Detroit Sports Yap with Knapp: 5 Takeaways from the #3 Michigan Wolverines 45-23 Win Against #2 Ohio State Buckeyes
After beating Ohio State last year, the Wolverines do it again in Columbus
For the first time since 2000, Michigan has beaten Ohio State in back-to-back years and in Columbus. Michigan has turned the page in this rivalry and taken control of it once again. Since 2000, Michigan has only beaten Ohio State three times as the Buckeyes have dominated and controlled the rivalry for almost two decades, and now it appears Michigan has decided enough is enough.
Just like last season, Michigan wasn’t expected to beat Ohio State this season. Last year, Michigan was 10-1, while Ohio State was 11-0 and had an offense that was looking to play in the College Football Playoffs. but then Michigan’s defense stepped up and made big plays to win the game. This year was a similar recipe, though both teams were undefeated, and the biggest questions were who was healthy and who was not on each side of the football. Ohio State was down three starters, while Michigan had everyone available but limited due to injuries.
Outside of injuries, the biggest knock on Michigan was their strength of schedule, so Ohio State was favored once again, though experts thought it would be closer. After winning 42-27 last year, Michigan decided that wasn’t enough and pushed it even further and won 45-23 this year, scoring more points and allowing fewer against a better offense with a home-field advantage.
Check out my five takeaways from the victory below!
1. J.J. McCarthy Steps Up Big
When talking about the Michigan offense heading into the game, it was all about running backs Blake Corum and Donovan Edwards and their health. When health wasn’t discussed, the question was, "Can Michigan quarterback J.J. McCarthy step up in a big game? Can he throw the deep ball?"
McCarthy answered both of those questions today with a very loud yes.
Early in the game, McCarthy seemed to be nervous and threw a few questionable and high passes. After the nerves left him and he hit wide receiver Cornelius Johnson for the 69-yard touchdown, McCarthy seemed to be back to himself and ready to dominate the game. McCarthy finished the game going 12/24 for 263 yards and three touchdowns, along with six carries for 27 yards and a touchdown.
McCarthy used his legs more this week and at the right times, giving the offense life when nobody was open in the passing game and also leading the charge inside the 10-yard line to lower the shoulder and get the touchdown. While he was able to make the big throws and run the ball well, McCarthy also held on to the ball and didn’t turn it over, which is what you need to do in this game.
2. No Blake Corum, No Problem for Wolverine Ground Game
Heading into this game, no story for Michigan was bigger than if running back Blake Corum would play or not. Corum would play, but not for long, as he didn’t play after the second quarter. Corum only had two carries for six yards as he couldn’t play through the knee injury, so the reigns were given to the other injured running back Donovan Edwards, and Edwards took it and ran with it.
In the first half, Michigan struggled to get the ball moving on the ground, only getting 10 yards on 11 attempts. The offense was relying on McCarthy to move the ball through the air, and while that isn’t what they are known for, they never gave up on the ground. In the third quarter, Michigan was able to run the football with a little more success, but in the fourth quarter, Edwards put the game on his back to finish.
Edwards was also injured heading into this game; he was seen with a cast before the game, and the cast was taken off and the thumb on his hand was wrapped heavily, but that didn’t slow him down. Edwards finished with 22 carries for 216 yards and two touchdowns, along with two catches for nine yards.
Not having Corum did hurt the Wolverine offense in the first half as Michigan struggled to move the ball on the ground, and while it got better in the second half, it still wasn’t as helpful. McCarthy did well passing the ball, opened up the running game, and made it back to being their focal point on offense. Corum isn’t going to win the Heisman Trophy anymore, and while that is disappointing, I am sure Corum would prefer a National Championship to a Heisman Trophy.
3. Second Half Adjustments Changed the Entire Game
Michigan has been a second-half team for most of the year. The offense doesn’t seem to change much, but the defense is the unit that sees the most change and success in the second half. Michigan defensive coordinator Jesse Minter is known for adjusting what the defense does at halftime and in most of the games this year, Michigan does better in the second half than the first half.
In the first half against Ohio State, Michigan allowed 315 yards with 191 passing and 124 rushing yards. Ohio State also only had three penalties to Michigan’s five, and they were able to get 16 first downs to the Wolverines’ four. That all changed in the second half. Ohio State finished with 158 more passing yards, 19 more rushing yards, six more penalties, and two turnovers.
Michigan was able to contain the Buckeyes' passing game and shut down the ground game, despite the success Ohio State had in the first half. Ohio State quarterback C.J. Stroud had a horrible second half with two costly turnovers that sealed the deal for the game and pushed him into never beating the Wolverines in his three years at Ohio State.
If Michigan does not make these changes, Ohio State will most likely continue to run the ball with ease and gradually take the game away from the Wolverines, allowing them to win a close game. With Minter changing the scheme up, Michigan was able to slow down the Ohio State offense and hold them to just three points in the second half. In the first half, the defense carried the offense, and in the second half, both units contributed well to finish the game with ease.
4. Michigan’s Defense Overmatches Ohio State’s Offense
The talk about the Wolverine defense continues with my fourth takeaway. Michigan did have a great second half on defense, but while the first half wasn’t perfect, it was enough to keep the team only down by three points at halftime. The difference between last year and this year in regards to the defense was that the secondary did a better job of covering wide receivers, while the defensive line wasn’t able to put as much pressure on Stroud as last year.
Either way, Stroud isn’t comfortable under pressure, and he was only sacked once in the game. He fumbled on the sack, but the fumble was removed even though it was clearly a fumble. Stroud had to move around in the pocket and make some questionable throws; one was for an interception on a last-second shovel pass that was intercepted by defensive lineman Taylor Upshaw.
Later in the game, Stroud faced pressure again, knew he needed to make a play, and threw a good pass. Unfortunately for Ohio State, the receiver couldn’t hang onto it, and it was picked off by safety Makari Paige to get two interceptions and eliminate Stroud from the Heisman race as well.
Ohio State was without running back TreVeyon Henderson, and backup running back Miyan Williams was limited to just eight carries for 34 yards. Third-string running back Deamonte Trayanum did well with 83 yards on 14 carries, but the Buckeyes went away with him to focus more on the passing game. Star wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. had seven catches for 120 yards and a touchdown but was outdone by Michigan wide receiver Cornelius Johnson with four catches for 160 yards and two touchdowns.
5. Michigan Returns to Indianapolis and Possibly the College Football Playoffs
Last season, nobody thought Michigan would win the Big Ten Championship, yet they were able to overcome all the obstacles and take down Ohio State to travel to their first Big Ten Championship game and dismantle Iowa 42-3 to win their first Big Ten Championship since 2004. Now, one year later, they are looking to do it again, but better.
Last year, Michigan was 12-1 after the win over Iowa; this year, they enter the game 12-0, as a win over Purdue would put them at 13-0 for the most wins in a season in school history. Michigan was ranked second in the final College Football Playoff rankings after winning the Big Ten Championship. They played third-ranked Georgia, who went on to win the National Championship.
This year, Michigan will most likely be number two heading into the College Football Playoffs if they can beat Purdue for the Big Ten Championship. Their opponent will most likely be TCU or USC, and if some crazy things happen, it could be Georgia, LSU, Oregon, or even Ohio State a second time.
Michigan’s best bet is for Georgia to beat LSU and stay as the number one seed, while Michigan would be number two, TCU number three, and USC number four if they win the PAC-12 Championship, or Ohio State if USC loses to Notre Dame or in the PAC-12 Championship game. Michigan could get a rematch with Georgia, but this time for the national championship.
Conclusion
Michigan is still on top in the Big Ten East with this big win over Ohio State and will now attempt to win back-to-back Big Ten titles for the first time since 2003-2004. This win was better than the 2021 victory as it was in front of the Ohio State crowd with a banged-up roster and a defense that nobody thought would be as good, if not better, than the defense the year before.
Michigan will take on Purdue next Saturday for the Big Ten Championship, and it should be a good game between the Wolverines and the Boilermakers. This gives the Wolverines more time to rest before their next game, and they could see more players return or play more than they did today. Michigan is back if they win the Big Ten Championship once again, and that all starts with back-to-back wins against Ohio State. Move over, Buckeyes—the Wolverines aren’t the same team they used to be.
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