Ryan Day remains to be looking for a second win in opposition to Michigan.
The Wolverines surprised No. 2 Ohio State 13-10 on Saturday to deal a crushing blow to the Buckeyes’ Big Ten title probabilities and hopes of a first-round bye within the College Football Playoff.
Dominic Zvada kicked a 21-yard subject aim with 45 seconds to go to provide the Wolverines the lead for good. Ohio State had an opportunity to tie or take the lead with no timeouts however did not get a primary down.
A skirmish broke out after the sport as Michigan gamers went to go rejoice at midfield with a Michigan flag. The fracas seemed to be damaged up till a Michigan participant was celebrating with the flag once more and Ohio State’s Jack Sawyer ripped the flag from his arms. That reignited the shoving as coaches, police and safety personnel needed to break up the battle.
The defending nationwide champions entered the sport as 19.5-point underdogs and have now crushed Ohio State in 4 straight video games. All 4 of these have include Day because the Buckeyes’ head coach after Ohio State gained seven straight video games over Michigan in Urban Meyer’s tenure. Day’s solely victory in opposition to Michigan got here in 2019.
It’s the primary four-game win streak for Michigan since Ohio State gained in 1992 to finish a streak for Michigan that had dated again to 1988. Sawyer and different Ohio State gamers had been outspoken about their want to beat Michigan earlier than closing out their careers. Instead, the Buckeyes merely could not do something on offense.
Not solely did Ohio State fail to get a primary down on its remaining drive, the Buckeyes did not get a primary down your entire fourth quarter. OSU’s final first down got here with 8:24 left within the third quarter when Will Howard hit Emeka Egbuka for a six-yard acquire on third down.
It was an unsightly offensive show for each groups. Each QB threw two interceptions and three of these 4 picks got here within the purple zone. The most egregious was thrown by Michigan’s Davis Warren, when Sawyer picked him off on the aim line.
It was an unsightly offensive show for each groups. Each QB threw two interceptions and three of these 4 picks got here within the purple zone. The most egregious was thrown by Michigan’s Davis Warren, when Sawyer picked him off on the aim line.
The two offenses mixed for 486 complete yards and 29 first downs. Michigan threw for simply 62 yards on 16 makes an attempt and rushed 42 occasions for 172 yards. Howard was simply 19-of-33 passing for 175 yards and Ohio State mustered 77 yards on 26 makes an attempt.
A mistake that probably price Ohio State time
Ohio State might have had excess of 45 seconds remaining after Zvada’s subject aim if it wasn’t for a personnel blunder.
The Buckeyes known as their first timeout with 1:55 to go and Michigan dealing with a 3rd down. After the timeout, Ohio State didn’t have the fitting defensive personnel on the sector and Day tried to name a second timeout. But faculty soccer guidelines now stop coaches from taking consecutive timeouts.
The ensuing unlawful substitution penalty gave Michigan a primary down and allowed the Wolverines to run over a minute extra off the clock than they might have been in a position to if Ohio State might have stopped UM on third down.
Ohio State’s playoff hopes
It’s not a lot of an overstatement to say that Ohio State’s remade offense failed miserably on Saturday. Yes, the Buckeyes performed the sport with an offensive line that was lacking two starters. But Howard and RB Quinshon Judkins have been introduced in to beat Michigan on the way in which to a nationwide championship. Judkins rushed 12 occasions for 46 yards.
A nationwide title ought to nonetheless be in play, nonetheless. Though it is potential the Buckeyes could should go on the highway to start out the postseason. Given the losses among the many SEC’s frontrunners and Clemson’s loss to South Carolina on Saturday, the Buckeyes ought to nonetheless be safely within the 12-team playoff subject at 10-2.
A Big Ten title is probably going out of attain, nonetheless. Ohio State wants each Penn State to lose to Maryland and Indiana to lose to Purdue to make the Big Ten title sport in opposition to Oregon.
