Michigan thumps OSU for second straight rivalry win
4:14 PM ET Adam Rittenberg Close ESPN Senior Writer College football press reporter.
a scoring run early in the 4th quarter and Edwards broke off 2 long touchdown runs as No. 3 Michigan beat No. 2 Ohio State 45-23, its second straight upset in the competition. Playing nearly the entire game without star running back Blake Corum, Michigan had five goals of 45 lawns or longer and four of 69 lawns or longer to stun the Buckeyes.”First-year starter, I don’t think there’s any first-year starter in the history of Michigan that has won 12 games, 12-0, “coach Jim Harbaugh stated.
“And in their first game, beginning against Ohio State at Ohio State to play that terrific. Everybody on our group understands it.”Michigan advanced to the Huge Ten champion next week in Indianapolis, where it will deal with Purdue. The Wolverines (12-0 )can win successive straight-out Big Ten titles for the very first time given that 1992. They won at Ohio Stadium for the very first time considering that 2000, which likewise represented their last winning streak in the rivalry (two games). Ohio State had won 29 consecutive Big Ten home games prior to Saturday, extending back to the 2015 season.Points 1902 86 1946 58 2022 45 1943 45 2021 42– ESPN Stats & Info Corum, Edwards and the ground game had actually brought the offense the majority of the season and concerns were posed about the efficiency and capability of Michigan’s pass game. Entering this game, McCarthy ranked No. 88 amongst all
to keep shooting, “McCarthy stated. “I constantly had 100 percent rely on each and every single one of my men and in myself, and simply to be able to do it today, it was so unique. It was really so special and there’s still a lot of things that we need to do to deal with and improve but it was just excellent to finally see it concern fruition.
“The matchup marked simply the 4th time because 1935 that both Michigan and Ohio State entered their game with no losses or ties. Ohio State (11-1) came in 6-0 at home versus Michigan when both groups held AP top-5 rankings.Harbaugh, who lost his first 5 games to Ohio State, has actually now won consecutive contests. Ohio State coach Ryan Day fell to 1-2 against the Wolverines. The Buckeyes must wait up until next week to find out whether they receive the College Football Playoff as an at-large selection, which they last performed in 2016.”That’s life at Ohio State,
“Day stated.”I definitely understand what this game means to everyone, so when you lose, it all returns to me; I’m the head coach. That’s what probably injures the most. “Both Day and defensive organizer Jim Knowles felt comfortable with Ohio State’s first-half performance, keeping in mind that almost all of Michigan’s offense came on two long McCarthy goal passes.” Nothing to get stressed about,”Knowles said.”Then, the 2nd half, they hit a couple [of] big runs. That’s just disheartening. I need to take the blame for that.
I’ve just got to do a much better task. It’s a story of explosive plays.”After the Buckeyes cut their deficit to eight points midway through the fourth quarter, Michigan struck right back with a 75-yard Edwards touchdown run. Edwards added an 85-yard goal run as Ohio State fans headed for the exits.”It was a missed out on deal with on the very first play, then got beat on a double carry on the second play and then there were clearly some misfits in the run game, “Day said.” Obviously, the very first thing we require to do to win games like this is play great defense. Besides a couple of plays in the very first half, I seemed like we did, however not in the second half. “Michigan knew it required to beat Ohio State to return to the championship game game. McCarthy acknowledged the win’s value, but also worried that the season isn’t over.During Michigan’s postgame press conference, he took his hat, decorated with Huge 10 East champs on the front and threw it down on the table. He was excited about the win, however stated the team isn’t done yet which their season objectives are still ahead of them. “It was fantastic, obviously to get a win, every win’s great and especially this one, however at the end of the day, this one doesn’t even matter,”McCarthy said. “This doesn’t matter. The job’s not ended up, we have a lot more to do therefore numerous locations to go, so, the job’s not ended up and we’re ready to get after it. “Michigan’s defense held Ohio State to 3 points in the 2nd half and simply 47 backyards on eight plays
in the 3rd quarter. Ohio State punted on its first three second-half belongings, including twice from near midfield.After transforming its first four third-down opportunities, Ohio State ended up 5-of-16. “You have to play the field-position game,”Day said. “Fourth-and-5 around midfield, if it was fourth-and-3, fourth-and-2, perhaps you take a shot there. I didn’t feel like we were desperate at that point, so I felt like that was the ideal thing to do. “But you’re not in those situations if you’re transforming on 3rd downs, and we didn’t do that today. “McCarthy finished 3 of his very first nine pass efforts but then began finding spaces in an Ohio State defense that had allowed only two passing touchdowns of 45 backyards or longer all season prior to Saturday. Midway through the second quarter, he found Cornelius Johnson, who beat cornerback Cameron Brown and raced for a 69-yard touchdown.The sophomore then discovered Johnson for a 75-yard touchdown and assisted Michigan regain the lead in the 3rd quarter with a 45-yard scoring pass to freshman tight end Colston Loveland. McCarthy became the first player with 3 passing touchdowns and a hurrying TD against Ohio State considering that Clemson’s Tajh Boyd in the 2014 Orange Bowl.”He’s impressive, just manages things well, throws on the run, makes plays stretch out even longer,”Knowles stated. “And he can run the ball when he needs to.”
McCarthy had actually operated a mainly conservative passing strategy in his very first season as the starter, and Michigan came in with only one passing touchdown of 50 yards or longer. He was available in averaging just 177.5 passing yards per game, which ranked 11th in the Big Ten and well behind Ohio State’s C.J. Stroud( 271.9 YPG ), who remained a leading Heisman candidate.Stroud passed for 349 backyards and two touchdowns however struggled to attack downfield aside from a 42-yard TD to top receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. late in the first half. He tossed two interceptions in the last 5 minutes of what likely was his last game at Ohio Stadium.”People are going to say I never ever won The Video game, and I comprehend, individuals are going to state I never ever won the Big Ten championship, I comprehend,”Stroud stated.”When it concerns that, I simply need to consume it. It’s life. Nothing’s ever been easy for me. “Stroud highlighted that the Michigan game wouldn’t
define him or his group, but kept in mind just how much Ohio State had focused on it after falling to the Wolverines last season. He hasn’t chosen if he would play in a championship game if the Buckeyes fall short of the CFP.” I tried to do everything I perhaps could, however it’s on me, this game is actually on me, I have actually got to do more,”Stroud stated. “This is the one that we truly desired [
. after] 365 days of everyone laughing and talking. We started out strong. Just laid an egg in the second half. “Both groups played short-handed at running back. Corum, who sustained a left knee injury in recently’s win over Illinois, left the game after two carries on Michigan’s very first ownership and did not return. Michigan had only 10 hurrying yards in the first half.Ohio State starter TreVeyon Henderson sat out with a lower leg injury, while Miyan Williams returned from injury but was not overly reliable. The Buckeyes leaned on Chip Trayanum
, a linebacker who played running back at Arizona State however had just one carry for Ohio State before Saturday. Trayanum ended up with 83 lawns on 14 carries.The Wolverines were held to simply 10 backyards entering the very first half, however Edwards blew up in
the 2nd half with 170 lawns and two touchdowns in the fourth quarter, which was the most by a Power 5 player considering that Jamaal Charles did it for Texas in 2007 versus Nebraska.Edwards also ended up being the first player in Michigan history to tape-record numerous 75-yard goal runs in a single game and his final tally of 216 hurrying lawns is the second-most by a Michigan player against the Buckeyes perpetuity, behind Tim Biakabutuka’s 313 yards in 1995.”Our group really paid the cost and they truly put in all the work. Which’s what they did, just the hard work, the sweat every other game,”Harbaugh stated.
“To get to this game and get this chance, and we were thankful to be where we were, right where we wished to be and then came down here, players were all focused and figured out to win. “