — beat the Buckeyes, 32-31, in the regular-season meeting. The Buckeyes have been mostly dominant in their 10 wins while the Wolverines’ offense has struggled. But keep in mind U-M came alive in a 50-6 win over Northwestern on Nov. 23 with 396 yards and 25 first downs. U-M should stay in the game if it can repeat that production at Ohio Stadium. There’s also the Donovan Edwards factor. The last time Michigan played in Columbus in its 2022 win, the Wolverines running back torched the OSU defense with 216 rushing yards and scoring runs of 85 and 75 yards. Edwards hasn’t come close that production this season with 578 yards and four TDs and no 100-yard rushing games. But it’s The Game and there are instances when unsung heroes emerge — such as Michigan’s Tim Biakabutuka, whose 313-yard game against the Buckeyes in 1995 led to a win that spoiled OSU’s chances at a national championship. • For more than four decades at Mount Union, football fans there know what will happen when their Purple Raiders play a game — they usually win, and win big just about every time. Could it be different Nov. 30 when Mount and John Carroll meet for the final time as members of the Ohio Athletic Conference? This is the fourth time the teams will meet in the NCAA D-III playoffs, and the first time since the 2014 season — when Mount won a back-and-forth game, 36-28. Mount will always be the favorite when playing at home but there a few signs the Blue Streaks have a legitimate shot at a victory. In the first meeting this season, JCU (9-2) had a lead in the fourth quarter before Mount (10-0) rallied for a 37-31 win in an evenly-matched game. The Blue Streaks’ offense has been rolling late in the season with 272 points in their last five games (a 54.4-point average). In their playoff opener Nov. 23, JCU rolled to a 52-7 win over Mount St. Joseph. Last season, Mount suffered a surprising second-round playoff loss to Alma. A year later, the Purple Raiders are a completely different team with a new quarterback in Noah Beaudrie, who will be the biggest question leading into the Nov. 30 playoff game. Beaudrie left his team’s game against Marietta Nov. 9 after halftime with an apparent injury then didn’t play Nov. 16 against Muskingum. TJ Deshields came off the bench and led Mount to seven-point wins in both games. Beaudrie’s status might not be known until pregame warmups or when the Purple Raiders start their first drive on offense. On the other side, JCU had its own injury scare when QB Nick Semptimphelter went down with what looked like a knee injury against Mount St. Joseph. He missed a few series but returned and threw five touchdown passes in the win. The stages are set in Columbus and Alliance for what should be a classic Saturday. Who plays, who scores touchdowns, which team wins and the key moments are why we will watch and remember. Nov. 23 schedule Games: Michigan at Ohio State, noon; John Carroll at Mount Union, noon Records: UM 6-5, OSU 10-1; JCU 9-1, Mount 10-0 TV: WJW (UM-OSU); ESPN+ (JCU-Mount) What to look for: With a win, Ohio State clinches a spot in the Big Ten championship game against Oregon. … The winner of JCU-Mount advances the third round of the NCAA D-III playoffs.