I really don’t know what to say here.
If I’m honest, I planned to write some kind of dignified cope about how the Rose Bowl is still a great season result and Michigan going back would make national media realize the bowl’s historical significance.
Suffice it to say I can scrap that.
Michigan beat both Ohio State 45-23 on Saturday. They also beat some demons – the road win at The Shoe is their first in 22 years. There are Michigan students who weren’t alive the last time Michigan beat Ohio State in Columbus, and now they’ve seen two consecutive wins. (Most of the undergrads weren’t alive for that, either, since Michigan hasn’t won two straight since 1999 and 2000).
Ohio State was, and probably still is, the better team on paper. The Bucks unquestionably controlled the first half on both sides of the ball (for the most part… we’ll get there). To make matters worse, Michigan lost Blake Corum early in the game, when it became apparent his left knee wasn’t at 100 percent. Michigan was absolutely listless.
As a result of losing the offense’s focal point, high-leverage plays made a difference in swinging momentum toward the Wolverines. The same team that played conservative for the last 11 games finished this contest with an explosive play rate of 17 percent. You can almost see the direct impact of each explosive play in the win probability chart. It wasn’t a slow, steady decline Instead, each big play ate away at Ohio State’s chances – and their willpower – in big bites.
They Don’t Have Stats on Responding to Adversity
Both teams found themselves tested – Michigan would need to adjust to life without Corum, and Ohio State would need to respond to Michigan’s seemingly flukey big plays.
Ohio State’s test was easier than Michigan’s. Sherrone Moore and Matt Weiss had clearly schemed around a fully healthy Corum, even with a wrapped-up knee. All the Bucks would need to do is keep playing their game, with that talent. Michigan surely couldn’t live off of big plays, and that defense would have to give out eventually. Reorienting an entire offensive gameplan seems tougher to navigate than putting down a dog that still wants to fight.
Michigan responded. Cornelius Johnson remembered he had hands. Donovan Edwards, who they seemed hesitant to use in the first half, broke off two touchdown runs for 75 and 85 yards, respectively, amassing 216 yards (most of which came in the second half). J.J. McCarthy, the warrior in the garden, finished 12/24 for 263 yards and three touchdowns, and added 27 yards on the ground. Hell, linebacker-turned-halfback Kalel Mullings completed a 15-yard pop pass to Luke Schoonmaker.
On defense, Michigan’s start was shaky, but that ship also righted quickly. After forcing a turnover on downs on Ohio State’s second drive, the defense settled in. C.J. Stroud once again played admirably, finishing 31 of 48 with 349 yards, and Michigan struggled to contain Emeka Egbuka and Marvin Harrison Jr. at times, but it ultimately didn’t matter. Ohio State faltered in short yardage and tried to force feed tight end Cade Stover. Mike Sainristil put together an excellent defensive performance, including an end zone pass breakup on Stover. Makari Paige and Taylor Upshaw both intercepted the least pick-prone quarterback in college football.
All this to say, Ohio State had no fight in them, buckling at the first sign of distress. The Vegan Grandpa sold out for the run and the secondary looked underprepared as a byproduct. Offensively, playcalling veered sharply from in-sync to uninspired. Where Michigan took on the challenge in front of them, Ohio State walked away.
They say guys will step up for The Game, but I didn’t think I’d see the entire team pull one out of their collective hat. I also didn’t think I’d see a rival fold under the slightest crumb of pressure like that.
Don’t get me wrong; Michigan’s game wasn’t quite perfect. I could talk about some of the smaller critiques. I’m still disappointed with Michigan’s clear Plan A of assuming Blake Corum was 100 percent healthy. We could probably hash out whether or not Michigan should have tried a 57-yard field goal.
We’re not going to do that today. It’s Tomorrow Taylor’s problem.
I’d rather tell you the defining moment of this game for me. In the third quarter, after a series of penalties, C.J. Stroud took the Bucks from first-and-35 to an admirable fourth-and-five. At a moment to make a statement, in plus territory. Ryan Day overruled Stroud and punted.
That’s when I knew Michigan won.