COLUMBUS, Ohio — Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine and Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer participated in a wager on Wednesday ahead of Saturday's game between the Buckeyes and Wolverines. 

What You Need To Know

  • No. 2 Ohio State will face No. 5 Michigan on Saturday in Ann Arbor

  • Ohio State has won 14 of the last 15 meetings between the two schools

  • The Buckeyes are 7.5-point favorites in the game

  • The governors of Michigan and Ohio are waging a friendly bet on behalf of their states

DeWine is wagering cream puffs from Schmidt’s restaurant in Columbus, black raspberry chip ice cream from Greaters, chocolate-covered pretzels from Cleveland-area chocolatier Malley’s and buckeyes from Marsha’s Buckeyes in Perrysburg. 

In return, Whitmer is betting cherry treats from Cherry Republic in Glen Arbor, Mich.

Whitmer is backing the Wolverines despite being a two-time graduate of Michigan State University, which also holds a bitter rivalry against Michigan. The Buckeyes defeated Whitmer’s alma mater 56-7 last Saturday.

DeWine is favored to win the bet, based on oddsmakers. Sports Illustrated Sportsbook lists Ohio State as a 7.5-point favorite over Michigan. 

Michigan has not defeated Ohio State since 2011, marking the Buckeyes’ only defeat to the Wolverines in the last 18 years. 

The Buckeyes are 14-1 in the last 15 meetings with the 2010 game vacated due to violations of NCAA policy and the 2020 game canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

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